British RAF aircraft missing

[firephoto]

Aircraft missing after failing to return from mission.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2877349.stm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12850-2003Mar23.html

Reports that it may have been hit by a patriot missile.

:(

[John Corn]

Just heard from live MSNBC that British plane returning from mission, shot down by an American Patriot missile. This was reported by MSNBC according to their British contacts.

Regardless, mistakes happen. This aint Hollywood.

I think this will only further insight the British public, but they're big boys and they know people die in war. Unfortunately, friendly fire kills more than most people realize. For example, in Desert Storm ('91) 24% of American military were killed by friendly fire, so this isn't as big a shock as it might get blown out of proportion to be.

[Richard King]

It appears that the plane's transponder went south and therefore, there was no way to identify the plane as friendly.

[James_F]

The Tornado is a really "buggy" aircraft. In the Gulf War, had the most problems than any other aircraft.