The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
We now return to our regularly scheduled PA Forums. Please let me (Hahnsoo1) know if something isn't working. The Holiday Forum will remain up until January 10, 2025.

Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 shot down in Ukraine

145791018

Posts

  • MagellMagell Detroit Machine Guns Fort MyersRegistered User regular
    The Ender wrote: »
    I don't know, governments are going to train rebel forces that have their ideals in mind throughout history. Just because they do something you don't like after you trained them doesn't mean you're directly responsible for that. Regan made a mistake when he trained the Taliban and armed them for their war against Russia, but does that make him responsible for 9/11?

    I would say he shares responsibility for that attack, yes.

    But, I think that may be off topic, and I did set up a separate thread for that sort of discussion if you want to have it.

    Having gone to that thread, I have literally zero interest in discussing anything there.

  • Mr RayMr Ray Sarcasm sphereRegistered User regular
    Dark_Side wrote: »
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Prohass wrote: »
    the most shocking thing I find about this honestly is that commercial flights were still ok to fly over the area, when it was public knowledge that Ukranian rebels had access to this technology and were using it to bring down Ukranian aircraft in the area. Like how were they not the exact conditions you divert commercial planes from war zones for?

    None of the international organizations responsible for such designations had designated the area as a no-fly zone or a dangerous war zone for civilian aircraft.


    Apparently the US had had a warning in place for american pilots since April. I seem to recall European authorities had a similar warning out there, though I don't think the warnings had much teeth or anything. As someone pointed out already, it should be a safe assumption that people in possession of such sophisticated anti-air would be able to tell the difference between civilian and military aircraft, especially at that kind of altitude. Clearly these guys couldn't.

    Which is exactly why handing out state of the art weaponry to a bunch of poorly-trained yahoos is a terrible idea. See also: the Iraqi army.

  • This content has been removed.

  • edited July 2014
    This content has been removed.

  • DocshiftyDocshifty Registered User regular
    Was watching some news coverage and, ugh, the focus was on the stupidest fucking things.

    "Now, people are looting, we've got a doctor on the phone, let's ask him if they should be doing that. Also, doctor, if they didn't die instantly, how badly would it have hurt?"

    Hey, why not report on developments about possible culprits. There was an offhand remark about it maybe being from a Buk launcher, then back to "How much information can we really learn from the flight recorder?"

  • DirtmuncherDirtmuncher Registered User regular
    Just saw a shared Facebook from a Dutch guy.
    It starts with a photo of the plane before he boards with the caption.
    If it disappears, this is what it looks like.
    (Clearly referring to the previous lost plane).
    It starts with have fun and through the course of the posts people realise he was on the plane with his wife. It ends with condolences.
    I got chills reading that.

    steam_sig.png
  • ThomamelasThomamelas Only one man can kill this many Russians. Bring his guitar to me! Registered User regular
    PantsB wrote: »
    Malaysian Airlines is now saying the breakdown is

    154 Dutch
    47 unknown
    27 Australian
    23 Malaysian
    11 Indonesian
    6 British
    4 German
    4 Belgian
    3 Filipino
    1 Canadian

    Not really sure why there are "unknown" nationalities on an international flight, so they may just be waiting for family notification? Earlier reports were 23 Americans which either was wrong or is part of that "unknown" group

    edit- no Chinese listed either, which seems odd.

    It may be passengers with questionable passports.

  • GnomeTankGnomeTank What the what? Portland, OregonRegistered User regular
    edited July 2014
    Dark_Side wrote: »
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Prohass wrote: »
    the most shocking thing I find about this honestly is that commercial flights were still ok to fly over the area, when it was public knowledge that Ukranian rebels had access to this technology and were using it to bring down Ukranian aircraft in the area. Like how were they not the exact conditions you divert commercial planes from war zones for?

    None of the international organizations responsible for such designations had designated the area as a no-fly zone or a dangerous war zone for civilian aircraft.


