Rap - I'd agree in spades about tech, but if you listen to the PR... Well, no I don't believe the PR either. I can accept the Patriot battery shooting down the Tornado as a sad mistake. When more details emerged (or the details that have been released over here, anyway), it turned out that the software mis-identified the Tornado as a missile, & the battery had a couple of seconds to make a decision on whether or not to fire. It's not enough time for cast iron certainty, but more than enough for a mistake... A bad day for the RAF & a bad day for the Patriots, but shit happens, especially in war. I still can't get over the Warthog, though.

AV - I ought to clarify. When I say 'hi-tech' I don't necessarily mean satellite- laser- guided from release to impact, or similar. My understanding is that the A-10s won't have that level of tech (they don't need it). Nevertheless, they still have have high powered optical sights & so on (such was quoted in the reports of the incident that I saw, anyway). The man was in a position where he shouldn't have made such a godawful mistake. Why did he? I don't suppose any of us will ever find out. Interesting (& slightly worrying) points you make about the use & crewing of A-10s, though. Thanks for that.