Air France and the Indian MiG Fighter

[arkitect]

This could easily have been very tragic…

India scrambled a MiG-29 fighter jet to intercept an Air France passenger plane after it failed to identify itself correctly, the Indian air force says.

The Bangkok-bound flight from Paris had entered Indian airspace from Pakistan.

The pilot had used the wrong Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) code, which allows ground radars to differentiate between friendly and enemy aircraft.

The MiG was told to "break off and return to base" when the correct code was given, an air force official said.

Flight Lt Priya Joshi also told the AFP news agency that a report had been filed with India's civil aviation authorities over the incident.

The Air France Airbus-343 had entered India above Amritsar, in the north-west of the country, early on Thursday morning.

The Indian air force has stepped up security along the border with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 170 people.

Link…

 

[jbernie]

Just another example of why automated responses or allowing computers to always think for themselves when interpreting data is not always the best idea even if it is cheaper.

 

[FoxyKaye]

Sky-Net! Sky-Net! Sky-Net!

Oh hey, what's that bright flash on the horizon?

 

[Kebabselector]

At least they scrambled a fighter, rather than just fire a missile like some nations have done in the past.

 

[arkitect]

At least they scrambled a fighter, rather than just fire a missile like some nations have done in the past.

Isn't that the truth.
Of course now that the US is spending more on developing drones than training pilots…
We're not going to be flying "the friendly skies" for much longer.

 

[duncanapple]

Isn't that the truth.
Of course now that the US is spending more on developing drones than training pilots…
We're not going to be flying "the friendly skies" for much longer.

Drones are still piloted by humans - the only difference is a human life is not put in jeopardy by being in the jet itself.

Oh, and take it from someone who works in the industry, the US is most definitely NOT spending more on drones than training pilots, not even by a long shot.

 

[jzuena]

Isn't that the truth.
Of course now that the US is spending more on developing drones than training pilots…
We're not going to be flying "the friendly skies" for much longer.

Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) are NOT drones. Drones are remote controlled targets for missile and gun testing/practice. UAVs are flown by actual certificated pilots, so there is still just as much spending on pilots as before... maybe even more.

 

[chan2004]

The passengers are lucky

Eventhough indian pilots normally follow protocols, the border is so sensitive that you are seconds away from disaster.
Especially after the mumbai incidents....

 

[Signal-11]

Just another example of why automated responses or allowing computers to always think for themselves when interpreting data is not always the best idea even if it is cheaper.

These processes are automated in part because they are generally superior to human response. If you didn't have dedicated, automated, electronic IFF, you would see MORE friendly fire and civilian casualty incidents, not less.

This is the truth of modern warfare. Many people are uncomfortable with it, which is understandable, but these people also generally don't understand warfare.

 

[sanPietro98]

Just another example of why automated responses or allowing computers to always think for themselves when interpreting data is not always the best idea even if it is cheaper.

But where was the automation in this story? The pilot tuned in the wrong transponder code. The Indian military launched the fighter. The pilot fixed the transponder code. The military recalled the fighter.

This is the way the "system" should work. Humans were in the loop the whole time.