Saudi F-15 shot down over Yemen

[Texac]

It was already said in the first and official post that two pilots were rescued. So it should be a two seater or another F-15 was shot down.

[QuiGon]

It was already said in the first and official post that two pilots were rescued. So it should be a two seater or another F-15 was shot down.

You're right :doh:

[Texac]

You're right :doh:

 

Don't worry, I think I have mistaken an afterburner with an explosion in the FLIR view.

[Emu]

Well, Iran is keen to give toys like FLIR to the Houthis. I'm on the fence about the legitimacy. Some things that Emu pointed out bugs me, but it's still irrelevant as the Saudis are out at least one F-15 either way. It's a Mudhen that isn't returning to battle.

 

The fact that the pilots got out fine is the real plus here.

Are the Saudis down an F-15 though. The F-15 they admitted crashed was back in 2015 when Houthis claimed they shot down an F-16 and since then they've claimed a Tornado and a Typhoon, both of which have been denied.

[Emu]

Drifted in late, but...

 

 

 

1/ Slightly OT as this doesn't seem to have been a radar guided SAM, but I guess the answer would be one with a proximity fuse or command fusing - like the kind that grounded that Israeli F-35 recently but left it able to fly home ...

 

 

2/ & 3/

 

You seem to be wanting to have it both ways ...

 

You say you can see from the video that it must be an inert missile & wouldn't have done any damage - which proves the story that it downed the aircraft is a fake, and then say the missile knocked a huge chunk off the plane but it didn't disintegrate, which proves it's a fake.

Oh dear, 'grounded that F-35'. Now this has reached comedy levels. Plus, it's evident from the video IMO that the missile did directly strike something (visible debris and quite a bit of it), it just wasn't the aircraft, which continued flying. Not exactly what you would expect from an R-27 strike, if that's what is now being claimed.

 

That's because the video poses so many questions. The aircraft continues flying as normal, as if nothing has happened, hardly suggestive of a warhead strike but the missile seems to have debris around it, as mentioned already. Looks like 2 videos spliced together.

[Emu]

I think the point is that anything US made is often seen as infallible/indestructable, no less the Eagle with it's often touted xxx-0 kill/loss ratio which many people would like it to maintain.

 

To me the evidence is pretty clear, the aircraft was shot down and also listed as lost by the Saudi's themselves. That they won't admit it was to enemy action is completely expected, and something everyone seems to practice.

Perhaps that's because the F-15 has gone through several wars and faced far stiffer opposition with no losses. Yet here we're expected to believe that some DIY terrorists have shot it down because of the worst quality video in history and one of the shortest.

[wilky510]

I think the point is that anything US made is often seen as infallible/indestructable, no less the Eagle with it's often touted xxx-0 kill/loss ratio which many people would like it to maintain.

 

To me the evidence is pretty clear, the aircraft was shot down and also listed as lost by the Saudi's themselves. That they won't admit it was to enemy action is completely expected, and something everyone seems to practice.

As pointed out above by GG; this isn't the first time an Eagle has been taken out by ground fire. Hell even the first night the USAF lost an F-15E in the Gulf War to simple AAA.

 

The 'touted' claim is A-A kills/losses. Basically meaning no enemy aircraft has shot it down. When i read through this thread i saw no such thing of US aircraft being claimed invincible. I just thought the comment to "typical american exceptionalism" was out of line.

 

IMHO i think it was a radar guided missile, by the way. Just not sure what variant. I think a radar guided missile would be the biggest surprise and catch them off guard. We don't even know if aircraft are loaded with chaff (why would you when you claimed you destroyed all SAM sites earlier in the war?) Maybe they had no chaff, and ECM wasn't even up and running. To me it looked like they knew something was going on too, probably from RWR, it just looked like they had no idea how to react in this situation.

Edited January 10, 2018 by wilky510

[Emu]

Worthless point. It's not the first time a strike has gone down due to a SAM.

One went down to an SA-2E in Desert Storm, but that's more of a large strike it lucky flak pipe than a missile.

[Emu]

IMHO i think it was a radar guided missile, by the way. Just not sure what variant.

Out of curiosity, why?

 

Although I agree that IR missiles are very short range and low ceiling. An R-27T (been theorised earlier) needs to be within 20km to gain lock and the R-27's combat Pk isn't the best even when used A-A as intended.

[blackadam]

The F-15 was actually shot down several times

 

Saudi 2015

 

 

Lybia 2011

 

 

Iraq 1991, 2003

 

 

According to some Syrian, Russian sources or independent expert, during the 1982 Lebanon War, at least one F15 was damage by MiG-21. At least one was shot down by the MiG-23

 

LAST EDITED ON 25-06-01 AT 08:18 AM (GMT)[/font][p]Here is the full list of reports and claims about lost or shot down Israeli F-15s.

 

19-03-1981

F-15 repordely heavily damaged by a bird strike;

 

29-06-1981 or 29-07-1981 (there are different reports, all of them from Russian sources)

F-15 of the 133 Sqn shot down by the MiG-25PD of the "T.4-Squadron" over Lebanon;

 

09-06-1982

F-15D damaged by R-60, fired from MiG-21bis flown by Capt. Kharah; claim confirmed by Israeli sources, the plane (which downed four other Syrian aircraft just minutes before) supposedly landed safely;

 

09-06-1982 according to Russian sources, another F-15A was shot down during the same combat, also to R-60 and MiG-21bis (IMHO, the R-60 has not enough power to shot down a plane like F-15, except it hits the fuel tank);

 

01-05-1983 F-15D "957" collided with A-4H during DACM. Both crews ejected;

 

