It is normal for SAM installations to track all aircraft. It is just part of training. I suspect an idiot launched a missile in error. If not in error I am puzzled by this action.
“It is normal for SAM installations to track all aircraft. It is just part of training. I suspect an idiot launched a missile in error. If not in error I am puzzled by this action.”
Agree. Most of us are never in a situation where we’re manning something like a SAM and told to be ready for an attack. To be in that position requires a lot more than an instruction manual and a week of training. Being in a combat setting is nothing to sneeze at - things start to blur and confusing reigns...which is why that head-shot at the church was so amazing!
Anyway, what you need are simulations, and more simulations, and tons of training, including recurrent training. If you don’t have it and you see a target, you get jumpy...and then you can easily fire on your own people, as happened here. Back in 1982, Syria had a bunch of Soviet SAMs in Lebanon. Israel attacked. When Syrians operated the SAMs, Israel did fine, taking them out. But then the SAMs were manned by Russians and Israel started losing planes. Same missiles...different operators.
(and no, I’ve never been in combat, but something tells me I’m close to describing it here)
I suspect an idiot launched a missile in error. If not in error I am puzzled by this action.
It was two missiles. I suspect the Iranians do not train often on their expensive military equipment. Too easy to break stuff during training.