Why did the F117A crash??

[frazhm]

I am currently reading Ben Rich's biography (he was boss of Lockheed's Skunk Works during the mid 70's and onwards. His major contribution was convincing a then sceptical USAF as to the merits and subsequently leading the team that developed stealth technology for fighter a/c) . .. .As a follow on from this I seem to recall a couple of years ago, during the Bosnia/Serbia conflict, pieces of F117 being shown to TV crews and claims that it had been shot down during night raids over Serbia.. .. .I may have missed the subsequent explanations, but were any reasons/theories given??? Was it pilot error or flukey AAA fire?? I am sure someone out there in PPrune land can shed some light on this!!. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

[Tinstaafl]

Not enough airframe icing to give it an adequately curved aerodynamic shape. So it fell out of the sky. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

[G.Khan]

The aircraft was shot down. It was reported at the time that it was, "triangulated" by enemy radar, based on information passed to them by the French - this was never proven and published but a French officer was charged with passing information at some time during the conflict.. .The French connection is very speculative.

[Lucifer]

What actully was thought to have happened was a royal c$ck-up. Since the operation was planned so quickly, and arguably was used to bomb political rather than military targets, since the military structure was rather marginalised by the political expediency, the air operation was planned such that the same entry and exit routes were used every night. As a result, the Serbs 'learnt' where allied aircraft were flying and managed to shoot one down with spurious AAA one night.. .. .That is the speculation, and is a lesson not to underestimate your enemy - plan properly and make sure the politicians keep their dirty little mitts off your military plans!

[Oliver James]

I don't think radar had anything to do with it. It has been reported in a reputable airforce magazine: . ."It was hit by an SA3 GOA or SA6 Gainful missile as it dropped below cloud in order to use its infra-red targeting sensors and Laser guided weapons. It is then thought to have been detected visually, silhouetted against the clouds and tracked by the missile battery using electro-optical sensors. . .. .Point4

[G.Khan]

In December 2001 French Officer Pierre-Henri Bunel was jailed for two years for passing secrets concerning NATO bombing targets to a Yugoslav agent. This may be related, don't honestly know.

[frazhm]

Well, we have icing, radar triangulation, crap FPL, visually sighted, and grassed up by the "Frogs".. .. .Keep it up lads this is all as clear as a MOL business negotiation!!!!! I wonder if I can get hold of Ben Rich's e-mail address??? He should know.. .. . <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />. . . . <small>[ 06 March 2002, 09:31: Message edited by: frazhm ]</small>

[Who has control?]

Stealth Aircrafdt have the radar cross section of a small bird. Which is fine and very inconspicous.. .. .But how many small birds fly at 600mph plus?

[Flap 5]

Yeah. It is not undetectable, it is just much harder to detect.

[Check 6]

Frazhm, unfortunately Mr. Ben Rich shortly after he published his autobiography. Like his boss Mr. Johnson, he was also a genius.