Yemen 2016 onwards: an intractable war?

[Azor]

From The Aviationist: https://theaviationist.com/2018/03/2...iyadh-instead/

Saudi Patriot PAC-2 SAM battery in Riyadh fired MIM-104C Surface to Air Missiles at a Burkan 2-H SRBM (Short Range Ballistic Missile) in the night between Mar 25 and 26, 2018.

The SRBM was reportedly intercepted by one of the SAMs (at least 7 according to journalist Babak Taghvaee were launched) but at least two of them failed: one hit a resindential area (at the time of writing the number of casualties/fatalities is unknown), whereas another one exploded mid-air shortly after launch.

[AdamG]

Saudi Arabia intercepts 7 missiles fired from Yemen, military officials say

(CNN)Saudi Arabia's air force intercepted seven missiles fired from Yemen on Sunday and, in the debris that rained down on residential suburbs from the interceptions, one man was killed, the Saudis said in a statement.
Coalition forces spokesman Col. Turki Al Maliki said the missiles were fired from Yemen at four target areas, and all the missiles were intercepted and destroyed, according to the statement.
This isn't the first time the kingdom was the target of missile strikes from neighboring Yemen, but it is the first time there's been a fatality on Saudi soil. After previous interceptions, the Saudis responded with airstrikes on the Yemeni capital of Sana'a. The response to a fatal incident such as Sunday's is likely to be even more punishing.
Three were aimed at the capital city of Riyadh, one was headed toward the southwest in Khamis Mushait, one along the southern border targeting Najran and two were headed for the southern city of Jizan.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/25/middl...ile/index.html

[Azor]

Saudi Arabia intercepts 7 missiles fired from Yemen, military officials say


https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/25/middl...ile/index.html

That is a rather uncritical regurgitation of Saudi propaganda...

IMG_20180326_075714.jpg

[CrowBat]

From The Aviationist: https://theaviationist.com/2018/03/2...iyadh-instead/

...and both are babbling nonsense (one because it's superficial and sensationalist, the other because of his illusions of grandeur).

During the night from 25 to 26 March 2018 (i.e. on the third anniversary of this war), the Missile Force of the Houthis has fired a number of ballistic missiles and rockets at Saudi Arabia. According to the Houthi-controlled SABA News, missiles used were Burkan-2H, Qaher-2M, and Badr. To make sure:

- Burkan-2Hs are rebuilds of various R-17s and Hwasong-6s imported by Yemen in the 1980s and 1990s (i.e. 'Scud' and North-Korean-made, 'extended range Scud'), then destroyed or damaged by the Saudi-led coalition in March and April 2015. They might contain parts smuggled in from Iran.

- Qaher-2Ms are old V-750 missiles of the well-known, Soviet-made SA-75M (SA-2 Guideline) SAM-system. Yemen has got over 800 of these in the 1970s and 1980s, and they really take no 'rocket science' to be deployed as 'ballistic missiles'.

- Badr (aka Badr-1) seems to be little else but a re-packaged BM-21 and/or BM-27s.

Following launches and/or intercepts have been reported:

- 3 missiles (obviously Burkan-2Hs) were fired at King Khalid IAP in Riyadh; all three were intercepted by MIM-104D/Fs operated by the Royal Saudi Air Defence Force (the RSADF is operating a mix of PAC-2s and PAC-3s).

Burkan-2H (photo from December 2017):
HS Burkan-2H 19Dez17A.jpg

- 2 missiles (type presently unclear) were fired at Khamis Mushayt, results unknown.

- 1 missile (Qaher-2M) was fired at Najran, and intercepted.

- 1 missile (Qaher-2M) was fired at Abha Regional Airport, and intercepted.

Qaher-2M (photo from early 2016):
HS Qaher-2M.jpg

- several rockets (Badr-1) were fired at Jizzan airport 'and other targets' (SABA), results unknown.

Badr-1 (photo from 22 March 2018):
HS BM-21 Badr-1 Mar18 launcher.jpg

As far as can be assessed by now, the warhead of one of Burkan-2Hs was intercepted quite low over Riyadh (that's what resulted in the video showing 'fireworks'): debris and shrapnel did cause quite some material damage. Worst of all: one person (an Egyptian expatriate worker) was killed, and at least two injured.

Furthermore, one of missiles fired by one of several RSADF-operated MIM-104 SAM sites protecting Riyadh, has malfunctioned and crashed shortly after the launch. This one has hit an empty area, without causing injuries or damage.

Primary problem in engagements of this kind remain these Burkan-2H missiles. They are so poorly manufactured, they are tumbling and falling apart on re-entry (and no: contrary to what various 'experts' and the NYT are reporting, Burkans are neither 'made by Iran', nor containing 'separating warheads': that's science fiction). The PAC-2/3 then targets each big piece with 1-2 missiles. That's why one Burkan-2 usually results in firing of 5-7 Patriot SAMs. In this case, the warhead of one of three Burkan-2H came quite low over Riyadh before it was finally hit (see the video with 'fireworks'). Thus, the shrapnel caused injuries and damage on the ground.