04-10-1983 Russian sources claim, that on this date two F-15As were shot down by MiG-23MLs newly delivered to Syria;

 

??-??-1983 During a discussion in US Congress, in 1988, it was said that one of Israeli F-15s was lost in this year. It remains unclear if the mentioned F-15D was meaned or any other one;

 

02-04-1987 F-15 fell into spin during DACM. Maj. Iftah More was killed;

 

15-08-1988 two F-15As of the 133 Sqn collided during DACM. Lt.Col. Ram Caller and the CO of the 133 Sqn were both killed;

 

04-01-1991 Iraqi TV claimed that Iraqi defences have shot down an Israeli F-15 in the H-3 area. Some reports explain about Israeli F-15s, equipped with recce-pods, being in operation over western Iraq in early 1991;

 

??-04-1994 F-15A "802/Panther" (2-MiG-kills) severely damaged in emergency landing. Pilot OK. Repaired at a cost of USD 17 Million;

 

10-08-1995 F-15D "965" crashed, fate of the crew unknown;

 

19-01-1997 F-15B "733" crashed in southern Israel after entering spin. Both crew ejected safely;

 

01-03-1998 F-15D "142" (USAF 73-0112) crashed at Mt. Aibal Nablus. Maj. Kolton and Capt. Manor were killed;

 

 

Regards,

Tom

reach out and touch

https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?4994-F-15-losses

 

The F-15 had many accident in real combat. That is always the information that the United States, Boeing and other countries use F-15 always said. While they always advertise very good F-15 life, as well as very good flying hours and maintenance and US aircraft always have the best longevity!

 

Nellis F-15's 'odometer' hits 10000 flight hours

http://www.nellis.af.mil/News/Article/1068993/nellis-f-15s-odometer-hits-10000-flight-hours/

 

Strike Eagle hits 12,000 flight hours

http://www.combataircraft.net/2016/08/26/strike-eagle-hits-12000-flight-hours/

Edited January 10, 2018 by blackadam

[Emu]

2015 - Jettisoned tanks and weapons.

 

Beqaa Valley - There was one damaged F-15 that was admitted, the other one is completely unconfirmed. No reason not to confirm since many were confirmed.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060008/http://www.acig.info/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=47

 

The F-15 had lots of flying hours.

 

Back on topic, I would expect to at least see some damage trail emerge from the back of the F-15 after the alleged hit if it was damaged.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Emu

[Pilotasso]

Wow, did they manage to recover or destroy the weapons? That could be a huge leak of tech.

[Emu]

The capture of said weapons was likely anticipated before supply.

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

Drifted in late, but...

 

 

 

1/ Slightly OT as this doesn't seem to have been a radar guided SAM, but I guess the answer would be one with a proximity fuse or command fusing - like the kind that grounded that Israeli F-35 recently but left it able to fly home ...

 

That was literally a bird strike.

[Sweep]

Lybia 2011

 

(picture)

 

FYI, that wasn't a shoot-down, at all. Trapped fuel + asymmetric stores + high altitude high alpha maneuvering resulted in a spin

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20120121233954/http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2011/F-15E_Libya_21%20Mar%2011.pdf

[ZEEOH6]

The Saudi F-15 did not get shot down. Did it get hit? Yes, but it did not crash.

 

It was hit on the right stab.

[Hummingbird]

The Saudi F-15 did not get shot down. Did it get hit? Yes, but it did not crash.

 

It was hit on the right stab.

 

Is this confirmed by the Saudis?

[ZEEOH6]

Is this confirmed by the Saudis?

 

Was told by the contractor doing the repair.

 

[Emu]

So it's now supposed to have been an R-73 fired A2A, which makes far more sense.

 

https://twitter.com/statuses/950828901470752769

 

https://twitter.com/statuses/950828758025560065

[blackadam]

Was told by the contractor doing the repair.

 

 

Have you source >?

[frixon28]

The fact it is in FLIR and not the usual cellphone Allah yelling thing seems fishy. I've also seen articles claiming it was a Tornado.

 

This is what makes me think its fake in a general summary. Why does the video cut off? Wouldn't the rebels want to show off their glorious victory as we see the aircraft crumble and rip apart into a million pieces (if this happened). Why didn't the Saudi pilots eject, wouldn't the rebels want to show that also? Or did the F-15 survive and make it back to base, and that is why we don't see the rest of the video? These videos are propaganda videos

Edited January 11, 2018 by frixon28
Added more

[frixon28]

I think the point is that anything US made is often seen as infallible/indestructable, no less the Eagle with it's often touted xxx-0 kill/loss ratio which many people would like it to maintain.

 

To me the evidence is pretty clear, the aircraft was shot down and also listed as lost by the Saudi's themselves. That they won't admit it was to enemy action is completely expected, and something everyone seems to practice.

 

Getting hit by a SAM (if it did) has no impact on a kill ratio, the Eagle will still probably hold that ratio forever.

 

The problem is that there is really no reliable sources in this situation. Is there any pictures of wreckage that could prove this happen? Guess we will have to wait a little while to find out more...

Edited January 11, 2018 by frixon28
Saw picture above...

[Hummingbird]

Was told by the contractor doing the repair.

 

 

This is from the aircraft hit in the video?

 

If so, I'm not sure how much more proof is needed.

[ZEEOH6]

This is from the aircraft hit in the video?

 

If so, I'm not sure how much more proof is needed.

 

Yes, that was removed from the airfraft that was hit.

 

It’s placed upside down on the dunnage, so the top is actually the bottom.

[Hummingbird]

Yes, that was removed from the airfraft that was hit.

 

It’s placed upside down on the dunnage, so the top is actually the bottom.

 

Alright, well case closed then.