Looking at the video of the downing that thing was relatively small and slow I expect it being a propeller powered short range UAV similar to RQ-5 or RQ-7.

What about Turkey? Given their involvement in Syria moving a disassembled UAV to Syrian southern border can’t be harder than smuggling trucks with weapons.

Turkish UAV operators are already busy as hell flying Herons and leased Predators over the entire Syrian border, Iraqi border and Iranian border as well as the southeastern region of the country nowadays. Their mission list is pretty occupied with Syrian army movements, FSA activities, PKK activities and targets.

Maybe I’m being uber-cynical, but having worked in Turkey in a military environment, and seen how the Turks operate at first hand, I wouldn’t entirely put it past them to shell their own people just to escalate matters, and force NATO to become involved…

Though I would not need much effort to keep calm against such accusation, I must remind that Syria formally accepted the incident and offered condolences: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/shelling-now-under-investigation-says-syrian-minister.aspx?pageID=238&nID=31636&NewsCatID=359

As for the incident:

Yesterday (Oct 3rd) a couple of artillery shells hit border town of Akcakale in Sanliurfa between 1530 – 1630. The shell that hit the house in Kazim Karabekir district killed 5 people, wounded 10. Shortly after, Turkish T-155 self propelled howitzers of 20th Armored Brigade began shelling Syrian positions, identified by AN/TPQ-36 artillery locating radars. There are conflicting reports on the number of shells fired. There is also lack of credible information on the impact on Syrian side, number of casualties reported being as high as 34.

Some newspapers report F-16s from Diyarbakir 8th Main Jet Base and RF-4ETM’s from Malatya 7th Main Jet Base providing target identification, recon and strike direction; but no confirmation on that.

There were news that artillery shots being fired from Akcakale today morning, around 0645. But no recent news on any fire exchange or clash as of 1200 local time.

The Prosecution Office of the Turkish General Staff has concluded the investigation on the downing of the TurAF RF-4ETM incident and issued a press release today.

According to the investigation report,

1. The aircraft lost control after the blast effect of the explosion of a missile from rear – left side, most possibly around the engine nozzle area.

2. The aicraft hit the sea slightly banking left, nose-up condition.

3. The aircraft was hit in international airspace

4. There were no malfunction on the aircraft prior to the shootdown.

5. There are recorded signals of a missile on the RWR recorder.

6. The aircraft was flying at 7,400ft altitude, 211 heading, parallel to the Syrian border. The last point of stable flight was 35.48.2N 35.33.21E, followed by an immediate banking to left and crash into sea at 8.6nm to Syrian coastline on 1157 local time. The point of crash is 35.48.26N 35.37.59E

7. Potassium chlorate, used in warheads and propellants as oxidizer found on parts of the wreckage during examination at Eskisehir 1st Air Supply & Maintenance Center.

8. HPLC (High Pressure Liquid Cromotography) and LC-MS-MS (Liquid Cromotography Mass Spectrometer) methods required to applied on the parts. Istanbul Directorate of Forensic executed the studies thereafter.

9. Studies showed RDX (Hexogen), HNX (Octogen), TNT (2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene) and PETN (Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate) remnants on the parts.

Turkish General Staff made an announcement that no indications of any kind of missile or any type of explosive found on the parts of the wreckage. Remaining parts of the airframe are being tried to be salvaged.

The statement is also very interesting since it refers to the aircraft as “the aircraft that Syria claims to have shot down”, instead of earlier phrases “the aircraft that was shot down by Syria”.

It seems that the RF-4ETM was NOT shot down by Syria but crashed by some sort of malfunction or error.

http://www.tsk.tr/3_basin_yayin_faaliyetleri/3_4_tsk_haberler/2012/tsk_haberler_83.htm

Turkish Joint Staff released a press statement showing parts of the wreck.

The coordinates in which the pilots’ bodies found are: 8,6nm away from Syrian coast; 35 48.3079 North, 35 37.9357 East and 35 48.2877 North, 35 37.9274 East

Pilots’ bodies recovered, transferred to Malatya AB for a funeral ceremony, to be held on Friday.

First off, no disrespect meant to anyone but this is a little odd. The sub can find 2 bodies at the bottom of the sea after a week in the eastern Mediterranean but they cant find the actual aircraft?

A whale carcass perhaps but 2 humans…..

As I said I mean no disrespect and its probably the BBC being lazy.

The official press release of the Turkish General Staff has no mention about the wreckage, it just says the bodies of the two pilots were found on the seabed.

The claim that the bodies found but wreck not is either an insider information or just interpretation of the journalist who wrote the report.

BTW, the (rough) translation of the press statement by the Turkish General Staff:

1. An answering statement needed to be provided in regard of the claims based on the story published by a foreign paper about the shootdown of the aircraft by Syria in international space on June 22.

2. As already stated several times, our aircraft was shot down while flying a single, unarmed flight mission to test existing radar installations in the region.

3. With the data, it is determined that: The aircraft took off from Erhac / Malatya at1030, vectored towards Eastern Mediterranean, approached waypoint #1 at 1106 and started to cruise at an altitude of 21,400ft. The aircraft approached waypoint #2 at 1114 at 8,600ft, waypoint #3 at 1123 at 7,500ft, waypoint #4 at 1137 at 2,00ft and return leg for a second test run at 1150 at 3,000ft.

At this last waypoint, it has been determined that the aircraft violated Syrian airspace for about 5 minutes. According to radar track history analysis and radio comms, there had been no interception against the aircraft up to this stage.

The aircraft, during its second test run and towards waypoint #4 at 7400ft altitude instantly began losing altitude at 1156, in international airspace and lost radio+radar contact at 1157.

4. Immediately after, SAR efforts started and a public statement has been made.

5. Following, it has been learned that the aircraft was shot down by Syria.

6. As a result, upon the research and analyis based on the radar track history and investigations, the aircraft was hit by Syria about one mile off Syrian airspace (13nm) and the very last point that the aircraft was flying stable was 35 48.22N 35 33.21E, instantly losing altitude and speed after this point and crashing into the sea about 8.5nm off Syrian coast at approx. 35 48.26N 35 37.59E

7. So far no information is at hand about the fate of the pilots.

8. The ship Nautilus is going to the region and expected to arrive to the scene at 2 July Monday night