I also got called to do "show of force" by a FAC over Bosnia (if I recall they were called "air presence missions"). A small British convoy was under fire and asked us to come down low and fast. They stopped shooting at the convoy...because instead they started shooting at us! I also remember seeing the corkscrew smoke trail of something fired at us, but it looked like it failed to guide.
There were quite a few of these flown by F3s during the mid 90s.
Fox3 - As for responsibility. The decision to not use EF3 was not the single decision that sealed the fate of the GR4 in 2003. Using the "Reason Swiss Cheese" model any of the following could have intervened:
- deciding to deploy EF3 (although the GR4 would probably be fragged to do something else)
- deciding to advance the modification program for GR4 SIFF
- insisting on a 100% ground check of Mode 4
- insisting on SHORAD checking the outbound Mode 4s
- insisting on a 100% check of Mode 4 by AWACS or RED CROWN on check in
- insisting that any failure of Mode 4 return is immediately reported by any Mode 4 interrogator (AWACS, SAM, Fighter Jet, Ship and EW RADAR)
- understanding and rectifying the Patriot software parameters
The final unsafe act being the Patriot operator releasing the system to engage the wrongly identified GR4.
Any of these could have saved the crew. That is why there should not be a 'witch hunt' as I do not believe any single person, or group of persons, was/were responsible (again IMHO).
If it is any consolation, the Mode 4 fitted to the jet had been used 1,000s of times by both marks of Tornado on previous Operations since 1990. If still flying Tornado today, I would quite happily get in it again and fly with this Mode 4 system. It was quite reliable, but did fail occasionally, and so as an operator everyone had to be alive to this fact. Sadly, on that fateful day the whole system of checks failed and cost some good mates their lives.
LJ
Last edited by Lima Juliet; 6th Jan 2013 at 10:47.