I don’t recall hearing of a Patriot shooting down an aircraft before. Makes sense though – a jet fighter, at high altitude, would be an easier target than a hyper velocity missile.

“The Israeli military says it has shot down a Syrian fighter jet that entered its airspace.

The military says it monitored the advance of the Syrian Sukhoi fighter jet Tuesday and shot it down with a pair of Patriot missiles after it entered Israeli airspace by about two kilometers…”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/a...4f61b6b4dc3c587e3bb8

Edit: I’m surprised that they fired two Patriot missiles. They’re expensive, and I’d think one would do the job.

Israel has used the PATRIOT system to shoot down two unmanned vehicles previously, and one SU-24 in 2014.

The Patriot was originally designed to shoot down aircraft, NOT ballistic missiles. The Army tried to modify it to do so, with, at best, limited success. The latest version, the PAC 3 uses a missile specifically designed to shoot down ballistic missiles. I don't know if that has ever been used in combat.

Good shooting, Tex!

I'm guessing the Israelis "upgraded" the Patriots for dual-purpose, would make sense...if you have a pretty significant investment in anti-missile batteries, why not also use it as anti-aircraft.

quote:

I’m surprised that they fired two Patriot missiles. They’re expensive, and I’d think one would do the job.

Two is one and one is none.......

Patriot is a SAM, intended from the very beginning to use against aircraft. It replaced the Hawk missile system in this role.

Most people know of them from the first Gulf War when we tried to shoot down Scud missiles with them.

So, in this case, the missile did what it was always designed to do.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bigboreshooter:
Good shooting, Tex Moishe ![/QUOTE

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
it entered Israeli airspace by about two kilometers…

Well that's reasonable.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
it entered Israeli airspace by about two kilometers…

Well that's reasonable.

There's also a demilitarization zone along the border. So, the plane was already violating treaty by being in the demilitarization zone, and then became an agressor by crossing over to Israeli airspace.

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
it entered Israeli airspace by about two kilometers…

Well that's reasonable.

That's what happens when you're reading Goat Hustler instead of monitoring the plane's GPS, Mohammed. "I never thought it would happen to me...."

If I’m not mistaken, the standard practice with the Patriot system is to fire two missiles per target. This is because, by the time the first missile has reached the target, it may be too late for a second to be fired and still get to the target if the first one fails. So, they fire two and self destruct the second if the first one hits. At least, that is the process for shooting down other missiles. It may not be necessary with something slower like a plane. My source here is a PAC3 promotional video, so take that into account.

- Bret

I'm more surprised that Syria still has warplanes.

quote:

Originally posted by RAMIUS:
I'm more surprised that Syria still has warplanes.

They have one less now.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
I don’t recall hearing of a Patriot shooting down an aircraft before.

Blue On Blue How Did An Army Patriot Missile Battery Shoot Down A Navy F-18?

British: Two Killed as U.S. Patriot Shot Down Fighter Jet

Eventually the F-16s got pissed and "HARM'ed" the offending Patriot Radar.

That Time an Air Force F-16 and an Army Missile Battery Fought Each Other - US Fighter pilots feared flawed air-defense system

quote:

Originally posted by RAMIUS:
I'm more surprised that Syria still has warplanes.

The Russians do.

That's OK. The Israelis aren't Turks.

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:

quote:

Originally posted by Voshterkoff:

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
it entered Israeli airspace by about two kilometers…

Well that's reasonable.

That's what happens when you're reading Goat Hustler instead of monitoring the plane's GPS, Mohammed. "I never thought it would happen to me...."

Lol

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Edit: I’m surprised that they fired two Patriot missiles. They’re expensive, and I’d think one would do the job.

If one is good, two is better.

That maxim holds true for many things.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
If one is good, two is better.

That maxim holds true for many things.

I knew these twin sisters . . .