Originally Posted by
Green-dot
At these SAM launchers, are the operators basing their information on radar data only or also observation of the outside surroundings? Just wondering, several aircraft departed that night, likely using the IKA PAROT SID's. SOP used by most airlines is having landing lights ON below 10.000 ft. within an airport terminal area for enhanced visibility to surrounding air traffic. Any outside observer looking from the launcher site almost head on towards the approaching Ukrainian airliner at 8.000 ft (on a standard SID), the aircraft would have been visible with its landing lights still ON below 10.000 ft.
Good point G-d and one I had thought about. It was CAVOK so lights would have been easily visible. Can't believe a bloke on a SAM vehicle hasn't got a pair of binos in his equipment.
The other consideration is that it would have been at 250 KIAS or less until 10,000' (not sure of transition Alt) - hardly a fast moving hostile coming in for it's run.