Israeli F-16 fighter jet shot down amid Syrian anti-air fire, pilots safe - IDF

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Looks bit destroyed

 

[Hack-Hook]

Since the harsh Israeli response appears to have deterred further escalation of the conflict, no, I don't see that shooting down one Israeli plane has much significance.

Don't knew the only thing proven in that news article is photo of a crashed f-16I

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

I thought you can't destroy a F16 by S-200

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

I thought you can't destroy a F16 by S-200

Why not? F-16 is a 1970s plane. S-200 is semi active radar homing, same as MIM-23 HAWK but bigger.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Was the iSraeli pilot not skilled he bailed his craft instead of being brave
Just becasue Syria can bring down any plane in region is not enough reason to jump and kill your self from high altitude it is suicide and that does not seem right

 

[Solomon2]

Mattis: Israel has 'right to defend itself' against Iran

By Sara Shayanian | Feb. 12, 2018 at 9:00 AM

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters that Israel has a right to defend itself, after a F-16 fighter jet was shot down over the weekend. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI

Feb. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said Israel has a right to defend itself, after the country exchanged aerial fire with Iran and Syria over the weekend.

"Israel has an absolute right to defend itself, and I think that's what happened yesterday," Mattis said to reporters on Sunday.

"So when Syria, which has made no ... excuse for what they're doing alongside Iran, when they are providing throughout for Iran to give weapons, including more sophisticated weapons, to the Lebanese Hezbollah, Israel has an absolute right to defend themselves."

Mattis' remarks followed a "large-scale attack" by Israel in Syria after a Syrian aircraft shot down an Israeli F-16 jet.

Officials said the attacks began after an Iranian drone infiltrated Israel's northern airspace from Syria. Israeli Defense Forces say the drone is in their possession.

In response, Israeli jets targeted the Tiyas Military Air Base in the Syrian province of Homs, where officials say the drone originated. Two crew members of an Israeli F-16 ejected before the missile struck the jet, while the jet crashed near Kibbutz Harduf in the Lower Galilee.

Mattis said IDF forces acted proactively to ensure the safety of their citizens.

"They don't have to wait until their citizens are dying under attack before they actually address that issue," he said.

Israel authorities are warning that Iran plans to establish a foothold on Israeli's northern border in anticipation of an attack on the Jewish state.

The Israeli government said Iran could use Syrian territory to plan attacks or use its foothold in Lebanon to transfer weapons more easily to the Lebanese Hezbollah -- an Iranian-backed militia group.

"If Iran continues to threaten and carry out offensive operations against Israel from Syria, Israel will teach Iran a lesson it will never forget," Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said.

Don't knew the only thing proven in that news article is photo of a crashed f-16I

Israel hits Syrian targets after F-16 crashes in anti-aircraft fire

By Allen Cone | Feb. 10, 2018 at 10:13 AM

An Israeli F-16 fighter jet was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft system in northern Israel. An Israeli army spokesman said the Israeli army had successfully intercepted an Iranian drone that launched from Syria and infiltrated Israeli airspace. In response, the army targeted Iranian locations in Syria. Photo by Abir Sultan/EPA


Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Israeli military carried out a "large-scale attack" Saturday against the Syrian Aerial Defense System and Iranian targets in Syria after it said Syrian anti-aircraft fire shot down one of its F-16 jets.

The confrontation started when a Iranian drone penetrated Israeli's northern airspace from Syria and a helicopter downed the un-manned object around 4:30 a.m., Israel's military said.

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said in a report by Haaretz that the drone "is in our possession." The Iranian Foreign Ministry, though, disputed that description of the drone's downing. Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi called it "so ridiculous."

Amid a retaliatory bombing run on the area where the drone was launched, two Israeli F-16 pilots ejected as their plane went down in northern Israel. Both were hospitalized -- one in stable condition and the other listed in serious condition.

Syrian television said its country's defense systems hit more than than one Israeli aircraft.

The New York Times reported this appeared to be the first time since the early 1980s that enemy fire downed an Israeli jet.

"This is a serious Iranian attack on Israeli territory," Manelis said. "Iran is dragging the region into a situation in which it doesn't know how it will end. We are prepared for a variety of incidents ... whoever is responsible for this incident is the one who will pay the price."

In response to the jet crash, Israel said it attacked 12 additional targets "that are part of Iran's military establishment in Syria."

Opposition sources said those targets included a control tower of a Syrian military airfield near Damascus and a weapons depot near the Syrian capital.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's alliance of Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah warned Israel new "terrorism" will be met with a "severe and serious response."

Russia urged both sides to show restraint and called it "unacceptable" to endanger Russian soldiers in Syria.

Syrian army officials said the drone was carrying out a routine mission against the Islamic State over Syrian airspace, according to the news site Al-Manar.

But regarding the downing of the Israeli F-16, Syria's Allies Command said "we hail the brave retaliation of Damascus."

Air-raid sirens sounded later in the Israeli-held Golan Heights and in the Galilee area of northern Israel, though there were no immediate reports of incoming fire.

"The Syrians are playing with fire that they are allowing the Iranians to attack Israel from their soil," said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces. "The IDF is ready and capable to inflict a heavy price on anyone that attacks us. This is a severe attack and a breach of Israeli sovereignty perpetrated by Iran."

