Letter to Online Defense: what dynamics in killing the Su-24?

29/11/15

I always follow your content with interest. I suggest, as soon as you have adequate information, a study on the dynamics of the shooting down of the Russian Su-24 by Turkish fighters.
Profiles like myself are wondering how it is possible that Russian pilots did not have the inkling of the presence of NATO planes in the area.
The same goes for the missile that hit them: the surviving pilot claims that the impact was without warning, but there are no radars on war planes?

Cordially

Silvio Savoldi from Brescia
 

Dear Reader,
                          in thanking you for your attention to our online magazine, I would like to point out that the story of the shooting down of the Russian Su-24 aircraft by Turkish F-16s is still characterized by the deepest mystery. The mutual accusations of the two states do not help the investigative process and will leave all of us with doubts and perplexities about the incident. Moreover, similar stories of the past have always remained shrouded in the deepest mystery. The truth, in these cases, is always kept in the secret rooms of military operational environments.

The only certainty is that for some time Russia has been putting the air defense of NATO countries to the test with studied and very frequent trespasses and not only on the skies of Turkey. The operational aspect of the incident, in fact, raises further questions on the versions made public so far. Turkey is part of the NATO device and participates in various exercises with other Alliance countries. The rules are clear: "when an aircraft invades the airspace of a nation without the intended clearance, the defense system goes into alarm and two interceptor fighters ready in five, ready for take-off in five minutes from the alarm, they take off and, led by the control tower, head towards the aircraft considered hostile. Reached the same they flank him and with a couple of wing beats invite him to change course. If this does not start, a radio communication is attempted to order the obligation to land for the appropriate checks on board the aircraft. If all attempts fail and the aircraft is deemed hostile to national security, the killing proceeds. This is to say that before shooting down an aircraft, procedures now standardized and shared by all countries are implemented.

The fact that the F-16 fired without implementing the procedures or that the Russian Su-24 had not responded to any warning, are likely possibilities. On the subject of on-board radar I would like to say that, given that everything works perfectly, when you are engaged in flight by a missile everything happens in a few seconds and in a few seconds you have to perform evasive maneuvers that are not always successful.

MD

(photo: MoD Russian Federation)