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From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: SCUD Intercepted!
Message-ID: <1991Feb6.032230.21600@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 6 Feb 91 03:22:30 GMT
References: <1991Jan18.182446.1944@cbnewsc.att.com> <1991Jan23.041452.5888@cbnews.att.com> <1991Feb4.062022.19173@cbnews.att.com> <1991Feb5.042527.5653@cbnews.att.com>
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From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
>From: sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney)
>>... There are lots of systems that can
>>shoot down aircraft; Patriots are too valuable for missile defence to
>>be wasted on planes.)
>
>Horse hockey. Su-24 comes in to make a runway attack, it will get shot at by
>whatever can be thrown at it. You don't know if it has chemicals or a lot of
>bombs. You don't take the chance, either.

So you shoot it down, and a Scud gets through that night because you're
short of Patriots?  Don't be silly; the military gets paid to take
chances.  Deploying your weapons wisely includes saving your most capable
weapons to deal with the most difficult threats.  Although I don't know
for sure, it would not surprise me at all if the Patriot batteries are
under orders to fire at aircraft only as a last-ditch self-defense measure.
-- 
"Maybe we should tell the truth?"      | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
"Surely we aren't that desperate yet." |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu   utzoo!henry

[mod.note:  For once, I think I disagree with Henry.  Seems to me that the
Su-24 poses a much greater threat.  The Scud, assuming it doesn't go
out of control and miss completely, is very inaccurate.  Its warhead weight
is pretty low, even for chemical munitions.  And it only flies once.
    The bomber, on the other hand, carries a greater payload, delivers it
more accurately and intelligently, and if you don't shoot it down, will be
back tomorrow to do the same thing. - Bill ]