Reports: Turkish warplane shot down by Syria

[Fozzledick]

Source: Reuters/MSNBC

Lebanon's Hezbollah-owned Al-Manar television station said on Friday that Syrian air defenses shot down a Turkish military aircraft, quoting Syrian security sources.

"Syrian security sources confirmed to a Manar correspondent in Damascus that Syrian defense forces shot down the Turkish fighter jet," a news flash on the Beirut-based station said.

Pro-Iranian Al-Mayadeen television station, which is based in Lebanon, also quoted what it said were Turkish sources as saying a jet had been shot down by Syrian air defenses.

There was no confirmation of either report.

Read more: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/22/12358285-reports-turkish-warplane-shot-down-by-syria?lite

[JCMach1]

1. rutro

[maddezmom]

2. BBC: Turkish military F-4 plane 'vanishes' near Syria border

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18554246

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Uh oh.

[Fozzledick]

4. Syria air defenses down Turkish military plane over Latakia

The Turkish military reported Friday, June 22, that radar and radio contact was lost with a Turkish air force F-4 plane after it took off from Erhac Airport in the eastern province of Malatya while flying over the sea opposite the Turkish-Syrian border. The incident took place not far from the Syrian port of Latakia.

Debkafile’s military sources report that Syrian anti air defenses shot the plane down in an ambush calculated to retaliate for the defection of the Syrian Air Force pilot Col. Hassan Maray al-Hamadeh to Jordan a day earlier with his MiG-21 warplane. Officials in Damascus are certain his defection was organized by US and Turkish intelligence.

DamPress and other Syrian news agencies reported at 16:00 local time Friday that two military aircraft infiltrated Syrian airspace over Latakia and broke the sound barrier while flying low in threatening formation. One was hit by Syrian anti-air fire and the second escaped. DamPress speculates that the intruders were either Turkish or Israeli. The Turkish press reported later that a search operation rescued the two pilots of the downed aircraft from the sea. The plane has not been found. Since Thursday, Syria’s entire air fleet has been grounded while its spy agencies screen flight personnel for more potential defectors.

http://www.debka.com/article/22109/Syria-air-defenses-down-Turkish-military-plane-over-Latakia

[riderinthestorm]

5. Pretty bad news. Theoretically (cough) Turkey isn't involved in assisting either side remember?

So the fighter jet in Syrian airspace is just a mistake right? Just like the US isn't involved either right?




Sorry for the snark. Its just a futile stab at trying to derail the "Assad must go!!11!!!" posts beforehand.

[may3rd]

26. Were they testing the Russian made Syrian air defense system

to see if a virus could shut it down ?
no ?
I'm sure it will be called pilot error in navigation by the investigation team at any rate.

[Throd]

6. An F-4? Is the Sopwith Camel in the shop?

If this is true, it is a serious turn of events.

[Posteritatis]

10. There's about 600, 650 still in use in various air forces. Turkey's got about 160. (nt)

[Blue_Tires]

17. I had to look that up before I believed it...

not only that, but the MiG-21 is still in service(!)

But I do have a place in my heart for anything flying with the name 'Douglas'

[Posteritatis]

18. MiG-21s still being around doesn't surprise me at all

MiG-21s are damned cheap to operate and maintain compared to anything more contemporary, and for a lot of countries they don't need hardware much more involved than that. The Syrian pilot who defected to Jordan the other day was flying one, for instance.

The F-4's never really been anything but a pretty solid aircraft, and was obviously built well if they're still using that many, so it's the same sort of deal only on a higher "tier" so to speak.

There's a handful of MiG-19s and F-5s still in service as front-line fighters, but that's getting into levels of thrift that are sort of silly.

[may3rd]

27. Seems this is a 'Buy American' moment on a silver platter

or upgrade your aged fleet the Turk population will green light...
I could be wrong though.
But,
It could mean skilled high wage machinists will go back to work and they, in turn , will be tipping the waitresses supported by the cottages surrounding the manufacturing plants.



yes,
there is a dark lining around every silver cloud

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. They still in service, not just in the US

and what are you talking about? The Sopwith Camel COULD again be state of the art. I would not be surprised if a new class of fighter is named after that one... Corsair comes to mind.

[may3rd]

28. That's the unmanned upgrade

That's the future of aviation. Machines are limited by the cumbersome, gross weight needs of the human systems built into the airframes while the PS 3 generation is already training at home eating hot pockets washed down with Dr. Pepper.....force multipliers of the next generation....


just a thought while reading your post

[hack89]

15. The Turks went to Israel to upgrade their F-4s

they now have state of the art electronics and weapons.

[hrmjustin]

7. no good soultions here.

Mr. President let others handle this one.

[Odin2005]

23. Turkey is a NATO ally.

Thus we are duty-bound to help the Turks kick Assad's ass if it comes to that.

[hrmjustin]

24. I hope not to many people realize that.

[may3rd]

29. The commander and chief has been briefed. Who else has a need to know ?

It can only be done with US special forces on the ground taking out the radar like they did in Libya.

.....but nobody has a need to know that.

These are the hands were given

same as it ever was

[bongbong]

9. Iran must be isolated!

Orders from the top.

[may3rd]

30. The 'youth' of Persia must rise up to save them from themselves

In theory,
that is the plan. Maybe their next election, their cries won't be ignored?

[dipsydoodle]

11. Syria has offered it's regrets to Turkey

.

[dipsydoodle]

12. At least it wasn't an airliner.

Iran Air Flight 655.

