To ease the temper a bit, with a rising threat to an AWACS it has to keep more distance and is reduced by that. So most attempts were made to force it to distance up to a mission-kill for the AWACS. The first Iraq War did show, that AWACS coverage of Iraq was not satisfactory always, when from Hungary to Serbia it was not so.

That’s more or less what I was trying to say. Just by posing a significant threat during a given conflict* the operators of missiles like the KS-172 will have something to be pleased about if they manage force the AWACS out to a range where their coverage is less than satisfactory. The degree to which this can/will happen is a game of ‘what-ifs’ and, apparently, we can play that all day.

* I’m sure we can all agree that a minor, conventional scuffle between AWACS operators and KS-172 operators is more likely than a full-blown ICBM fun-fest.

Hmm… Not exactly what I had in mind (being that this is an airborne weapons thread).

…And don’t forget Iran… :rolleyes:

Still the coolest

Totally agree!

PS Can anyone ID the chase plane in sferrin’s pic?

Is that an upgraded FENCER or just one with a new paint job?

Even the most accurate ballistic missiles still have an CEP of 100m I think, but 250 seems more likely. Even a 2000lbs warhead falling 100m next to a building will not seriously harm it. Windows are out, but it is not totally destroyed. Machinery (like a reactor) normally needs direct hits to become inoperable.

The SCUDs the Iraqis used were purely meant as terror weapon, you cannot hit a military or industrial target with that missiles.

Yea, I know, it was just an idea 😎

What about an ultra precise ballistic missile strike? Of course, I know nothing of Israeli ballistic missile programmes but it would be a neat and quick way to resolve all of swerve’s misgivings.

It seems that a lot of people have trouble debating in a polite and controlled manner. Snide comments, personal attacks (or worse, perceived personal attacks) and trolling have all but ruined what was once a very decent forum. Something drastic has to be done (although I am at a loss as to what might this might be) regarding the general level of behaviour, otherwise people will genuinely stop coming here – many valuable contributors have already ceased posting already.