Fighter escorts-whats the point?
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Fighter escorts-whats the point?
i'd like to know if anyone has an idea why,whenever there is a problem such as the olympic airlines emergency at stansted,fighter escorts seem to be the first reaction of the authorities?
what can fighters possibly do to help? unless i'm missing something obvious,surely the only use of a fighter escort is to shoot an airliner down?
Is this uk policy?
As a pilot,i would never call up for an escort if in distress,as i see no point except to frighten already terrified pax?
what can fighters possibly do to help? unless i'm missing something obvious,surely the only use of a fighter escort is to shoot an airliner down?
Is this uk policy?
As a pilot,i would never call up for an escort if in distress,as i see no point except to frighten already terrified pax?
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I'm not sure what the incident you are referring to is about, but one reason to call a fighter up would be to make a visual inspection of the aircraft (i.c.o. landing gear trouble).
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Yes indeed. If the hijacked aircraft is heading for, say, Canary Wharf or the Palace of Westminster the RAF may well shoot it down, accepting some loss of life in exchange for a probable much greater loss.
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<<Yes indeed. If the hijacked aircraft is heading for, say, Canary Wharf or the Palace of Westminster the RAF may well shoot it down, accepting some loss of life in exchange for a probable much greater loss.>>
By the time anyone knew it was heading for one of those places there would be no way on this earth that fighters could reach it in time.
<<If the aircraft get too close to a major city (where a bomb may be set to explode), then it will be shot down.>>
So it gets "close" to a major city and gets shot down. What would shooting it down save in terms of damage and loss of life?
By the time anyone knew it was heading for one of those places there would be no way on this earth that fighters could reach it in time.
<<If the aircraft get too close to a major city (where a bomb may be set to explode), then it will be shot down.>>
So it gets "close" to a major city and gets shot down. What would shooting it down save in terms of damage and loss of life?
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Hi
in Germany there is a new law which allowes the chief-of-staff of the German Air Force to order that fighters force civilian aircrafts to land, to shoot for warning, to fore civilian aircrafts aside or to threaten the civilian aircrafts with the use of weapons.
The Federal Secretary of Denfense, or a deputy, is allowed to order that fighters attack the aircraft and to shoot it down.
Text of federal law of air security
in Germany there is a new law which allowes the chief-of-staff of the German Air Force to order that fighters force civilian aircrafts to land, to shoot for warning, to fore civilian aircrafts aside or to threaten the civilian aircrafts with the use of weapons.
The Federal Secretary of Denfense, or a deputy, is allowed to order that fighters attack the aircraft and to shoot it down.
Text of federal law of air security
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No help at all.
As mentioned previously, they are there to down the A/C, should it become a "threat." Pure and simple.
I think the downing of the A/C in "open country" would be preferable to having it fly/crash into a major city. I think a lot of governments will or have, given the order to do that without hesitation, since 9/11
As mentioned previously, they are there to down the A/C, should it become a "threat." Pure and simple.
I think the downing of the A/C in "open country" would be preferable to having it fly/crash into a major city. I think a lot of governments will or have, given the order to do that without hesitation, since 9/11
You've missed my point. How is this a help for a bomb on board, not a hijacker. The 'need the fighters for a bomb incident' brigade must feel that the aircrew are suddenly going to leap to the opportunity take a city city with them? In which case why would a crew wait for a bomb report. Just after take off on any given day at work is a lot more convenient... 
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
A bomb threat may be a ruse, or cover.
If made onboard, eg. a note in the toilet, it may be a diversionary tactic for the hijackers to divert attention away from where the real action is about to take place, or an attempt to have the aircraft divert to a nearby major city airport, where more damage can be done if the aircraft is downed.
As in this latest case, it is possible that terrorists may carry out a co-ordinated "exercise" (with others onboard), for the above same reasons.
If made onboard, eg. a note in the toilet, it may be a diversionary tactic for the hijackers to divert attention away from where the real action is about to take place, or an attempt to have the aircraft divert to a nearby major city airport, where more damage can be done if the aircraft is downed.
As in this latest case, it is possible that terrorists may carry out a co-ordinated "exercise" (with others onboard), for the above same reasons.
I disagree slightly with a couple of the posters above.
If an aircraft may have a bomb onboard it is going to be actively directed away from any populated area to an airport where a landing can be effected with minimal third party risk. That's just common sense.
A fighter escort gives a severe, but effective, sanction if the aircraft fails to obey such instructions. If the aircraft turns out in-fact to have been hijacked with a 9/11 intent, then the obvious and immediate sign will be failure to obey ATC instructions. Plus, a fighter is a very clear visual clue to any real or prospective hijacker that it is in his interest (as well as everybody else's) to allow the aircraft to be landed - which then contains the third party risk completely.
G
If an aircraft may have a bomb onboard it is going to be actively directed away from any populated area to an airport where a landing can be effected with minimal third party risk. That's just common sense.
A fighter escort gives a severe, but effective, sanction if the aircraft fails to obey such instructions. If the aircraft turns out in-fact to have been hijacked with a 9/11 intent, then the obvious and immediate sign will be failure to obey ATC instructions. Plus, a fighter is a very clear visual clue to any real or prospective hijacker that it is in his interest (as well as everybody else's) to allow the aircraft to be landed - which then contains the third party risk completely.
G
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I'm surprised anyone is questioning this at all! If something abnormal is going on, or in this case, a warning by phone etc, is it not common sense to send somthing up just to at least take a look? and what's the quickest way of getting someone up there??? The aircraft may not neccesarily be "escorted", but I think more questions would be asked if NOTHING was done and the whole thing just ignored.
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As I said in the other thread - how long are govts going to go on funding Q before they think it's "not economically viable" or some other Treasury-speak with cost-benefit analyses and so forth?
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GlueBall, spot on .. we're just copying the americans now, who watch too many films where F15s get scrambled and tootle about the airliner getting hardons! So, we got to do it now!
Kaptin M .. was it a BIG 3 then, wow!
Kaptin M .. was it a BIG 3 then, wow!