Sooo...
Now all of our REAL enemies will know the actual capabilities of them.
Great.
I've been wondering all day whether the Rooskies had them stand down to save face or the local operators were just horribly incompetent.
No, we don't and they don't either.
First off, we are not sure they launched any of the S-400's. Even if they did, based on the information gleaned from several reports and on scene videos, the Syrian based defense missiles weren't launched until after the Coalition Strike was over with.
If you actually think we launched the best versions of our best missiles at a third-rate target, I have a bridge I know you want to buy.
The ones we launched had a little bit more capability than necessary to do the job. Anything more would have been wasted and would not be used.
OTOH, we should have learned about the capabilities of their defenses even if they didn't launch a single interceptor. The radar signatures of the targeting systems were recorded and are being analyzed.
No, I don't have inside information, but that is the way it should be done.
No, I think Tyler Rogoway over @ "The Drive" noted it was turned off, they didn't want to give us an intel treasure trove of how it works
FWIW, sounds like Ivan was ok with this and my guess whomever these rebels were nobody wanted them and rumors of a ground cleanup afterwards by Ivan and the Syrians may point in that direction also. MY guess? McCain related swampian rebels and who knows who was really funding them, possibly and ISIS offshoot? Time will tell.
From all indications, the Ruskies never lit up the radars for them. Many of the UK and French planes were weasel equipped just in the event they did. Depending on tactics used, a weasel team can hit them between they first power on the radar and before the first missile is launched.