Iranian President “missing”

[Herdfan]

If it were my decision, I wouldn't let any government VIPs into any aircraft built pre 1979. Even if I had new parts in the hanger.

Or actors, singers, athletes, racecar drivers etc.

As an observer, I believe Israel is more likely involved than not.

I agree, but the question is how. I doubt they would shoot it down unless they were able to know where it was going and were able to use SAM's that could not be traced to them. But even using a SAM would be obvious that he was targeted.

I do think about a Die Hard 2 scenario where the data going to aircraft was wrong. Israel is a huge technology country, so maybe they could have hacked the helicopter somehow. Guy on the inside or something.

But as noted, the NGU will be just as bad or worse.

 

[Citysnaps]

I agree, but the question is how. I doubt they would shoot it down unless they were able to know where it was going and were able to use SAM's that could not be traced to them. But even using a SAM would be obvious that he was targeted.

I do think about a Die Hard 2 scenario where the data going to aircraft was wrong. Israel is a huge technology country, so maybe they could have hacked the helicopter somehow. Guy on the inside or something.

But as noted, the NGU will be just as bad or worse.

By spoofing GPS (US) or GLONASS (Russian) navigation satellite signals (from an adversary's transmitter) so that the helicopter's geographic position is incorrectly determined and displayed. Which would lead the pilot to believe he's flying on a safe programmed course to their destination as the helicopter soon crashes into a mountain (Iran has a lot of mountains). To many it would appear to be an accident; ie pilot error or equipment malfunction.

I'm curious if the helicopter also had an INS (intertial navigation system) on board which doesn't use satellite signals, and determines geographic position using precision gyroscopes and accelerometers to calculate geographic position. As far as I know, INS can't be hacked from a distance. Though *I suppose* they could be surreptitiously modified on the ground to display incorrect geographic position over time.