    Apparently the US had had a warning in place for american pilots since April. I seem to recall European authorities had a similar warning out there, though I don't think the warnings had much teeth or anything. As someone pointed out already, it should be a safe assumption that people in possession of such sophisticated anti-air would be able to tell the difference between civilian and military aircraft, especially at that kind of altitude. Clearly these guys couldn't.

    Talked to my cousin and dad about this tonight on Skype, they are both military and my cousin is in the Air Force and a pilot. Apparently all modern surface to air radar systems have a "squawk" system that will identify basically what the target is. Not so much "it's a 777", but at the very least "it's not a military target".

    The problem is it's very unlikely these rebels ever received the proper training to even know what they were hearing or seeing, or even trained on the fact that military transports don't cruise at 33,000 feet. They saw a plane in airspace they had "claimed" and they fired an SA-11 at it.

    GnomeTank on
    Sagroth wrote: »
    Oh c'mon FyreWulff, no one's gonna pay to visit Uranus.
    Steam: Brainling, XBL / PSN: GnomeTank, NintendoID: Brainling, FF14: Zillius Rosh SFV: Brainling
  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    Thomamelas wrote: »
    PantsB wrote: »
    Malaysian Airlines is now saying the breakdown is

    154 Dutch
    47 unknown
    27 Australian
    23 Malaysian
    11 Indonesian
    6 British
    4 German
    4 Belgian
    3 Filipino
    1 Canadian

    Not really sure why there are "unknown" nationalities on an international flight, so they may just be waiting for family notification? Earlier reports were 23 Americans which either was wrong or is part of that "unknown" group

    edit- no Chinese listed either, which seems odd.

    It may be passengers with questionable passports.

    Also, the Americans may have requested time to contact families, because if I were in that situation, like fuck would I want to learn from fucking CNN.

  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Dark_Side wrote: »
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Prohass wrote: »
    the most shocking thing I find about this honestly is that commercial flights were still ok to fly over the area, when it was public knowledge that Ukranian rebels had access to this technology and were using it to bring down Ukranian aircraft in the area. Like how were they not the exact conditions you divert commercial planes from war zones for?

    None of the international organizations responsible for such designations had designated the area as a no-fly zone or a dangerous war zone for civilian aircraft.


    Apparently the US had had a warning in place for american pilots since April. I seem to recall European authorities had a similar warning out there, though I don't think the warnings had much teeth or anything. As someone pointed out already, it should be a safe assumption that people in possession of such sophisticated anti-air would be able to tell the difference between civilian and military aircraft, especially at that kind of altitude. Clearly these guys couldn't.

    Talked to my cousin and dad about this tonight on Skype, they are both military and my cousin is in the Air Force and a pilot. Apparently all modern surface to air radar systems have a "squawk" system that will identify basically what the target is. Not so much "it's a 777", but at the very least "it's not a military target".

    The problem is it's very unlikely these rebels ever received the proper training to even know what they were hearing or seeing, or even trained on the fact that military transports don't cruise at 33,000 feet. They saw a plane in airspace they had "claimed" and they fired an SA-11 at it.

    It's possible they would have just assumed it was a trick to begin with.

  • JeanJean Heartbroken papa bear Gatineau, QuébecRegistered User regular
    Wow talk about an unwelcomed new....

    Who, asides from the russian military, have weaponry capable of hitting a B-777 in mid-flight like that?

    "You won't destroy us, You won't destroy our democracy. We are a small but proud nation. No one can bomb us to silence. No one can scare us from being Norway. This evening and tonight, we'll take care of each other. That's what we do best when attacked'' - Jens Stoltenberg
  • edzeppedzepp Registered User regular
    This is the second plane Malaysia Airlines has lost this year. As a Malaysian, this is just hellish to have to deal with.

    At least we know where the fucking plane is this time.

