• All I’m saying is if you have a Yemeni drone following behind an F/A-18F on takeoff or landing, and an infrared heat seeking missile (SM-2 or SM-3) is fired at the drone, the F/A-18F’s two jet engines have a much larger heat signature than the drone which makes for a juicy target, and the rest is history (for the F/A-18F).

      • MarmiteLover123 [comrade/them, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 day ago

        If you add the quote from Mohammed Ali al-Houthi from earlier this year, it definitely suits the emote:

        The heroes in the Yemeni armed forces know about the loopholes that can be exploited by synchronizing the take-off or landing of American aircraft on the ships. I advise the American and its allies to issue a decision not to take off at all.

        He even told the US how they would accomplish this, warned them in advance, and then went out and did it. F/A-18F down.

    • merthyr1831
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      1 day ago

      possible. I’m going off the assumption that it was using SARH which would easily differentiate between such targets BUT the SM-3 also has a passive infrared seeker so my theory is moot.

      Also, just before posting this Houthis have claimed they shot it down lmao.

      • MarmiteLover123 [comrade/them, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 day ago

        Also, just before posting this Houthis have claimed they shot it down lmao.

        If you read the statement , it states: “Shooting down an F-18 aircraft while the destroyers were trying to confront the Yemeni drones and missiles.” In that context it reads, to me at least, as if the Yemeni Armed Forces engineered a situation which caused the US to shoot down their own plane. A valid and impressive tactic, a loss is a loss no matter what or who fires the shot.

        • merthyr1831
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          24 hours ago

          Agreed. I think the translation to English is probably goofy

      • MarmiteLover123 [comrade/them, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 day ago

        SM-2MR Block IIIB and SM-3 have terminal IR guidance. Also terminal active radar homing will just lock onto anything in it’s view, the missiles won’t have the IFF codes onboard. Only using semi active homing will be missiles be guided using a radar connected to the IFF system.