Posted on 12/24/2014 10:09:09 AM PST by tcrlaf
The Islamic State group captured a Jordanian pilot after shooting down his warplane over Syria, Jordan said Wednesday, in the extremists' first successful downing of an aircraft from the international coalition waging an air campaign against the extremists.
The show of the extremists' capabilities underscored the risks for the United States and the multiple Arab and European countries whose warplanes are participating in bombing campaign aimed at pushing back the jihadis' control across much of Syria and Iraq. It also posed Jordan with a nightmare scenario ? its pilot was the first foreign soldier to fall into the extremists' hands.
It was not immediately known how the fighters shot down the warplane. But the Islamic State group is known to have stocks of Russian-made Igla anti-aircraft missiles. The shoulder-fired weapon has long been in the Syrian and Iraqi government arsenals ? it was used during the 1991 Gulf War by Iraqi forces to down a British Tornado jet, for example. More recently, militants in Chechnya have used them to down Russian helicopters.
Jordanian Information Minister Mohammad Momani told The Associated Press that the plane was shot down by "ground fire" but did not elaborate.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Igla vs. F-16..?
If so, then this is a pretty interesting story.
Igla
Ransom or a head?? Choice? Pay millions so more missiles can be bought. ISIS money talks, no one walks.
According to this Wiki they have Ruskie aircraft for the most part (pre-civil war).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Arab_Air_Force
Mig-29, 25, 23, and 21,
Su-24, 22.
Wrong link?
Be sure not to confuse this Igla with the IGLA - International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (who knew they had such?).
9K38 Igla (surface to air missile)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9K38_Igla
Flew an Unfriendly Sky
Undoubtedly they’ll treat him with the same sensitivity the Obama administration accords Guantanamo detainees.
National Review Online is reporting that the aircraft was an F-16.
Also, that was a Jordanian plane, that was shot down, you are correct about Syria’s Air Force.
Better get your ducks in a row, or WWIII might show up on the door step of 1600 Penn. Ave.
5.56mm
It could be an F-16!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Jordanian_Air_Force
They have 12 F-16As, 4 Bs, 46 Cs, and 16 Ds in service.
It could be an F-16!
Yes, I think so. The NRO article opined that because the Jordanians don’t have the same target acquisition capability as the USAF, they fly lower, thus, would be more vulnerable to the kind of SAMS the ISIS group carries. Not an expert on the topic, by any means, but it sounds plausible, to me. Thanks for your reply.
F-16 ping.
The pilot is a dead man—Glad its a man and not a woman.
Jordan plane not shot down by Islamic State, says US
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30600500
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.