The operators of a US Army Patriot missile battery shot down a Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado GR4 during last year's Iraq war after their system incorrectly classified the aircraft as an anti-radiation missile, says a 14 May UK Ministry of Defence report.
Describing what it says are "unique circumstances", the MoD reports that the false classification was combined with a suspected power failure to the GR4's identification friend or foe (IFF) equipment, which appeared to be functioning normally to its crew. Both died in the 23 March 2003 incident.
However, the report identifies Patriot target classification criteria, rules of engagement (ROE), firing doctrine and training as key factors to the incident.
The system involved was operating in autonomous mode, as its communications suite was still in transit from the USA. The UK says the Patriot's targeting criteria "should have been much tauter, based on the known threat from Iraq".
Its newly trained operators, who engaged the Tornado in self-defence, should also have received better instruction, the report says.
Source: Flight International
