Doomed jet 'identified as missile'

CNN ^ | 5/14/2004 | NA

[Daus]

LONDON, England -- A British military jet shot down by a U.S. missile during the Iraq war suffered a failure of an electronic system which should have identified it as a friendly aircraft, the UK government says.

A U.S. Patriot missile shot down the Tornado GR4A near the Iraq-Kuwait border on March 23 last year, killing both crew. The jet was returning from a mission over Iraq.

[Daus]

A follow-up to an old mystery.

[Izzy Dunne]

Rumsfeld should resign.

[DainBramage]

This is worse than sawing off someones head.

[zencat]

"Rumsfeld should resign."

Nope, the chain of command goes all the way to the Oval Office. Bush must take full responsibility.

[Daus]

This is my favorite part:

"Other factors included the "wide classification criteria" for anti-radiation missiles programmed into the Patriot system and the Patriot rules of engagement which were "not sufficiently robust to prevent a friendly aircraft without a functioning IFF system being classified as an anti-radiation missile."

The move towards 'pefect war' continues on...

[BadAndy]

"Nope, the chain of command goes all the way to the Oval Office. Bush must take full responsibility."

It goes further than that. George H W Bush and his wife Barbara are the truly guilty parties.

[elbucko]

It recommended that the IFF system on each aircraft should be checked after takeoff and that the Tornado's IFF installation should be modified to make sure a cockpit alarm sounds whenever the IFF system fails.

The IFF was made by Lucas. Lucas also makes refrigerators, that's why the Brits drink warm beer.

Black humor aside, there should have been two IFF systems on board. In the future, perhaps, automatic encryption synchronization of the IFF on outbound friendlies will be necessary. Failure to "ID" will scrub the mission.

[Chewbacca]

Why should Bush take full responsibility for the RAF failure to maintain their equipment in working order?

Or are you suggesting that Bush should be faulted for not developing a Patriot missile system that kind read minds and determine if something is friend of foe?

Oh, wait. John F'n Kerry voted against funding that didn't he?

[Conspiracy Guy]

Lucas did the electrical for my old MGB. The dang thing would try to start itself on rainy days. I had to make sure I parked it out of gear, no clutch lockout switch in those days.

[Daus]

I was surprised to see that the pilot has no idea if he is identifying or not. That would make me quite nervous (apparently rightfully so).

[Conspiracy Guy]

Then it's Blair's fault

[F.J. Mitchell]

I recognize the sarcasm in your replies, (sarcasm, I hope) but not everyone here is as worldly wise and comprehending as my humble self-Some may assume you guys are serious. Hee Hee....er....you aren't serious.......are you?

[BlueLancer]

"It goes further than that. George H W Bush and his wife Barbara are the truly guilty parties."

Almost there ...
Verily, it's the fault of that evil old capitalist, Prescott Bush.

[DainBramage]

(/sarcasm>

[Daus]

Don't lump me in with the sarcastic hooligans on my thread. :)

[F.J. Mitchell]

" (/sarcasm>"

Thanks, I needed that.

[F.J. Mitchell]

I'm Sorry. But whatta bout post # 5?

[superiorslots]

My uncle who served in Germany during WWII said you would be aghast at the number of friendly fire incidents. Back then it was accepted as another occurence that happens during war. It was not liked but accepted.

[Daus]

What about it? I was making fun of the people's desire to make war a perfect and bloodless activity. To think you could fly a fighter jet through the American lines without identifying yourself as friend or foe is quite silly in my book.

[ChefKeith]

MGB headlight switch label:

DIM

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