[Goose]

Interesting, in this CNN article they are saying the Biden administration wouldn't block other countries from giving Ukraine F-16s, but also that the Patriot air defense systems shot down at least 1 Russian jet in the past weeks.  The only confirmed Russian jet losses recently were the SU-34 and SU-35 over Bryansk, that everyone assumed was friendly fire.  If this was actually a Patriot kill, then that's an impressive range, and might also explain why Russia has been aggressively going for the systems recently.  

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/18/politics/...index.html

The air distance from Kiev to Bryansk is about 391km (as the missile flies). The maximum range of a Patriot missile (of any type) is 160 km. If the Russian aircraft was shot down near Bryansk city, it is too far for a Patriot in Kiev. If it was right at the Ukrainian border, it is just barely in range of a PAC-2. The aircraft would have needed to be above about 6500 feet for the Patriot to "see" it in horizon scan mode. When a Patriot is targeting ballistic missiles, it would normally not use horizon scanning, and if it did it would be at a very low priority. So, while it is barely possible, it seems improbable. There may be another Patriot that is located closer that would have had an easier shot. I am kind of skeptical that a Patriot shot down a Russian aircraft in Russian air space. That seems a bit out of the ROE we make them operate under. While it makes eminent sense to kill a possible missile launcher, if it is inside Russia it is a "no go" as I understand it.

[Goose]

Interesting, in this CNN article they are saying the Biden administration wouldn't block other countries from giving Ukraine F-16s, but also that the Patriot air defense systems shot down at least 1 Russian jet in the past weeks.  The only confirmed Russian jet losses recently were the SU-34 and SU-35 over Bryansk, that everyone assumed was friendly fire.  If this was actually a Patriot kill, then that's an impressive range, and might also explain why Russia has been aggressively going for the systems recently.  

https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/18/politics/...index.html

The air distance from Kiev to Bryansk is about 391km (as the missile flies). The maximum range of a Patriot missile (of any type) is 160 km. If the Russian aircraft was shot down near Bryansk city, it is too far for a Patriot in Kiev. If it was right at the Ukrainian border, it is just barely in range of a PAC-2. The aircraft would have needed to be above about 6500 feet for the Patriot to "see" it in horizon scan mode. When a Patriot is targeting ballistic missiles, it would normally not use horizon scanning, and if it did it would be at a very low priority. So, while it is barely possible, it seems improbable. There may be another Patriot that is located closer that would have had an easier shot. I am kind of skeptical that a Patriot shot down a Russian aircraft in Russian air space. That seems a bit out of the ROE we make them operate under. While it makes eminent sense to kill a possible missile launcher, if it is inside Russia it is a "no go" as I understand it.