Why Aircraft Fly Low in War Zones

[dexter]

Flying at extremely low altitudes in the Ukrainian warzone is a standard for both the offensive and defensive sides of this war. Fly too high and you will most certainly be shot down by a missile. Fly too low and you would probably make it, although the risk of hitting trees, powerlines, or even a truck means a similar destiny as being hit by a missile. How can flying low save airplanes from radar detection? There are 4 reasons, and no, they are not flying "under the radar".

Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:10 How Radars Work
2:21 Reason 1: Line of Sight
4:27 Reason 2: Terrain
5:16 Reason 3: Clutter
7:58 Reason 4: Multipath Interference
8:50 The Dangers of Flying So Low

 

[A.P. Richelieu]