Final word: for all the hatred for the Saudis expressed in the social media, one could still remain sane enough to trust them at least to push the 'auto' button on their PAC-2/3s.

[Azor]

...and both are babbling nonsense (one because it's superficial and sensationalist, the other because of his illusions of grandeur).

Both who?

..As far as can be assessed by now, the warhead of one of Burkan-2Hs was intercepted quite low over Riyadh (that's what resulted in the video showing 'fireworks'): debris and shrapnel did cause quite some material damage. Worst of all: one person (an Egyptian expatriate worker) was killed, and at least two injured.

Furthermore, one of missiles fired by one of several RSADF-operated MIM-104 SAM sites protecting Riyadh, has and crashed shortly after the launch. This one has hit, without causing injuries or damage.

How can you be so sure that it was the Burkan-2H warhead that caused damage and death/injury on the ground and not the errant PAC-2?

...contrary to what various 'experts' and the NYT are reporting, Burkans are neither 'made by Iran', nor containing 'separating warheads': that's science fiction)...Final word: for all the hatred for the Saudis expressed in the social media, one could still remain sane enough to trust them at least to push the 'auto' button on their PAC-2/3s.

Yet it is the Saudis themselves who are blaming Iran for the launch...

I am not anti-Patriot, as that crowd seems to have too much admiration for Russian and Chinese SAMs, despite greater recent US experience, and relatively successful experience at that. Moreover, the Saudis were apparently using PAC-2s rather than PAC-3s.

However, I thought that you would have posted here first about this event, and I thought that you of all people would appreciate the meme...

[Azor]

According to Twitter user @YemeniObserv , Yemeni (ostensibly Houthi) air defenses struck two UAE F-16s.

Source: https://twitter.com/YemeniObserv/sta...02442681561088

DZUMraTW4AAkbBg.jpg

[CrowBat]

Both who?

'The Aviationist' & Taghvae.

How can you be so sure that it was the Burkan-2H warhead that caused damage and death/injury on the ground and not the errant PAC-2?

What can you see on this video (I've posted the link above): https://twitter.com/3gb_1/status/978...903754240?s=21

...a Patriot hitting some densely-populated place?

Yet it is the Saudis themselves who are blaming Iran for the launch...

Yes, like they always do - and although their own 'evidence' is proving them wrong, all the time.

No clue why do they still insist on that legend.

[Azor]

"Few hours ago, Houthi rebels tried to shoot down a UAE Air Force's F-16E Block 60 over Sanaa, Yemen by means of R-27T air to air missile launched from ground platform but they failed simply because the F-16 pilot launched flares."

Source: https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee/st...61073078734854

[Azor]

'The Aviationist' & Taghvae.


What can you see on this video (I've posted the link above): https://twitter.com/3gb_1/status/978...903754240?s=21

...a Patriot hitting some densely-populated place?

Yes, like they always do - and although their own 'evidence' is proving them wrong, all the time.

No clue why do they still insist on that legend.

Yet you collaborated once with Taghvae, no? Is the town not big enough

To be honest, I can't tell what is the Patriot and what is the Burkan from the videos, but the video you linked to shows a smaller warhead than the "fireworks" one, which would suggest a Patriot interceptor.

Perhaps they are making the Houthis larger than life because the campaign has been harder than they imagined?

[CrowBat]

Yet you collaborated once with Taghvae, no? Is the town not big enough

I tried to cooperate with both of them over the time, just like I always try to cooperate and support sincere research through networking.

(That's, between others, why I'm meanwhile working as series-editor for four of Helion's @War book-series and helping with about 30 different projects covering diverse conflicts since 1945.)

Sadly, it turned out one is horny for sensations, and the other not only prefers to fantasise along his illusions of grandeur, but is foremost a vocal proponent of specific supremacist ideas.

#### happens, as they say: 2 on the 'minus side', 25+ on the 'plus side'...

To be honest, I can't tell what is the Patriot and what is the Burkan from the videos, but the video you linked to shows a smaller warhead than the "fireworks" one, which would suggest a Patriot interceptor.

Well, if a video taken in Saudi Arabia shows a missile being launched, turning around and then crashing next to the place where it was fired, it could be that the conclusion is on hand: that's no Burkan-2H.

[Azor]

I tried to cooperate with both of them over the time, just like I always try to cooperate and support sincere research through networking.

(That's, between others, why I'm meanwhile working as series-editor for four of Helion's @War book-series and helping with about 30 different projects covering diverse conflicts since 1945.)

Sadly, it turned out one is horny for sensations, and the other not only prefers to fantasise along his illusions of grandeur, but is foremost a vocal proponent of specific supremacist ideas.

#### happens, as they say: 2 on the 'minus side', 25+ on the 'plus side'...

Interesting. I still believe that your location has spelled "Clapsback, Snarkland" wrong...

I see that you cover Arab air force performance during Yom Kippur 1973, however, have you written much on IDF-IAF vs. SAM performance during the War of Attrition and in 1973? What of Falklands 1982?