 

[925boy]

This whole situation shows you that NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

Israel has the "best technology". I can agree with that. But do you know what Israel doesnt have that Iran knew from day 1? Israel has no military endurance. mattis is here saying Israel has a right to defend herself. Fine. but does he know US will ahve the right and obligation to support a worn out Tired ISrael after she has overexerted herself after maybe 15 days of "war"? And this is where a player like Iran is deadly. Just look at the Syrian situation- the fact that Israel has to keep bombing "Iranian facilities", or "IRGC bases" or "hezbollah depots" shows you that Israel isnt actually changing the situation on the ground(for 1 that seems to only be doable by ground troops, even US is living that everyday). Israel is TRYING to change the situation and change Iran's behaviour, but Iran has told its wife that is slapping him- you have to come with more aggression, i am not impressed. lol.

 

[Taimoor Khan]

Since the harsh Israeli response appears to have deterred further escalation of the conflict, no, I don't see that shooting down one Israeli plane has much significance.

Good for you. If I were you I would be questioning my government as to how my jet got shot down deep inside my own airspace , despite touting to have multi layer defense shield and with strategic depth of few hundred kilometers, against a rag tag enemy.

But hey, whatever rocks your boat.

 

[500]

Perhaps, maybe, who knows? BUT, considering 80km is a huge distance looking at the map of Israel and its strategic depth, they can , theoretically speaking, create a buffer zone within Israeli space in case of a war. Size of your country cannot afford such privilege to the adversary.

That's actually the point. S-200 has huge range (about 300 km) but poor maneuverability. So it can hit fighters only when they are not expecting it. They caught F-16 off guard when it was deep inside Israeli territory. Even then they had to fire over 20 missiles to hit it.

What did they achieve? Some moral boost that's it, But In return Israel took out 12 targets inside Syria, including two S-200 batteries. Also from now on Israel also can shoot fighters deep inside Syria.

 

[ptldM3]

That's actually the point. S-200 has huge range (about 300 km) but poor maneuverability. So it can hit fighters only when they are not expecting it. They caught F-16 off guard when it was deep inside Israeli territory. Even then they had to fire over 20 missiles to hit it.

What did they achieve? Some moral boost that's it, But In return Israel took out 12 targets inside Syria, including two S-200 batteries. Also from now on Israel also can shoot fighters deep inside Syria.

A few things are incorrect with your statements:


Syria never launched 20 milsiles at the F-16 that was shot down.


The S-200 is a radar homing missile, so the F-16s RWR should have alerted the pilots of a lock on. The F-16 definitely "expected" it and likely took counter measures.


The S-200 missile, like most missiles, can outmaneuver most aircraft by a long shot; moreover, missiles are designed to attack targets at a vector that requires the least amount of maneuvering from the missile.



The Syrians were much more prepared and coordinated this time.

 

[DavidSling]

A few things are incorrect with your statements:


Syria never launched 20 milsiles at the F-16 that was shot down.


The S-200 is a radar homing missile, so the F-16s RWR should have alerted the pilots of a lock on. The F-16 definitely "expected" it and likely took counter measures.


The S-200 missile, like most missiles, can outmaneuver most aircraft by a long shot; moreover, missiles are designed to attack targets at a vector that requires the least amount of maneuvering from the missile.



The Syrians were much more prepared and coordinated this time.

According to the IDF statement about 20 missiles were launched at the attack force.
You can chose whom to believe to, but it doesnt mean it's "untrue"

 

[ptldM3]

According to the IDF statement about 20 missiles were launched at the attack force.
You can chose whom to believe to, but it doesnt mean it's "untrue"

The "attack force" consisted of 8 F-16s. The IDF never claimed that 20 missiles were launched at a single aircraft, that would be rediculous.

 

[Kastor]

Its not syrians who shot down its said its russians who did it. Atleast idont believe syrians would have done without russians help.

Are you sure? I think the Iranians wanted to send a message that the air defense codes are now changed. So the days of hit and run with impunity are over.

 

[Baloch Pakistani]

Hes being sarcastic whoever he is, see the laughing smiley at end of his comment

Nope that wasn't a sarcasm. He was referring to this israeli article.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5106424,00.html
In that pilot's eyes may be iran IS a superpower.

 

[500]

A few things are incorrect with your statements:


Syria never launched 20 milsiles at the F-16 that was shot down.

Here pro Assad sources confirm that they fired 25 missiles:

https://glav.su/forum/5/2237/messages/4754565/#message4754565

They fired so many missiles hat they landed in 3 neighbor countries!

The S-200 is a radar homing missile, so the F-16s RWR should have alerted the pilots of a lock on. The F-16 definitely "expected" it and likely took counter measures.

I guess every time jets fly near Syrian border dozens of radars are locked on them.

The S-200 missile, like most missiles, can outmaneuver most aircraft by a long shot; moreover, missiles are designed to attack targets at a vector that requires the least amount of maneuvering from the missile.

S-200 are stationed in Syria for 35 years and never were able to hit a shyt. Its not a serious threat when jet expecting it.

The Syrians were much more prepared and coordinated this time.

Obviously it was a prepared ambush with that Iranian UAV. From now on every time S-200 locks on Israeli aicraft we will simply destroy it.