What actually happened here? Did the mil aircraft collide with the Lear? If so that is incredibly stupid since (a) he would have been guided by military radar towards the target and (b) he has his own radar which alone costs many millions.
The Learjet target airplane touched the bottom of the Eurofighter and then lost parts of its wing and crashed.
This has nothing to do with radar, it was a visual interception training, the Lear was chartered by Luftwaffe for this exercise. They should intercept drones instead. Or even better: drones should intercept drones, this whole idea of manned fighter jets is a thing of the past anyway.
…drones should intercept drones,…
On some virtual battlefield inside a big computer. As in some science fiction movies of the 1970ies…
We will probably never know what really happened here. These Learjet target aircraft are flown by ex military pilots and I can well imagine that they might not be able to resist the temptation to try some evasive maneuvers in order not to get intercepted so easily. Nobody crashes into an aeroplane that flies straight an level.
Nobody crashes into an aeroplane that flies straight an level.
Not a military interception, but it can happen:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hughes_Airwest_Flight_706
Interceptors will normally be guided by military ground radar to the “intruder” until they report " target in sight " – maybe at a distance of a couple of miles – and then the interceptor continues visually …
But that means an intercept in IMC is impossible.
Obviously that is obviously true 
because the ICAO interception gestures will never be possible.
All the interceptor could do is fire a radar guided missile but who would really authorise that in peacetime, against a prob99.999 civilian aircraft on which there is no intelligence suggesting it originates from the middle east and is e.g. something carrying a massive ferry tank and a bomb?
That such an attack is possible is an obvious weakness of western democracies, without a solution. There are so many holes in aviation procedures… a bizjet could pretend to be a Lufthansa 747, etc.
All the interceptor could do is fire a missile but who would really authorise that in peacetime,…
Luckily, until now, nobody can (legally) authorise it in Germany. But they are currently discussing in parliament whether they don’t want to change the law and allow the precautionary shooting down of civilian aeroplanes who don’t answer radio calls…
But that means an intercept in IMC is impossible.
Of course it is possible. Vectors followed by tracking with airborne multi-mode radars. No hand signals but you can certainly follow and shoot down if needed.
Of course it is possible. Vectors followed by tracking with airborne multi-mode radars. No hand signals but you can certainly follow and shoot down if needed.
…. which is what I said.
Luckily, until now, nobody can (legally) authorise it in Germany. But they are currently discussing in parliament whether they don’t want to change the law and allow the precautionary shooting down of civilian aeroplanes who don’t answer radio calls…
That is very surprising, because it means prohibited areas around major events (e.g. the Olympics) are meaningless. It also makes the German air force a complete waste of money, doesn’t it?
That is very surprising, because it means prohibited areas around major events (e.g. the Olympics) are meaningless. It also makes the German air force a complete waste of money, doesn’t it?
It means there is no carte blanche, the commander in chief (Secretary of Defense in peacetime, the chancellor in wartime) would be subject to prosecution. If he/she makes that call, the airplane will be shot down but it might be deemed illegal lateron. Like the case where a police commander ordered to threaten a child murderer who claimed the child was hidden and alive with physical torture to make him tell where the child was. A heroic action, the man sacrificed his professional career in hope to save the life of a child. He got convicted and lost his job even though 99% of the population thinks he did the right thing.
Personally I think the current situation is OK. You can’t define rules for every possible situation. I am convinced there will never be a law bill in Germany allowing the government to shoot down civilian aircraft. Our constitution does not allow for killing an innocent in order to protect (potentially) more innocent people.
