You are right. An F-16 or F-15 would be better equipped to intercept a small airplane. Perhaps the Air Force was oriented more towards external threats, like they were on 9/11, and the decision was to use the Navy instead. In any case, we will probably never know what kind of intelligence the government had and how it figured into any tactical decisions regarding this threat, if indeed, this is how events unfolded that day.
I do not think it was insanity to fire missiles at a target that was seen as a bona fide threat. No, I do not think the military leadership is stupid, but they do have to operate in this real world of limited information and opportunities.
You are right. An F-16 or F-15 would be better equipped to intercept a small airplane. Perhaps the Air Force was oriented more towards external threats, like they were on 9/11, and the decision was to use the Navy instead. Makes no sense. The Air Force is charged with the air defense of the continental U.S. and not the Navy.
In any case, we will probably never know what kind of intelligence the government had and how it figured into any tactical decisions regarding this threat, if indeed, this is how events unfolded that day.
We'll never know if any such threat existed at all or if it is all a figment of someone's imagination.
I do not think it was insanity to fire missiles at a target that was seen as a bona fide threat. No, I do not think the military leadership is stupid, but they do have to operate in this real world of limited information and opportunities.
You don't think it's insanity to be shooting missiles in the general direction of dozens of civilian airliners? May I ask what your military background is?