Weapons that would not fire
At Prevlaka the MiG-21s had radar lock but the missiles would not respond. Over Tehran the F-4's weapons failed as the pilot tried to fire. Czech Mi-24 crews say they could not fire. Three air forces, the same failure at the same moment.
- Cases
- 3
- Countries
- 3
- Span
- 1975–1987
- Found by
- Cross-match
The cases
- 1975Prevlaka: Yugoslav MiGs chase a radar object while Tito watchedIn February 1975 Yugoslav air-defence radars picked up an object that came in from the Adriatic each day and stopped over Dubrovnik's airport.
- 1976Jets lose weapons over TehranTwo Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantoms were sent after a brilliant object over Tehran.
- 1987Czech army scrambles at a silver 'cigar', 1987 and 1992Czech press accounts describe two army scrambles: in 1987 an Mi-24 crew sent after a fast radar target from Austria saw a wingless silver 'cigar' and could not fire on it, and in 1992 an L-39 and an Mi-24 could not catch a radar object from Germany.
What if?
If the failures are not chance, the object can switch off a weapon aimed at it.
What would settle it
Maintenance and armament reports for each aircraft after the sortie.