Posted on 11/21/2005 4:10:26 PM PST by strategofr
The Serbian battery commander, whose missiles downed an American F-16, and, most impressively, an F-117, in 1999, has retired, as a colonel, and revealed many of the techniques he used to achieve all this. Colonel Dani Zoltan, in 1999, commanded the 3rd battery of the 250th Missile Brigade. He had search and control radars, as well as a TV tracking unit. The battery had four quad launchers for the 21 foot long, 880 pound SA-3 missiles. The SA-3 entered service in 1961 and, while it had undergone some upgrades, was considered a minor threat to NATO aircraft. Zoltan was an example of how an imaginative and energetic leader can make a big difference. While Zoltan’s peers and superiors were pretty demoralized with the electronic countermeasures NATO (especially American) aircraft used to support their bombing missions, he believed he could still turn his ancient missiles into lethal weapons. The list of measures he took, and the results he got, should be warning to any who believe that superior technology alone will provide a decisive edge in combat. People still make a big difference. In addition to shooting down two aircraft, Zoltan’s battery caused dozens of others to abort their bombing missions to escape his unexpectedly accurate missiles. This is how he did it.
--- Zoltan had about 200 troops under his command. He got to know them well, trained hard and made sure everyone could do what was expected of them. This level of quality leadership was essential, for Zoltan's achievements were a group effort.
--- Zoltan used a lot of effective techniques that American air defense experts expected, but did not expect to encounter because of poor leadership by the enemy. For example, Zoltan knew that his major foe was HARM (anti-radar) missiles and electronic detection systems used by the Americans, as well as smart bombs from aircraft who had spotted him. To get around this, he used landlines for all his communications (no cell phones or radio). This was more of a hassle, often requiring him to use messengers on foot or in cars. But it meant the American intel people overhead were never sure where he was.
--- His radars and missile launchers were moved frequently, meaning that some of his people were always busy looking for new sites to set up in, or setting up or taking down the equipment. His battery traveled over 100,000 kilometers during the 78 day NATO bombing campaign, just to avoid getting hit. They did, and his troops knew all that effort was worth the effort.
--- The Serbs had spies outside the Italian airbase most of the bombers operated from. When the bombers took off, the information on what aircraft they, and how many, quickly made it to Zoltan and the other battery commanders.
--- Zoltan studied all the information he could get on American stealth technology, and the F-117. There was a lot of unclassified data, and speculation, out there. He developed some ideas on how to beat stealth, based on the fact that the technology didn’t make the F-117 invisible to radar, just very to get, and keep, a good idea of exactly where the aircraft was. Zoltan figured out how to tweak his radars to get a better lock on stealth type targets. This has not been discussed openly.
--- The Serbs also set up a system of human observers, who would report on sightings of bombers entering Serbia, and track their progress.
--- The spies and observers enabled Zoltan to keep his radars on for a minimal amount of time. This made it difficult for the American SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) to use their HARM missiles (that homed in on radar transmissions.) Zoltan never lost a radar to a HARM missile.
--- Zoltan used the human spotters and brief use of radar, with short range shots at American bombers. The SA-3 was guided from the ground, so you had to use surprise to get an accurate shot in before the target used jamming and evasive maneuvers to make the missile miss. The F-117 he shot down was only 13 kilometers away.
Zoltan got some help from his enemies. The NATO commanders often sent their bombers in along the same routes, and didn’t make a big effort to find out if hotshots like Zoltan were down there, and do something about it. Never underestimate your enemy.
bump
Brilliant man. I hope Westley Clark reads this. Although he'd probably say, it was Bush's fault.
Someone should have long ago offered that guy a posh job at the Air Force Academy... As it is right now, he could write his own ticket in many countries just teaching this stuff. I'd rather he teach us.
Never underestimate your enemy.
Bears repeating.
On the contrary, superior technology does provide a decisive edge, which however doesn't mean 100% infallibility and unvulnerability.
They were probably not guilty of as many atrocities as the ones we were suporting, they were just winning.
I think Clinton wanted to show the Muslims we were their buddies. It didn't work.
A Vietnam vet neighbor told me once..."An enemy who walks 1000 miles carrying a WWII rifle and 4 or 5 rounds of ammunition is incredibly determined. That determination makes him dangerous in ways the normal world can't conceive of."
"Someone should have long ago offered that guy a posh job at the Air Force Academy... As it is right now, he could write his own ticket in many countries just teaching this stuff. I'd rather he teach us."
Or "retired" him.
He would have got more than just one if his above tactics worked. Those planes are stacked up there. This sounds like someone who read a few books on WWII tactics on Air craft surveillance...
I am not so sure as to the credibility of this analysis.
Sometimes...lucky, is just lucky.
Just goes to show, no weapon system is infallible, especially if you have people like Klinton and his cronies in power. All Zoltan did was take advantage of complacency and seeing the same predictable patterns day after day.
There have been football games with outcomes like 105-7.
Zoltan never lost a radar to a HARM missile.
Sounds like a sea story. The VMAQs alone launched 57 HARMs during OAF.
General Clark was on Fox today....
Very articulate. Very thoughtful...until...well
"cowards cut and run, Americans never do!"
so what if I changed a word!
Luck, the union of preparation and opportunity. Better good than lucky.
Whatever his skill, you gotta like the name Col. Zoltan. Sounds like an opponent for Rocky.
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