Patriot SAM Developments

I also think some of the images posted by twitter osint accounts that are claiming to be zirkon are actually parts of a patriot missile. Here are some images I have seen from these individuals which were claimed debris of zirkon. Someone more expert than me may correct me but I think people are mistaking surface to air missile debris. I am happy to admit I am wrong if this post is incorrect.

photo_2023-05-18_09-16-04.jpg


photo_2024-03-25_15-59-58.jpg

Edit: had to clear up a sentence.
 
Well the diameter of the object in the bottom shot is certainly too wide to be a Patriot PAC-3 CRI. I mean that's a dirt track road it's on, which puts the diameter at 0.5m minimum, at least twice what it should be for a PAC-3 CRI. Other pieces actually say 3M22 on them, so that's fairly conclusive.

Top image looks more the right size for a PAC-3 piece but the wire threads are a little confusing. I would expect part of a PAC-3 to end up somewhere after an intercept.
 
Last edited:
DWG said:
Remnants of a spun layer in the fuselage? I was initially thinking GRP, but there'd be some evidence of the resin matrix, so maybe something like Aramid?
Click to expand...
I should also note that I've not seen any twitter posts claiming that the top image is a Zircon at this point, just the bottom one.
 
The top image seems to have the solid rocket thruster array of PAC-3. The “wire” is probably carbon fiber or some other lightweight composite that forms the casing. There is a small explosive charge in PAC-3 that projects large preformed shrapnel to expand the area of impact of the missile.
 
TMA1 said:
I also think some of the images posted by twitter osint accounts that are claiming to be zirkon are actually parts of a patriot missile. Here are some images I have seen from these individuals which were claimed debris of zirkon. Someone more expert than me may correct me but I think people are mistaking surface to air missile debris. I am happy to admit I am wrong if this post is incorrect.

View attachment 723722

Edit: had to clear up a sentence.
Click to expand...
Nobody have claimed THIS May 2023 PAC-3 image, searchable in pair of clicks (literally) to be a Zircon. Instead of creating a hiatus you would just ask if the other one may be of PAC-2 (which is not).
 
Last edited:
TMA1 said:
I also think some of the images posted by twitter osint accounts that are claiming to be zirkon are actually parts of a patriot missile. Here are some images I have seen from these individuals which were claimed debris of zirkon. Someone more expert than me may correct me but I think people are mistaking surface to air missile debris. I am happy to admit I am wrong if this post is incorrect.

View attachment 723722


View attachment 723723

Edit: had to clear up a sentence.
Click to expand...
Bottom image is on a dirt track wide enough to have grass growing in the middle.

That's way bigger than any Patriot missile, and is bordering on ATACMS sized.
 
Last edited:
Very dubious fake news. Israeli interceptor technology came from US companies, so it makes no sense that 90% of Israel's missiles would succeed and only 25% of the US's. Can't find a single renowned source for this claim and we'd have heard about it well before now if it was true. Seems to have originated from the Tehran Times. Everyone quoting 'Israeli Army Radio' but Israeli Army Radio itself returns zero hits. Damage control by Iran and nothing more.


Where the hell was this story 7 days ago even, or even 6 days ago?
 
Last edited:
The Israeli Defence Forces have confirmed plans to mothball U.S.-supplied MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems, less than a month after an unprecedented Iranian drone and missile strike saw the country and allied U.S. forces launch the largest surface to air missile barrage in history. The decision to retire a major part of the country’s air defence network in the midst of combat operations of considerable intensity, and at a time when air defences are facing unprecedented pressure, is highly unusual. This has been interpreted by a number of analysts as a significant indication of the Patriot’s performance shortcomings. Not only has the system’s combat record left much to be desired, in operations ranging from the Gulf War to the defence of Saudi airspace against Yemeni strikes, but perhaps most critically for Israel the system has consistently shown a significant propensity for friendly fire.
Click to expand...
militarywatchmagazine.com

Amid Unprecedented Air Defence Challenges, Israel Makes Unusual Decision to Retire Patriot Missiles: Friendly Fire Issues Cause Concern

The Israeli Defence Forces have confirmed plans to mothball U.S.-supplied MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems, less than a month after an unprecedented Iranian drone and
militarywatchmagazine.com militarywatchmagazine.com
 
TMA1 said:
Those tweets are obnoxiously inflammatory.
Click to expand...

It is a bit much. According to that sort of logic, air forces should all still be flying piston-engined fighters (because as late as the early 1950s, they were still scoring occasional victories against jets), stealth would be a dead end (after all an antediluvian SA-3 managed to kill one F-117 and almost take down a second in less than ideal circumstances) and the S-200 would be the best air defence system in the world (hey, it once managed to shoot down an F-16I packed with the latest Israeli EW tech, you know). It would also lead you to conclude that the Mirage F1 is on a par with the F-14.

The attempted degree of extrapolation is ridiculous.

Forest Green said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1786367340864581729
View: https://x.com/AirPowerNEW1/status/1786367340864581729
Click to expand...

That's rather disappointing, to be frank - long-lead issues notwithstanding. Airbus is building A320s faster than that (currently rate 60, rate 75 envisioned for 2026)!
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom