No One Hated Patriot Missiles More than U.S. Air Force in 2003. The Patriot missile batteries of the U.S. Army were involved in a number of friendly fire incidents in the spring of 2003. An F-16 pilot stated, "The Patriots scared the hell out of us." Many pilots believed that the Patriot posed a greater threat to them than any SAM system in Iraq. Some Air Force pilots actually opened fire on a Patriot crew despite their best efforts to avoid the trigger-happy Patriot batteries. On March 24, 2003, a lock-on beep appeared on the pilot's screen while the F-16 was on its route to Baghdad for a mission. A Patriot battery was aiming at the F-16. Just a day before, a Patriot shot down an RAF Tornado that was returning back to Kuwait following a mission. The Patriot missile battery was swiftly locked by the F-16 pilot. The F-16 pilot launched A.G.M.-88 HARM, which destroyed the Patriot's radar dish and broke its radar lock before the Patriot could fire any missiles. Nobody was hurt. The Air Force said that it was an accident and that the pilot was unaware that he was firing at fellow Americans.
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- Category
- MILITARY
- Tags
- Patriot Missiles, Patriot Missile Battery, U.S. Air Force
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