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1.If spotted in radars, Soviets could use interceptor aircrafts, so that's one big BS claim
2.Their air defense shot it down to make it an extra BS
The USSR interceptor at the time could not fly as high as u2 and USA was not aware that USSR air defence could intercept the airplanes at that height . It was a shock for them that they managed to hit it.
 
The USSR interceptor at the time could not fly as high as u2 and USA was not aware that USSR air defence could intercept the airplanes at that height . It was a shock for them that they managed to hit it.
One year earlier, Chinese had shot down a Martin RB-57D at 65000 ft altitude, so the source of American confidence wasn't the altitude.


Here is the source of their confidence:

wikipedia
The CIA told the president that the Soviets could not track high-altitude U-2 flights; this belief was based on studies using old Soviet radar systems and American systems that were not as effective at high altitudes as current Soviet systems, of which the U.S. was not aware. Knutson (U2 Designer) later said that "the U-2 was really quite invisible to American radar, but Russian radar were a little different—better, you might say"
 
One year earlier, Chinese had shot down a Martin RB-57D at 65000 ft altitude, so the source of American confidence wasn't the altitude.


Here is the source of their confidence:

wikipedia
The CIA told the president that the Soviets could not track high-altitude U-2 flights; this belief was based on studies using old Soviet radar systems and American systems that were not as effective at high altitudes as current Soviet systems, of which the U.S. was not aware. Knutson (U2 Designer) later said that "the U-2 was really quite invisible to American radar, but Russian radar were a little different—better, you might say"
about the shootdown at 7 October 1959, at the time USA believed the pilot on his way back to Taiwan did a premature descend and was flying at lower altitude than 65000 feet recommended cruise altitude
 
about the shootdown at 7 October 1959, at the time USA believed the pilot on his way back to Taiwan did a premature descend and was flying at lower altitude than 65000 feet recommended cruise altitude
And they believed one RQ170 has gone missing over Afghanistan, if you believe them!
 
Hi about U2 incident

Background[edit]​

In July 1958, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower requested permission from the Pakistani prime minister Feroze Khan Noon for the U.S. to establish a secret intelligence facility in Pakistan and for the U-2 spyplane to fly from Pakistan. The U-2 flew at altitudes that could not be reached by Soviet fighter jets of the era; it was believed to be beyond the reach of Soviet missiles as well. A facility established in Badaber (Peshawar Air Station), 10 miles (16 km) from Peshawar, was a cover for a major communications intercept operation run by the United States National Security Agency (NSA). Badaber was an excellent location because of its proximity to Soviet central Asia. This enabled the monitoring of missile test sites, key infrastructure and communications. The U-2 "spy-in-the-sky" was allowed to use the Pakistan Air Force section of Peshawar Airport to gain vital photo intelligence in an era before satellite observation.[4]

On 9 April 1960, a U-2C spyplane of the special CIA unit "10-10", piloted by Bob Ericson, crossed the southern national boundary of the Soviet Union in the area of Pamir Mountains and flew over four Soviet top secret military objects: the Semipalatinsk Test Site, the Dolon Air Base where Tu-95 strategic bombers were stationed, the surface-to-air missile (SAM) test site of the Soviet Air Defence Forces near Saryshagan, and the Tyuratam missile range (Baikonur Cosmodrome).[6]

The aircraft was detected by the Soviet Air Defense Forces when it had flown more than 250 kilometres (155 mi) over the Soviet national boundary and avoided several attempts at interception by a MiG-19 and a Su-9 during the flight. The U-2 left Soviet air space and landed at an Iranian airstrip at Zahedan. It was clear that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had successfully performed an extraordinarily dangerous but productive intelligence operation. The next flight of the U-2 spyplane from Peshawar airport was planned for late April.[6]
 
1.If spotted in radars, Soviets could use interceptor aircrafts, so that's one big BS claim
2.Their air defense shot it down to make it an extra BS
The interceptor aircraft at the time couldn't reach that high ceiling at the time. Its no BS. Thats why they used SAMs.
 
The interceptor aircraft at the time couldn't reach that high ceiling at the time. Its no BS. Thats why they used SAMs.

Misinformed

Soviet interceptors max ceiling:

Mig-25 78,000 ft
Mig-31 82,000+ Ft
Su-15 60,000 Ft

They all had altitude to launch A2A and intercept a U2
 
Misinformed

Soviet interceptors max ceiling:

Mig-25 78,000 ft
Mig-31 82,000+ Ft
Su-15 60,000 Ft

They all had altitude to launch A2A and intercept a U2
LOL! MiG-25 didn't exist at the time when the U-2 was shot down. Same for the MiG-31.
 
LOL! MiG-25 didn't exist at the time when the U-2 was shot down. Same for the MiG-31.

But SU-9 did and it had a service ceiling slightly less than 70,000.

So the issue was not the service ceiling. After all a fighter jet at 50,000 could hit a U2 with a powerful enough A2A in this modern era as long as its detected on radar.

The issue at the time was early A2A were laser beam guided, not radar guided. Which meant that the fighter jet would have to hold the lock, something difficult to do against a U2 (or any fighter jet that had maneuverability)
 
Misinformed

Soviet interceptors max ceiling:

Mig-25 78,000 ft
Mig-31 82,000+ Ft
Su-15 60,000 Ft

They all had altitude to launch A2A and intercept a U2
come on , we are talking about more than 60 years ago or more exactly 1 May 1960
mig 25 first flight was 1964 and come into service in 1970
mig 31 first flight was 1975 and come into service in 1981
Su-15 first flight was 1962 and come into service in 1965

at the time USSR only had Mig-19 with 54000 feet and Su-9 with theoretical altitude of 65000 feet but only when it was empty and if you wanted to use its k5 missile you had to fire the missiles at 2km away if you wanted to intercept the airplane and as it was a new plane that introduced only several month ago , there was none in the path of the flight

But SU-9 did and it had a service ceiling slightly less than 70,000.

So the issue was not the service ceiling. After all a fighter jet at 50,000 could hit a U2 with a powerful enough A2A in this modern era as long as its detected on radar.
as I said Su-9 only had 65000 feet of altitude if unarmed and at the time they had only k-5 with a range of 2-5km and let say it was far from being considered powerful , those era A2A missiles were at best Meh , no matter they were from east or west and the Su-9 was introduced only for several month and there was not enough of it
 
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The issue at the time was early A2A were laser beam guided, not radar guided. Which meant that the fighter jet would have to hold the lock, something difficult to do against a U2 (or any fighter jet that had maneuverability)
the situation was worse , the K-5 Missile USSR was used was a form of laser guided which was as impractical as it get in shaky airplane of the time , it was Beam riding missile
 
For them it went missing ,
No, just for media and as a propaganda it went missing in Afghanistan! so they didn't have to admit their technological defeat.


In reality they knew it had landed in a specific location in Iran and even had plans to engage with Iranian forces and destroy it.
 

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