The proximity fuse in a missile like Buk is "side looking" rather, than "front looking" (probably at an angle of about 60deg from missile axis). It is designed to detonate when it passes close to target, there is no point to detonate ahead of a typical aircraft target. The speed of shrapnels from the warhead is much higher than closure speed of the missile/target, so the warhead doesn't work like a "shotgun shot". It just explodes passing close to target and the shrapnels are thrown to the sides fast enough to hit it (shrapnel is several times faster than the missile)

So if the missile was going head-on horizontally or from above with slight side offset, then the warhead detonated as soon as the cockpit came into FOV of side-looking proximity fuse antennas. And looking at the cockpit damage, it was only few meters, so most of the shrapnel was absorbed by front part of the hull with very high fragment density. The spread pattern of warhead shrapnels is not omnidirectional, almost all of the fragments are directed to the sides. Nearly all other plane parts were outside of the shrapnel kill-zone, only one wing and it's engine could get some.

Detonating a bit ahead of target would be good only against really fast target kile ballistic missile or anti-radiation missile, where speed of target/missile is comparable to speed of shrapnels from warhead.

The operating principle of proximity fuse radars is to detonate the warhead at the point of closest approach. Once the measured range stops decreasing and instead increases - kaboom.

The operating principle of proximity fuses is that they detonate the warhead in proximity of the target.

Some proximity fuses measure distance to target and can detect the moment of closest approach. Such method is used in torpedo proximity fuses and especially in naval mines, but is not usually needed or practical in missiles.

The proximity fuse of a a Sidewinder missile project narrow beams of laser light perpendicular to the flight of the missile. If any of the beams strikes the target it is reflected back to the missile where detectors sense it and detonate the warhead. There is no "measuring the range" at all, abd it is not needed - when a target is detected to the side of the missile then it's probably as close as it could be and is is good place to detonate the warhead.

Radar proximity fuses work on similar principle (beams of radio energy projected to the sides, perpendicular to misile or at an angle, to front-side) but they can have a predetermined maximum range at which the fuse can detonate. If the target is let's say closer than 17m the fuse would detonate warhead.

Usually there is no need to determine the "point of closesd approach" because the fuse anyway can detect a target ONLY to the side. So only when it passes by. And then in 95% of cases target is already as close as it can be (passing by) and the warhead (which is also designed to throw shrapnels to the sides) should be detonated NOW.

Radar fuse COULD measure range to target and detect optimal point for detonation, but this would be rarely usefull at all.

I suspect that a blast wave would instantly be dissipated by opposite explosive decompression and fast moving slip stream. Decompression at FL330 would not kill healthy people instantly. Occupants not directly hit by shrapnel or airframe parts during the in-flight break up would become unconscious from lack of oxygen and the freezing air blast. But when descending through lower altitude and warmer air, (FL100) surviving occupants would likely regain consciousness.

The counter to radar and also laser is a jammer that initiates the explosive train too early.

BAE Systems are now trying to drum up interest in civil aviation for military grade counter measures.

Not cheap and not effective if not kept up to date. Obviously constantly updating the jammer capability will be an ongoing cost for the operator.

IR missile jammers are of course in use by certain airlines and by certain military operators.

To actually decoy the missile is a whole different ball game as you have to counter the tracker or guidance links and well as active radar seekers.

Sudden decompression
 

Re: Glueball comment on quote: "Between the sudden decompression and the blast wave of the warhead detonation, it was instant for everybody."




An alternative and possibly more realistic description is given by Dr. Charles Wetli, the Suffolk County medical examiner in charge of autopsies for TW800.

ME: Flight 800 Injuries Reveal Sudden, Violent Deaths for Passengers

Maybe some small comfort for the relatives of MH17.

Victims Bodies Land In Malaysia
 

The first remains of the victims have landed in Kuala Lumpur.

Does anyone know if this particular 777 had pax O2 supplies as bottles or generators??

It should be an easy matter to establish the type of rocket used to down it - some of the shrapnel must be still stuck in the bodies of the passengers, plus the holes in the wing look pretty unique too - looks like they were made by triangular shaped projectiles.

So, what's taking so long?

What's taking so long?

Well it was definitely brought down by a Buk, or it wasn't.

If it wasn't then it will take time to determine what did.

If it was then the issue becomes WHO and not WHAT.

Now we all have our favourite theory but at Government level you have to be certain before naming names.

Search for MH17 victims 'too dangerous' to continue - World - NZ Herald News
Apologies to the locals? Even CFIT on a pristine mountainside (Erebus, TE901) many bodies not found.

The local volunteers deserve recognition for their humanitarian efforts, they completed a comprehensive search in a conflict zone, meanwhile being accused by Oz PM of disrespect, looting, trampling and tampering.

CVR transcript
 

Any idea how long to some or all of the CVR transcript is released - why hasn't it been released already?Seems to be taking a very long time!

The pictures of the wreakage show passenger service units with chemical oxygen generators.

Transcripts aren't published separately, if at all. We'll likely have to wait for an interim report.

Besides, I'm guessing that all the CVR will contain is bog standard conversation cut short by the sound of something hitting the cockpit, a momentary rush of air and the beginnings of the break up. Then the CVR will go dead.

If we are "lucky" (for want of a better expression!) there might be a comment by either of the pilots of something coming toward them.

I am looking forward for any transcript from CVR and communication with ATC because as long there is an information vacuum it makes a free space for wild speculation and conspiracy theorists who spread propaganda on "how Ukrainian ATC intentionally locked MH17 into war zone... etc."

As the facts will be more and more available this kind of noise will abate.

As an old man said - when truth becomes available the lies inevitably die.

OK thanks for that info. I was trying to visulise another reason for the amount of thermal damage on those front fus fragments but I guess it comes back to the closeness of the warhead/missile motor when it detonated...

Well the SBU story is the rebels were mistaken. They were to set up the BUK to the west of Donetsk, but went to the east instead.

there are some youtube videos of mh17 flight from fr24. SU2074 is there. their paths crossed at same time. Version is more probable, than russian version that ukrainian fighters confused mh17 with Putin's aircraft.