And now we know.
“Well, there’s the final confirmation. Unless they had the guts to put a patriot radar close to the border (unlikely considering it would have popped up on Russian RWR’s), this pretty much confirms that Ukrainian PAC-2 is acquiring targets across link16 datalink. Exciting stuff.”
“Russian Air Force affiliated channel Fighterbomber reports that all helicopters and fighter jets downed on May 13 were shot down by a Ukrainian Patriot air defense system and 11 pilots died. That day Russia lost a Su-34, Su-35 & two Mi-8s in Russia’s Bryansk region.“
https://twitter.com/ArchieIrving2/status/1661348544337551360
“Haven’t seen much discussion about whether the Patriot system may have been responsible for the recent Russian aircraft losses, so here is my take. This looks to me like a possible use case for PAC-2 from well within Ukrainian territory using link16. ”
https://twitter.com/ArchieIrving2/status/1658116284444295170
Previous day’s thread: https://freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/4155285/posts
Ukrainian PAC-2
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Except, according to earlier reports, Ukraine received the PAC-3 latest variant, not the PAC-2.
Archie seems to show that Ukraine forces are fighting Russians along the coast near Mariupol - he dates that map from May 3, 2023, not 2022
I wouldn’t rely on his accuracy about anything. My opinion.
Initially, UKR denied they shot the RU aircraft & helicopters down.
This is a very interesting concept, if true.
My guess would be a NASAMs radar was deployed near the UKR/RU border. A Patriot launcher would also be deployed near the UKR/RU border.
The NASAMs radar would then acquire the target(s), launch a PAC-2 missile (the Aim-120 would not have the legs) and provide mid-course guidance through link16.
At some point, the PAC-2 missile acquires, locks on to then kills the target.
This could also explain the Black Sea shoot down.
Send more Patriot launchers.