Stinger or similar missile? Or the typical lack of a measurable safety margin built into Russian aircraft?
CC
Not Russian, but Airbus.
Not to start any speculation but an observation... from my time in MFO 85-86 flew over Gaza Strip in French Twin Otter twice. Crew told us that Sand Uyghurs (not their words) shoot at aircraft like dogs bark at sirens, they just can’t help themselves.
Putin’s “TU-214SR Doomsday Plane” going in circles now...
“Tupolev Tu-214SR, a modified version of the Tu-214, is the Russian so called ‘Doomsday Plane.’ Outfitted with a state-of-the-art multi-intelligence payload, it was designed to provide the Russian leadership with a mobile command and control center in case of a major cataclysm or a global war.”
Putin would not be flying their doom plane in defense mode if they were not considering retaliation on a massive level. Probably trying to figure out who shot it down then its payback....
Here is his plane..
http://www.flightradar24.com/RSD47/7d9bdd6
It was at 33k feet before crashing so no manpads as they don’t reach this high.
http://www.flightradar24.com/data/airplanes/ei-etj/#7d986d3
Latest news is that the pilots reported a technical error and requested an emergency landing right before the crash.
This “Russian†aircraft was an Airbus A-321. It was flying at an altitude of 32,000 feet when the trouble started, well above the range of any manpad.
If it turns out to have been a missile fired by ISIS did Obama supply the more advanced missile to them? He does like to sneak guns to the bad guys.
[Or the typical lack of a measurable safety margin built into Russian aircraft?]
Heard on the News a little while ago that the pilot’s wife claims the pilot was complaining about problems with the airplane.