  • KalkinoKalkino Buttons Londres Registered User regular
    Ukrainian spokesman has just said to the BBC that the missile unit reported to have been lost to the rebels was not lost

    Freedom for the Northern Isles!
  • Harbringer197Harbringer197 Registered User regular

    Incenjucar wrote: »
    GnomeTank wrote: »
    Dark_Side wrote: »
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Prohass wrote: »
    the most shocking thing I find about this honestly is that commercial flights were still ok to fly over the area, when it was public knowledge that Ukranian rebels had access to this technology and were using it to bring down Ukranian aircraft in the area. Like how were they not the exact conditions you divert commercial planes from war zones for?

    None of the international organizations responsible for such designations had designated the area as a no-fly zone or a dangerous war zone for civilian aircraft.


    Apparently the US had had a warning in place for american pilots since April. I seem to recall European authorities had a similar warning out there, though I don't think the warnings had much teeth or anything. As someone pointed out already, it should be a safe assumption that people in possession of such sophisticated anti-air would be able to tell the difference between civilian and military aircraft, especially at that kind of altitude. Clearly these guys couldn't.

    Talked to my cousin and dad about this tonight on Skype, they are both military and my cousin is in the Air Force and a pilot. Apparently all modern surface to air radar systems have a "squawk" system that will identify basically what the target is. Not so much "it's a 777", but at the very least "it's not a military target".

    The problem is it's very unlikely these rebels ever received the proper training to even know what they were hearing or seeing, or even trained on the fact that military transports don't cruise at 33,000 feet. They saw a plane in airspace they had "claimed" and they fired an SA-11 at it.

    It's possible they would have just assumed it was a trick to begin with.

    In the supposed recording where the separatist is talking with his KGB handler one of them talks about them parachuting spies..... so its not out of the realm of imagination.

    I find it hard to believe they would shoot at an aircraft flying that high and at one of that size. I mean the one they shot down the day before was a prop plane. I dont even believe that ukraine has heavy lift cargo plane that approaches the size of A 777. Ukraine does have some large planes like that, that were once military cargo planes but now they are all civilian airlines

    could it have possibly been Ukraine thinking it was a Russian incursion? the most doubtful scenario but still possible

  • InvisibleInvisible Registered User regular
    It was flying from the Netherlands over Ukraine towards Russia. So for the Ukraine military to believe it was Russian would be one hell of a mistake.

  • LilnoobsLilnoobs Alpha Queue Registered User regular
    I don't know anyone in real life who seriously thinks it was Ukraine. And even if it was just a bunch of pro-russia jackasses (and not russian military), no one I've talked to makes a distinction between Russia and the rebels in Ukraine--they are the same thing. I'm pretty sure public opinion has already been decided on this matter, at least here in the Netherlands.

  • BubbyBubby Registered User regular
    edzepp wrote: »
    This is the second plane Malaysia Airlines has lost this year. As a Malaysian, this is just hellish to have to deal with.

    At least we know where the fucking plane is this time.

    They're finished. I don't see how they can recover from this, honestly.

  • RMS OceanicRMS Oceanic Registered User regular
    Bubby wrote: »
    edzepp wrote: »
    This is the second plane Malaysia Airlines has lost this year. As a Malaysian, this is just hellish to have to deal with.

    At least we know where the fucking plane is this time.

    They're finished. I don't see how they can recover from this, honestly.

    I may be ignorant of how finances work, but how does this latest tragedy reflect badly on the Airline?

  • The EnderThe Ender Registered User regular
    Bubby wrote: »
    edzepp wrote: »
    This is the second plane Malaysia Airlines has lost this year. As a Malaysian, this is just hellish to have to deal with.

    At least we know where the fucking plane is this time.

    They're finished. I don't see how they can recover from this, honestly.

    I may be ignorant of how finances work, but how does this latest tragedy reflect badly on the Airline?

    Well, people may be (irrationally) scared of using the airliner now. I wouldn't go as far as Bubby, but I'd say odds are good that this will have a negative impact on customer interest and/or investor confidence.

    With Love and Courage
  • This content has been removed.

