SwingKid

Here's a controversial topic. In March 2003, an F-16CJ fired a HARM at a friendly Patriot SAM site:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/...in601241.shtml

What do you think happened?

(a) The F-16CJ's RWR incorrectly identified the Patriot as a threat,
(b) the Patriot incorrectly identified the F-16CJ as a threat, and its preparations to fire were detected by the F-16CJ RWR, or
(c) the pilot misread the RWR and actively fired on a firendly?

Note that according to some sources, (b) should be impossible...

-SK

tphuang

It's Patriot missiles problem. Remember, this is the same missile that shot down a British plane in the same war. As I have said many times, Patriot missiles == overrated.

Anon

What makes them overrated?

The fact that they can hit even NATO planes with western ECM operating on combat footing, or the fact that they hit SRBMs(granted hitting is not the same as destroying) almost 85% of the time in actual combat situations?

Either way, that's my kind of 'overrated'.

SloMax

I read for every SRBMs hit, three patriot missiles were needed. The problem of patriot system is its autonomy. It can fire missiles automatically and when it is fixed on something it is very hard for the operator to prevent firing. In tornado GR4 case in 2003 it has mistaken it for a SRBMs (?!). In an exercise in 2000 patriot system was at a least minute prevented from firing on a formation of 4 F-16 that it has mistaken for incoming SRBMs. It has a lot of glitches, but they can be reappeared with system upgrade or replacement (money is the big question). But the US has nothing to worry about they will get a real SRBM killer soon - THAAD.

tphuang

overrated against missiles. They were built for air defense and Raytheon is trying to convert it into a missile defense system. And then claim that it can shoot down missiles accurately.

TheGreenSmoke

That is why they developed the PAC-3.

tphuang

They are basing it on an existing system that's flawed. All of the software used in developing these BMD systems use some form the predator/prey logic. When you face missiles with random movements, you just can't defend them. If anything operation iraqi freedom taught me, it's that Raytheon's software is still not up to par.

TheGreenSmoke

I think the PAC-3 has already shot down several missiles in OIF.

Anon

"When you face missiles with random movements, you just can't defend them."

SRBMs do not have erratic movements, and i'll betya a buck that the Tornado didn't just fly straight and level with it's RWR going off as the Patriot slammed into it.

TheGreenSmoke

Was it a PAC-2 or 3 that destroyed the tornado?

lemontree

The bright side of these incidents is that if India buys the Patriot system, it should detect a PAF F-16 as an enemy and not a friend. It would be desastrous for us if it detected the PAF F-16 as a friendly aircraft.

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Cheers!...on the rocks!!