Iran Air Flight 655 was a civilian jet airliner shot down by U.S. missiles on 3 July 1988 as it flew over the Strait of Hormuz at the end of the Iran–Iraq War. The aircraft, an Airbus A300B2-203 operated by Iran Air, was flying from Bandar Abbas, Iran to Dubai, United Arab Emirates. While flying in Iranian airspace over Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf on its usual flight path, it was destroyed by the United States Navy guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes (CG-49). All 290 onboard including 66 children and 16 crew perished.[1] The incident is ranked ninth among the deadliest disasters in aviation history.

>

The U.S. government issued notes of regret for the loss of innocent human life. The government never admitted wrongdoing, and did not accept responsibility nor submit an apology to the Iranian government.[5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Air_Flight_655

[may3rd]

31. That's because they have plenty on the ground to keep em busy til the fall..... nt

[Ghost Dog]

13. Just a cock-up. So far...

...The NTV private news channel reported that the plane had crashed in Syrian territorial waters, but that there had been no violation of the Syrian border, citing unnamed military sources.

According to information the Daily News gathered from official sources, the Turkish military launched a broad search and rescue operation to find the plane and the two pilots who ejected themselves and fell in the water.

Sources said Syria had dispatched three guard boats to contribute to Turkish efforts, as the search was taking place in Syrian territorial waters. The first news that Syria shot the Turkish jet down came from local sources in Lebanon and Syria. Erdoğan said alongside with Turkey’s four guard boats Syria joined efforts with own vessels.

A local witness has told RT Arabic that the plane crashed on Syrian territory and that the two pilots were captured.

The craft was shot down as the Syrian air defense opened fire, according to Lebanon-based pan-Arab Al-Mayadeen TV. These reports are yet to be confirmed...

/... http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/pm-could-not-yet-confirm-turkish-war-plane-shut-down-by-syria.aspx?pageID=238&nID=23802&NewsCatID=341


Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will arrange an extraordinary security meeting and meet Interior Minister İdris Naim Şahin, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz, head of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and Chief of General Staff Necdet Özel following this afternoon’s crash of a Turkish war plane over Syrian waters.

The meeting will be focused on the plane crash, as well as the recent terrorist attacks in Turkey.

/... http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-pm-to-hold-extraordinary-security-meeting-in-ankara.aspx?pageID=238&nID=23853&NewsCatID=338

[Strelnikov_]

16. Alas, Babylon

WW3 started with Russian jet being shot down at Syrian port of Latakia.

[may3rd]

32. That's the port where newest Russian made SAM missiles are placed according to a fast google search

of news stories.


I'm sure it's an isolated incident that won't effect the isolated atrocities going on daily


http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/afp/syria-says-25-dead-in-massacre-turkish-plane-missing/526248

nothing to read there

[SultanErdogan]

19. WELCOME TO HELL ESSAD

Essad first butchered its own people and now shut down a Turkish aircraft.

TURKEY should ANNEX its ottoman territory (Syria) as a response.

ITS TIME FOR WAR!


BRING IT ON ESSAD!!!!

[may3rd]

33. People may not see it that way

But in the US, I'm surprised 'experts' are not beating a Turkish "gulf of Tonkin" incident comparison yet.

But
your opinion has been duely noted

[Adsos Letter]

38. "ITS TIME FOR WAR!"

Sure thing "Sultan." You get your butt right on out there in front.

[jakeXT]

20. yay .. NATO article 4 & 5 here we come... /nt

[may3rd]

34. NATO met in Chicago

[Tx4obama]

21. Kick! n/t

[Odin2005]

22. Uh-oh, Assad just pissed off the Turks.

He is completely screwed, now. My only fear is this escalating into a Turkish-Iranian war.

Turkey is a NATO ally, so we are duty-bound to help them no matter one's qualms about intervening in Syria.

[may3rd]

35. They have the second largest NATO military

But are any news outlets monitoring Turkish new sources for a breaking stories of
"nationalism pride at stake"..... ?

[joshcryer]

36. No one wants WWIII, the Turks will likely accept any apologies.

And that'll be that.

[may3rd]

37. But will they tire of accepting refugee's?

They claim, behind closed doors, some are trouble makers and are mingling with unsavory characters. I myself think it a moot point but will browse the Turk press op eds comment sections

[dipsydoodle]

25. Turkish warplane downed by Syria 'may have crossed border'

Turkey's President, Abdullah Gul, has said the Turkish fighter jet shot down by Syria's air defence forces on Friday may have violated Syrian airspace.

Mr Gul said it was routine for warplanes flying at high speed to cross borders for short distances.

Syria has said it engaged the aircraft in its airspace "according to the laws that govern such situations", and that it crashed into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Turkish and Syrian navies are searching for the two crew members.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18562210

[Marooned]

39. Turkey says Syria downed jet in international airspace

Turkey on Sunday accused Syria of shooting down one of its warplanes in international airspace, as a watchdog said the Damascus regime suffered new setbacks and violence reached new heights.

"According to our conclusions, our plane was shot down in international airspace, 13 nautical miles from Syria," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told TRT television.


http://news.yahoo.com/assad-forms-cabinet-violence-flares-syria-053449786.html

[dipsydoodle]

40. I doubt anyone

will ever know the truth of the matter.

[muriel_volestrangler]

41. Turkey calls Nato meeting on warplane downed by Syria; wreckage found

Ankara has invoked Article 4 of Nato's charter, under which consultations can be requested when an ally feels their security is threatened, officials say.
...
Turkish news channels are reporting that the wreckage of the jet has been located in Syrian territorial waters at a depth of 1,300m (4 265ft), according the Reuters news agency.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18568207