  • CaptainNemoCaptainNemo Registered User regular
    Bubby wrote: »
    edzepp wrote: »
    This is the second plane Malaysia Airlines has lost this year. As a Malaysian, this is just hellish to have to deal with.

    At least we know where the fucking plane is this time.

    They're finished. I don't see how they can recover from this, honestly.

    I may be ignorant of how finances work, but how does this latest tragedy reflect badly on the Airline?

    Investor/consumer confidence must be incredibly damaged at this point.

    PSN:CaptainNemo1138
    Shitty Tumblr:lighthouse1138.tumblr.com
  • DirtmuncherDirtmuncher Registered User regular
    Aegeri wrote: »
    Dark_Side wrote: »
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Prohass wrote: »
    the most shocking thing I find about this honestly is that commercial flights were still ok to fly over the area, when it was public knowledge that Ukranian rebels had access to this technology and were using it to bring down Ukranian aircraft in the area. Like how were they not the exact conditions you divert commercial planes from war zones for?

    None of the international organizations responsible for such designations had designated the area as a no-fly zone or a dangerous war zone for civilian aircraft.


    Apparently the US had had a warning in place for american pilots since April. I seem to recall European authorities had a similar warning out there, though I don't think the warnings had much teeth or anything. As someone pointed out already, it should be a safe assumption that people in possession of such sophisticated anti-air would be able to tell the difference between civilian and military aircraft, especially at that kind of altitude. Clearly these guys couldn't.

    The weapon itself is sophisticated, but it's important to remember that SAM weapons like this have shitty on board radar that isn't anywhere near as competent as a full radar. Normally these weapons are used in tandem with other radar installations or similar for identification of their targets. An untrained operator and let's face it, some idiot rebel behind the weapons controls counts as untrained, turned it on looked around for a plane and saw one. He then fired right at it without thinking and blew it out of the sky believing he had struck a terrible blow to Ukraine's air force. They did this because SAM radar can also be seen from a fighter plane as well, so SAMs vs. fighters is a game of cat and mouse. SAMs can't keep their radar on forever or they risk being traced back and bombed into oblivion - hence the "turn on your radar and shoot, then go dark" ambush nature when used without further radar (which the rebels certainly don't have access to).

    This is a terrible tragedy and awful in every single possible respect: But I doubt it was deliberate. I'm not even sure what people should actually do about this. Attack the separatists? Equip Ukraine with more weapons (that will end up being stolen by the rebels because it seems this Buk SAM system was stolen from Ukrainian forces in the first fucking place)? Sanctions against Russia that they probably won't give a shit about anyway?

    I doubt anything realistically is going to actually be accomplished out of this outside of outrage.

    Military action of any kind will result in more civilian lives lost. Why can't we just all get along?

    steam_sig.png
  • KalkinoKalkino Buttons Londres Registered User regular
    Ukraine has said they did not lose this unit.

    Freedom for the Northern Isles!
  • edited July 2014
    This content has been removed.

  • SanderJKSanderJK Crocodylus Pontifex Sinterklasicus Madrid, 3000 ADRegistered User regular
    Aegeri wrote: »
    Kalkino wrote: »
    Ukraine has said they did not lose this unit.

    Ukraine says a lot of things and they've had known security problems in the past (someone just jacking a tank for a while back on a joyride as an example). I actually don't doubt that the rebels claims they stole one of these things is correct. If the unit was given to the rebels from Russia or they jacked one from Ukraine like they claim is rather irrelevant in the end: The result is still the same.

    There is a large gap in the diplomatic outcome though. If Ukraine fucked up, then the rebels are terrorists but Putin can maintain a bit of plausible deniability.
    If the Ukraine can prove they still have all their BUKs than it has to have come from Russia or another Russian Federal state, which looks real, real bad on Putin.

