If the Israelis start buzzing a ship from 0530-1400 hrs, wouldn't it make sense that their pilots would've ID'ed the vessel as USN? That's a hell of a lot of time to even pull out the books and make a positive ID from recon photos. And, if the Israelis had suspected anything why not radio the ship on normal channels and request confirmation? It just doesn't add up.
Btw, Funkedup, Boroda is a great drinking buddy

When we tossed vodka from 2000-0800hrs with a few of the boys from 25IAP and Flying Barans, he kept saying, "Now, leonid, you don't have to drink anymore if you don't want to. You're the man. It's up to you." Needless to say, I never declined - and I paid for it the next day. The good news was that Russians chase their vodka not with beer, but food. Every shot was immediately followed by either a slice of pickle or bread and raw meat or onions or pel'meni(won tons) or smoked herring. It works too, honest to god. Bad news is that drinking a 1/2 liter of vodka over 12 hours is not going to 'just go away'. Boroda warned me that night that "tomorrow, you'll not be quite dead, but you won't be quite alive too." No headaches, no nausea, but, yes, not quite alive

But, I swear, Funkedup, you visit Moscow, those guys will make you feel like family. No joke
