Is it a safe assumption that these mobile SAM launchers don't have the capability to receive commercial transponder information? Do they function using primary radar only? I would think a shootdown that was coordinated by a government would have looked for transponder info before launching. Of course that assumes rational actors.

URRV V6158/14 17JUL0000-31AUG2359 EST
DUE TO COMBAT ACTIONS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE UKRAINE NEAR THE STATE BORDER WITH THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND THE FACTS OF FRNG FM THE TERRITORY OF THE UKRAINE TOWARDS THE TERRITORY OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION, TO ENSURE INTL FLT SAFETY, ATS RTE SEGMENTS CLSD AS FLW:
A100 MIMRA - ROSTOV-NA-DONU VOR/DME (RND),
B145 KANON - ASMIL,
G247 MIMRA - BAGAYEVSKIY NDB (BA),
A87 TAMAK - SARNA, :ooh:

Almost no chance it came from Ukraine military. The rebels don't have any planes, so they posed no threat from the air. No risk of shooting off a missile. The culprits are either Russia or the Russian-armed rebels. The answer may well come down to what hardware shot it down.

What a terrible terrible waste of life, and so many people's lives ruined for ever today. Dreadful.

Putin broke the news to Obama because the plane crashed right before (or during) a scheduled phone call.

This includes many new details. It also says that it was far enough inside Ukraine that a Russian Buk couldn't have reached it. That point will be argued.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/offici...154029763.html

Just going by past history, if armed forces of a country did this, it will go away quietly with some sort of civil suit (Iran Air 655, KAL 007). If it was the rebels, they will have the hammer of Thor come down upon them.

rebels commanders deny involvement
 

In reply to #54
using the link you provided leads to the info, that the separatists commanders deny involvement in the downing of the plane. They say that they only have weaponry able to reach to 3000 meters.

@rjamesjones on Twitter:

On rebel commander Strelkov's page "We warned you not to fly in our sky." He
thought they'd shot a Ukrainian plane.

vk.com/strelkov_info

Could be the angle, but the only comment I'll make is that the door size on the photo of the two guys standing on fuselage seems wrong for a 777.... even for the LR3 on a 777-300...

He takes up the whole door frame, you can easily board two at a time through a 777 door.

Where did this photo come from?

Russia/Soviet Union has done it before. KAL Flt. 700 anyone?

New press release by so-called "rebel government":


"The B777 was shot down by the Ukranian military fighter jet, that attacked the airliner, it split in two parts and fell down. After that the fighter jet was shot down by our forces. Now we are looking for it on the ground."

Y.M.
Dunno when you last operated to LHR, but we go nowhere near Ukraine, way too far south! Routing not changed for a good while, and Scandinavia quite normal.

rgbrock1 The Ukrainians said it was shot down by a Buk launcher. They may be pointing fingers.

It's too early for anyone besides the responsible party to determine the cause of the crash.

And for balance other accidents have happened.....

Iran Air Flight 655 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

@ givemewings

FFS, emergency exits!!!!!!!!!! Color and cheatline are Malaysian!!!

In the news they say around 80 kids on board, about 20 pax with US-passport...

Why is everybody so sure it was a missile, it seems like the most likely cause, but is there any 100% confirmation?

The crash site supposedly is Grabovo, Donetsk Oblast, which would be about 30 KM northwest of the Russian Ukraine border. If so, forward momentum would suggest it was hit further west.

Do all airlines track over Ukraine these days?
 

What was that airliner doing in that airspace? Do United/Delta/American/BA/Virgin etc. avoid it or what?

The last rough reported radar hit.

The last reported area of the crash site... roughly....

http://i.imgur.com/TpAiRusl.png

250NM? Something's not adding up

Black box found 60KM from Russian border.... which again confuses this

There are NOT only two (rebels and ukrainian army) forces there!
At least two more are fighting there: National guard (ex-"Right sector" from western Ukraine) and private!!! army of Kolomoisky (local oligarсh).