    Steam: SanderJK Origin: SanderJK
  • InvisibleInvisible Registered User regular
    edited July 2014
    If it was Russian, they lose all credibility that they aren't waging an actual war with Ukraine. That would essentially seal European sanctions and cause a whole host of problems Putin was trying to avoid by pretending Russia hasn't been supporting and supplying the rebel groups.

    Edit: I understand you meant it's not going to bring those people back, just that if it's Russian it's going to make a fucked up situation worse. In that case, economic sanctions are a best case scenario.

    Invisible on
  • AbsalonAbsalon Lands of Always WinterRegistered User regular
    Not to mention that setting HIV/AIDS research back who knows how long is a big blemish on any country, regardless of how much it pretends to not have to answer to anything but its own national ego.

  • LilnoobsLilnoobs Alpha Queue Registered User regular
    And Putin gives zero fucks because AIDS is for the gays.

  • SanderJKSanderJK Crocodylus Pontifex Sinterklasicus Madrid, 3000 ADRegistered User regular
    More bad news: A Dutch Senator is among the casualties, with his wife and daughter.

    Steam: SanderJK Origin: SanderJK
  • zagdrobzagdrob Registered User regular
    SanderJK wrote: »
    Aegeri wrote: »
    Kalkino wrote: »
    Ukraine has said they did not lose this unit.

    Ukraine says a lot of things and they've had known security problems in the past (someone just jacking a tank for a while back on a joyride as an example). I actually don't doubt that the rebels claims they stole one of these things is correct. If the unit was given to the rebels from Russia or they jacked one from Ukraine like they claim is rather irrelevant in the end: The result is still the same.

    There is a large gap in the diplomatic outcome though. If Ukraine fucked up, then the rebels are terrorists but Putin can maintain a bit of plausible deniability.
    If the Ukraine can prove they still have all their BUKs than it has to have come from Russia or another Russian Federal state, which looks real, real bad on Putin.

    To a point, maybe.

    But I think at this point in the conflict, nobody on either side is going to be swayed regardless of that piece of evidence. Someone supporting Russia is going to keep believing Russia had nothing to do with it, and the rest of the world knows that - even if Putin didn't order the hit himself (which is probably the case, because...come on) his actions set the stage for exactly something like this to happen.

    On another note...I heard the rebels had recovered the black boxes...and are sending them to Moscow for the 'formal investigation'.

    The only silver lining in this, I guess, is that the black boxes probably won't reveal anything especially relevant to the investigation. Pretty much 'flying at this altitude, everything normal...then 'oh shit, oh fuck, what happened'.

    I will say this is a case where I wouldn't be particularly opposed to the Ukrainian air force suddenly having a squadron of F16's outfitted in the SEAD role. I would be surprised if the rebels keep operating SAM systems (beyond maybe MANPADS), but if they do I hope they are targeted with extreme prejudice.

  • KalkinoKalkino Buttons Londres Registered User regular
    Aegeri wrote: »
    Kalkino wrote: »
    Ukraine has said they did not lose this unit.

    Ukraine says a lot of things and they've had known security problems in the past (someone just jacking a tank for a while back on a joyride as an example). I actually don't doubt that the rebels claims they stole one of these things is correct. If the unit was given to the rebels from Russia or they jacked one from Ukraine like they claim is rather irrelevant in the end: The result is still the same.

    I think it does make a difference really. Not to the dead of course, but if the linkage to Russia is stronger then I fail to see how that would be irrelevant

    Freedom for the Northern Isles!
  • CrayonCrayon Sleeps in the wrong bed. TejasRegistered User regular
    America being America, I imagine that within two weeks all those mobile rocket platforms will be disappeared by ghosts and Ukraine will find some brand new fighter planes in their garage. Can't really say I'm against that right now.

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited July 2014
    As I mentioned earlier, I hate speculation--inevitably, though, if I'm going to speculate, I'd say that Ukrainian Separatists are the most likely to erroneous target and fire upon a civilian airliner (as Iran Air 655 demonstrated, even the best technology in the world leads to stupid mistakes, and those Separatists weren't shooting from one of the most advanced warships ever built).

