Asia Times: US air defenses fail again in Iraq
Rockets hit US base and airport in Erbil after defense systems failed to activate
The attack on the US military base at Erbil – in the Kurdistan region of Iraq – and the nearby Erbil airport illustrates once again that US defenses against rocket attacks are inadequate and, for the most part, don’t work.
As far as can be determined, Erbil was defended by a US Patriot air defense system and a C-RAM rapid fire gun system there to protect the Patriot.
There is no information to suggest that either system was activated when a number of rockets slammed into the base and airport.
The US and Iraq say they can account for 14 rockets that hit the airport and base; the terrorist group allegedly responsible says 22 rockets were fired.
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WNU Editor: Too early to say if US air defenses failed in stopping this rocket attack in Erbil. They could have been turned off. But the question is a valid one, and I hope the Pentagon will provide some answers.
2 comments:
Air defense could have sounded and one or more people did not scurry to shelter or could not make it in time.
If you are out in the open, you are suppose to hit the dirt. If one has been to a base in country, a person has heard the base commander complaining and warning of unspecified action if people did not comply.
If it happened at one bae it could happen again at other bases.
The C-RAM is problematic, which is why they want laser defense. C-RAM ammo will fall to ground and potentially cause co9llateral;, There might be cut outs in their traverse to protect civilians, the jihadis might know where those cutouts might been fired from there or that sector
The FAJR-1 did may not have flown high enough or long enough to be engaged by Patriot. Nor is the warhead large enough to justify a larger hard being aimed at it.
The rockets could have been fired in the lee of hill and just grazed the hilltop at nearly ground level like a terrain following cruise missile but without any guidance other than Kentucky windage. It could flow over a hill at 5 or 10 feet and have bene lost in the clutter or on and off the radar in a split second.
There is only one battle proven 'anti-rocket' air defence system and it isn't Patriot and it's not S-400 either.
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