Russian 9K37 BUK air defense system in 2010. WIKIMEDIA Commons
Need To Learn To Launch A BUK Missile Quick? Look Online. -- Robert Beckhusen, Reuters
No one has admitted responsibility for firing the sophisticated missile that brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing 298 people over Ukraine on July 17. But untrained rebels could probably have done it with a little practice. There are even instructions online, making it possible for nearly anyone who comes into possession of one of these systems — anywhere in the world — to use it.
Washington and Kiev both blame Russian-backed separatists from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic for attacking the plane with a 9k37 BUK missile system. These rebels had bragged about possessing the weapon before the attack.
The BUK is in the upper tier of the world’s antiaircraft weapons. It’s considerably more advanced and has more complicated procedures to fire than point-and-shoot, shoulder-fired missiles. Its missiles can climb to an altitude of 46,000 feet at Mach 3 speeds, packing more than a 154-pound high-explosive warhead.
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My Comment: I have been told that the BUK system also has launch code protections .... was this a problem for the crew who launched this missile to take down MH17 .... apparently not.
2 comments:
Apparently it's much easier than being a real reporter.
Good point James
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