Iran purchased the Tor SAMs in the mid 2000's so comparing them to Tor systems from the 70's/80's isn't really fair is it ? I very much doubt if the hardware and software wasn't somewhat up to date to the standards of the time when Iran made the purchase.
Even outside of an IADS, any missile defense system has to be able to tell the difference between a passenger plane leaving an airport and an incoming cruise missile, otherwise that SAM system would be absolutely useless as a weapon.
I mean what are you saying that Iran purchased TORs that were exact copies of what was produced in the 80's ? That's pretty much impossible. I mean any weapons system constantly goes through upgrades. Look at the T-72's Iran purchased in the early 2000's. They're T-72's but you comparing them to T-72's from the mid 80's isn't fair is it ?
Furthermore even missile defense systems from the 70/80's,, whether integrated into a command center or not, seem to be able to differentiate between civilian airliners, friendly jets and enemy targets / incoming cruise missiles. I mean, if you think about it, they have to be able to otherwise we would have seen countless civilian passenger planes getting shot down one after another throughout the last few decades.
Wouldn't the Tor system receive constant upgrades as well ? Wouldn't any weapons system receive some sort of upgrades over time ? Otherwise an iphone 3 cpu would be 1000x more powerful than an 80's Tor CPU. Iran seems to have upgraded their Hawk SAMs if I'm not mistaken and Iran tends to be good at upgrading older gear.
I still don't understand how any SAM system can't differentiate between a civilian airliner, a friendly jet / drone and an enemy jet/ drone /cruise missile. I mean during peace time but especially during war time a SAM would be useless if it couldn't differentiate between friendly and enemy jets/cruise missiles. It just doesn't make sense.
If what you're saying is true then the Tor system stationed near the airport or any Iranian airfield would be shooting down civilian planes, Iranian jets, left and right, all the time. The factg that they don't shoot down planes by mistake all the time proves that there's some identification system or some protocol that prevents mistakes from constantly occurring.
In my opinion, it is extremely likely that the operators were on high alert, expecting an attack, perhaps they were overexcited ? over worked ? over anxious ? and/or they simply panicked ?
In any case I want a full investigation, even if its not made public and I want a shakeup of the higher ups and those responsible. Something has to be done. This should have been avoided but now it has to be prevented and those who were negligent and incompetent have to be demoted, dishonorably discharged or worse.
