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| Science & Technology | |
| How to Take Down an F-117 | |
| 2005-11-22 | |
November 21, 2005: The Serbian battery commander, whose missiles downed an American F-16, and, most impressively, an F-117, in 1999, has retired, as a colonel, and revealed many of the techniques he used to achieve all this.
--- Zoltan had about 200 troops under his command. He got to know them well, trained hard and made sure everyone could do what was expected of them. This level of quality leadership was essential, for Zoltan's achievements were a group effort. --- Zoltan used a lot of effective techniques that American air defense experts expected, but did not expect to encounter because of poor leadership by the enemy. For example, Zoltan knew that his major foe was HARM (anti-radar) missiles and electronic detection systems used by the Americans, as well as smart bombs from aircraft who had spotted him. To get around this, he used landlines for all his communications (no cell phones or radio). This was more of a hassle, often requiring him to use messengers on foot or in cars. But it meant the American intel people overhead were never sure where he was. --- His radars and missile launchers were moved frequently, meaning that some of his people were always busy looking for new sites to set up in, or setting up or taking down the equipment. His battery traveled over 100,000 kilometers during the 78 day NATO bombing campaign, just to avoid getting hit. They did, and his troops knew all that effort was worth the effort. --- The Serbs had spies outside the Italian airbase most of the bombers operated from. When the bombers took off, the information on what aircraft they, and how many, quickly made it to Zoltan and the other battery commanders. --- Zoltan studied all the information he could get on American stealth technology, and the F-117. There was a lot of unclassified data, and speculation, out there. He developed some ideas on how to beat stealth, based on the fact that the technology didn’t make the F-117 invisible to radar, just very to get, and keep, a good idea of exactly where the aircraft was. Zoltan figured out how to tweak his radars to get a better lock on stealth type targets. This has not been discussed openly. --- The Serbs also set up a system of human observers, who would report on sightings of bombers entering Serbia, and track their progress. --- The spies and observers enabled Zoltan to keep his radars on for a minimal amount of time. This made it difficult for the American SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) to use their HARM missiles (that homed in on radar transmissions.) Zoltan never lost a radar to a HARM missile. --- Zoltan used the human spotters and brief use of radar, with short range shots at American bombers. The SA-3 was guided from the ground, so you had to use surprise to get an accurate shot in before the target used jamming and evasive maneuvers to make the missile miss. The F-117 he shot down was only 13 kilometers away. Zoltan got some help from his enemies. The NATO commanders often sent their bombers in along the same routes, and didn’t make a big effort to find out if hotshots like Zoltan were down there, and do something about it. Never underestimate your enemy. | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #12 Sounds like he was using info-tactics taken from Claire Chennault's (bamboo line?) 100 million pairs of eyes and 100 radios. Enough eyes, ears and cell=phones along the flight path take away a lotta stealth. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-11-22 17:26 |
| #11 As far as I can tell by my persoanl knowledge and by this article the shots that took down the F117 were ballistic, unguided, and damn lucky to hit anything. The tactics he used make good sense given he couldn't use his missiles otherwise. The minute he turned on a radar it was essentially dead. BTW we did kill a few SA-3 radars during the campaign. I suspect the reason he didn't use them is because he didn't have them or could convinvce the crews to turn them on. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2005-11-22 15:03 |
| #10 Some 100,000 klicks in 78 days boils down to 769 miles per day. Even spread out over four field pieces, that's still nearly 200 miles per day. So, something's screwy with these numbers. Wonder if it's not total vehicle miles. Four launchers is for vehicles, plus one or two radar trucks (or maybe four), plus the trucks carrying reloads, plus the maintenance vehicles, plus the command truck, plus personnel transport . . . twenty trucks driving fifty miles a day (a typical round trip between two county seats in rural Ohio) is a thousand vehicle-miles a day. |
| Posted by: Mike 2005-11-22 14:50 |
| #9 Y'all are missing the point. He nailed two more aircraft than anyone thought the Serbs could hit. He figured out how to do it and make it work. He was a leader in a country that didn't have many genuine leaders. And the article points out that his tactics forced Allied aircraft to abort some missions. That's not as good as a kill (as far as he's concerned), but it's useful. Green Steve is right: this guy ought to give our guys a lecture or two. Besides hearing about the tactics, they'd meet an officer who cared about his men and worked hard to be a leader. That's always helpful. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2005-11-22 14:25 |
| #8 He claims to have shot down two planes. OK. And I'll buy in to the notion that his unit was among the best trained in the Serb Army. Remember, the Serb Army. The NATO planes often travelled the same routes. He had spotters and TV tracking. OK, so he got two planes. The better question is: how many shots did he take? It looks like nearly all his time was spent running. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2005-11-22 14:11 |
| #7 His battery traveled over 100,000 kilometers during the 78 day NATO bombing campaign, just to avoid getting hit. There must have been a large complement of field pieces in Zoltan's battery, or else the above numbers don't add up. Some 100,000 klicks in 78 days boils down to 769 miles per day. Even spread out over four field pieces, that's still nearly 200 miles per day. So, something's screwy with these numbers. Regardless, even if cut in half, what the numbers show is that these guys were constantly on the run. Source guided missiles are good for that. These chaps were in constant motion just to avoid being cratered. Nailing one F-117 and a few other aircraft in exchange for an eternity of heavy lifting does not represent a strong ROI.  Now let's see if Colonel Zoltan can build an F-117. Matt's statement encapsulates much of what needs to be remembered here. The ability to break things does not confer any skill at building them. It's a lesson we need to remember about our terrorist foes and their accomplices in the media. Their focus remains on bringing down what they cannot themselves construct. Whether out of jealousy or incompetent rage, we are confronted with those who seek to deconstruct a world that has advanced well beyond their comprehension or ability to manage. While Zoltan's fortuitous accomplishment is worthy of passing mention, the fact that the Balkans remain a complete and total hellhole is more indicative of what to expect from that quarter. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2005-11-22 12:49 |
| #6 ...Everything besides the spies, spotters and the French is bullsh*t. I'd like to also know how MANY missiles he salvoed that night - it sure as hell wasn't one shot/one kill. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2005-11-22 12:11 |
| #5 Air Defense School at Ft. Bliss? Moving to Ft.Sill under the new basing plan. |
| Posted by: Grerert Shuth2004 2005-11-22 12:07 |
| #4 The Serbs had spies outside the Italian airbase most of the bombers operated from. When the bombers took off, the information on what aircraft they, and how many, quickly made it to Zoltan and the other battery commanders. Hmmm...spies. Just like the MSM whores that parked outside of the British bases when Iraq was being bombed. As soon as the B-52's started taking off they began reporting to the whole world that Bagdad was going to be bombed 9 hours later. That was driving me crazy, they really are on the other side. BTW I think Zoltan was the carny attraction that made Tom Hanks Big, no wonder he could splash a F-117. |
| Posted by: JerseyMike 2005-11-22 11:37 |
| #3 Now let's see if Colonel Zoltan can build an F-117. |
| Posted by: Matt 2005-11-22 11:28 |
| #2 I dunno, I'd still call this a luck shot. Seventy eight days worth of bombing and one F-117 was brought down? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-11-22 11:23 |
| #1 Also helps to have a French officer in NATO HQ handing over the flight plans. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-11-22 10:23 |