Serb CO Discusses 1999 F-117A Downing

[pmaidhof]

Says F-117A downed with a locally improved SA-3 Goa. Critical of NATO OPSEC and Comm discipline.

 

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SER...EMPLATE=DEFAULT

[CV32]

Interesting article, though unfortunately it doesn't tell us much about how the shootdown was actually achieved. My understanding is that the Serbs took advantage of known approach routes (due to NATO constraints); the media coverage of activity at Aviano airbase in Italy, and the presence in "spies" in Italy who passed timely reports of air activity. Using this information, the Serbs were able to calculate, more or less, when an Allied aircraft was enroute. This particular SA-3 battery wasn't previously known to Allied intel, and the F-117 passed close to this unknown danger. When the F-117 opened its bomb bay doors, it momentarily became visible to radar, enough for the Serbs to take a shot. They may have even guided the missile optically. A combination of bad counter-intel, bad luck and undoubtedly, more than a little Serb ingenuity.

[pmaidhof]

Either way they got it, something to which we should be ashamed - underestimating one's enemy.