    After the separatists, the Ukrainian military would be the next most likely to make a tragic error. They've made the same error in the past, when they shot down a Russian airliner in the month after September 11, 2001, with Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 which had the unfortunate consequence of meaning no one outside of Russia (and maybe Israel, where the passengers were going) gave two shits.

    But since then, Ukrainian military operations have become much more professional (well, up to the civil war anyway).

    The Russian Armed Forces is least likely to make this error of the three, since they not only developed the equipment and technology, they're responsible for training all the parties who operate the technology on all sides. But then again, if the Vincennes, an honest-to-God AEGIS cruiser, can confuse an Airbus jetliner for a F-14, stupid, careless mistakes are possible.

    Someone else can speculate on if it was a deliberate act, rather than an error.

    Synthesis on
  • wiltingwilting I had fun once and it was awful Registered User regular
    Would a civilian airliner be able to detect it was being targeted, and would that show up in the flight recorder?

  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    wilting wrote: »
    Would a civilian airliner be able to detect it was being targeted, and would that show up in the flight recorder?

    Almost certainly not. The investigation of Iran Air 655, an Airbus A300, never suggested that being the case.

    But the 777 could be fundamentally different.

  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products, Transition Team regular
    Synthesis wrote: »
    wilting wrote: »
    Would a civilian airliner be able to detect it was being targeted, and would that show up in the flight recorder?

    Almost certainly not. The investigation of Iran Air 655, an Airbus A300, never suggested that being the case.

    But the 777 could be fundamentally different.

    I am also pretty sure that the in-dash technology has changed not only as a consequence of the massive amount of time from Iran Air 655 (over a quarter century), but also as a result of the incident itself.

    I would hope that upgrading the radars and the level of information captured in the black boxes of today is a given.

    SW-4158-3990-6116
    Let's play Mario Kart or something...
  • KalkinoKalkino Buttons Londres Registered User regular
    I've heard and read a couple of expert opinions that both agreed that the pilots would have had no knowledge of the incoming missiles

    Freedom for the Northern Isles!
  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    syndalis wrote: »
    Synthesis wrote: »
    wilting wrote: »
    Would a civilian airliner be able to detect it was being targeted, and would that show up in the flight recorder?

    Almost certainly not. The investigation of Iran Air 655, an Airbus A300, never suggested that being the case.

    But the 777 could be fundamentally different.

    I am also pretty sure that the in-dash technology has changed not only as a consequence of the massive amount of time from Iran Air 655 (over a quarter century), but also as a result of the incident itself.

    I would hope that upgrading the radars and the level of information captured in the black boxes of today is a given.

    I would not mind being proven wrong here.

  • syndalissyndalis Getting Classy On the WallRegistered User, Loves Apple Products, Transition Team regular
    edited July 2014
    Kalkino wrote: »
    I've heard and read a couple of expert opinions that both agreed that the pilots would have had no knowledge of the incoming missiles

    Which is a shame, really.

    Not that there is anything they could do to avoid it, but giving them that 10-15 seconds to issue a communication to their agency before impact, and writing the tracking info of the inbound object to the black box could really help investigations, and I feel that would be a worthy addition to the instruments on a jet.

    syndalis on
    SW-4158-3990-6116
    Let's play Mario Kart or something...
  • evilthecatevilthecat Registered User regular
    syndalis wrote: »
    Kalkino wrote: »
    I've heard and read a couple of expert opinions that both agreed that the pilots would have had no knowledge of the incoming missiles

    Which is a shame, really.

    Not that there is anything they could do to avoid it, but giving them that 10-15 seconds to issue a communication to their agency before impact, and writing the tracking info of the inbound object to the black box could really help investigations, and I feel that would be a worthy addition to the instruments on a jet.

    as with all things, I would imagine the benefits aren't worth the costs of upgrading and installing such hardware into your fleet.

    tip.. tip.. TALLY.. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Sign In or Register to comment.