IAF pilot error determined as cause of fighter jet crash
Israeli Air Force investigation reveals F-16 pilot and navigator failed to follow a precise action sequence due to stress.
By
Anna Ahronheim
February 25, 2018 19:32
IAF jets . (photo credit: MINISTRY OF DEFENSE SPOKESPERSON'S OFFICE)
The downing of the F-16i jet on February 10 by a Syrian antiaircraft missile was due to an operational mistake on the part of the pilots, the IDF announced Sunday.
Between the tension of completing the mission while facing enemy missiles, there was an operational mistake on the part of the team whose actions did not match the order of priorities required by the threat it was facing, a senior Israel Air Force officer said, explaining that the pilots did not take the proper evasive measures.
The moment that there is a missile threat, they had to leave their targets in the mission and react properly to the threat.
The jet was part of two four-plane formations that were taking part in retaliatory air strikes following the infiltration of an advanced Iranian drone into Israeli airspace earlier that morning.
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot stands with anonymous IDF soldiers. (IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
Thirteen Syrian antiaircraft missiles were fired at the jets during that operation and a total of 27 missiles were fired at Israeli planes on the retaliatory missions following the Iranian drone infiltration.
While the one jet was hit during the operation, another one had a missile locked onto it but was able to evade it.
IDF chief of the General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot visited the Ramon air force base Sunday morning, where he was a presented with the full investigation of the event which dealt with the entire sequence of the events of the day.
More than once, the road to successfully carry out significant operational missions requires us to take risks, he said. My expectation of every fighter is that during a mission he will take the fate of the task onto his shoulders.
According to a senior IAF officer, the infiltration of the drone was not meant to draw the Israeli planes into an ambush and that the warning systems in the downed aircraft functioned as required and provided timely warnings to the pilot.
The air force was not surprised that Syrian anti-aircraft missiles were fired at the planes as it has occurred before, the senior officer said, but the number of missiles fired towards Israeli jets that night was a significant increase from previous missions.
Injured navigator returns to service flying with IAF Chief Major General Amikam Norkin / IDF SPOKESMANS UNIT
ISRAEL RARELY comments on foreign reports of military activity in Syria but IAF Air Division Brig.-Gen. Amnon Ein-Dar admitted that the IAF has carried out thousands of missions over the wartorn country in the past year alone. Israel has admitted to carrying out at least 100 air strikes on Hezbollah targets in Syria.
The intelligence that was in the possession of the mission planners and pilots was sufficient and provided the required response to the mission they were flying, the senior officer continued, adding that the decision to abandon the plane when it was struck by the Syrian SA-5 missile was the correct decision.
It was the first time that Israel lost an aircraft in a combat situation since 2006 and the first time in 30 years that an Israeli fighter jet was lost in a combat situation.
Injured navigator returns to service / IDF SPOKESMANS UNIT
Read more:
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/IAF-Pilot-error-determined-as-cause-of-fighter-jet-crash-543589