Heshima yako mkuu, mengi ntajibu kesho leo nimechelewa kidogo: Maswali yako ni yamsingi sana - kwa kawaida RADAR za kijeshi zinaona mbali sana, actually kama KDF/controller LAB wangeona marubani wa UPDF wako kwenye hatari ya kuparamia mlima, basi KDF Airforce wange scramble walao fighter moja ya kuwaongoza wabadilishe njia hata kama walikuwa wanaruka in total RADIO Silence. Fighter au Helicopter ya KDF ingetoa ishara kwa CREW wa chopper za UPDF ili wa-land to the nearest base for their own safety hata kama wegebaki hapo mpaka kesho asubuhi.
Ishara za kumuonyesha mwezako akufuate zinajulikana, unainamisha bawa la ndege kushoto na kulia - basi wanakufuta mpaka kwenye uwanja wa kutua; mimi sioni kama kulikuwa na effort zozote za kuhepusha janga hili - safety ya AIRSPACE around Kenya hiko mikononi mwa nani? Je hawana wajibu wa kuhakikisha kwamba ndege zote za kigeni zinaingia na kutoka SALAMA nchini mwao!!!
Mkuu avionics na comm system vya choppers vyote vilikuwa vinafanya kazi - tatizo wenda ikawa CREW walipewa wrong info/advise kwa bahati mbaya au maksudi. Nimeona kwenye gazeti la Kenya eti ma-crew walisema wataruka chini chini wasije kutunguliwa na Al-Shaab-kichekesho kabisa!! Yaani waruke umbali wa kulipuliwa na a mere RPG.
Wanawasema eti chopper za UPDF eti zilikuwa secondhand sijuhi zimekarabatiwa, wanasahau kwamba hata wao walinunua Northrop Grumman fighters F-5 (series E, F, ME) zikiwa secondhand kutoka falme ya Jordan idadi zilizo nunuliwa ni 15 walikuwa na nyingine 14 lakini zinazo fanya kazi kwa sasa ni 22.
Wanasema eti wana Gunship 51 wakati ukweli wa mambo ni kwamba siyo Gunship bali ni utility chopper za aina ya 500MD series ambazo unaweza kuzifunga silaha za kawaida tu, nyingi za chopper hizo zilinunuliwa kuanzia mwishoni mwa miaka ya sabini.
Adadi ya GUNSHIPS walizo nazo kwa sasa hawazidiani na Uganda, walinunua a watereddown GUNSHIP tatu kutoka Urusi aina ya Mi-28 wana mpango wa kuongeza nyingine 13 - uwezi kulinganisha MI-24 na MI-28, chopper aina ya MI-28 haifui dafu kwa MI-24 na hilo wanalijua sana. Kwa hiyo idadi ya GUNSHIP walizo nazo ni SABA i.e 3 aina ya MI-28 na 4 za Kichina aina ya Z9WE , Gunships hizo ziko chini ya 50[SUP]th[/SUP] Air Cavalry Division - Embakasi.
Ihave tried to ignore this forum, moreso the rebuke comments...but its impossible. Eti KDF fighter jets be scrambled to guide ''supposedly competent pilots'' from fate and whom conviniently avoided our bases, were flying low and in active radio silence? Duh......even if it were i at Air Control Towers i wouldnt mind so long as they stay away from strategic KDF assetts.
They saw it fit to utilize civilian radars/facilities which are competent hence all SoS/formal communication were a civilian affair, nevertheless KDF were watching. KDFs role was water tight, make sure her assetts werent mapped, or jeopardised, the rest it mattered less. That was before the fate......(RIP)
Bukyanagandi, You dont understand one bit of KDFs doctrine and dont pretend you do. MI28, nato name, ''Havoc'' is the only copter comparable to the American Apaches. Totally agile craft when compared to the humongous MI24. Infact, MI24 choppers when fully ladden looses their hovering ability due to incosistent downwash courtsey of a design flaw. WORST FLAW: MI24 can not manouvre tight corners....''the main rotor ends up chopping of its tail''.
On the other hand, MI28 is a very agile machine; the most notable is the ability to make a complete 360 degrees loop in air. Very agile stick it has. The copters arriving are the best there is from russia, MI28NE....with night vision capability.
Now, before you practise your regular disinformation, understand Kenya has taken delivery of 16 such birds/with an option of substituting some of the birds with Hokum variant depending on top brass evaluation. (they have already been assembled)
About wz9e....upon full delivery, 70 variants which includes attack gunships/utility versions/VIP choppers will be in service. If you are in Mombasa you cant fail to notice the several wz9e's criss crossing the air, mostly in tight formations, others simply in pilot training routines.
The MD500 gunship is a light anti armour air asset synonymous with the kind of weapons in this region. Armed with rocket pods as a prime weapon, in the hands of a good pilot, only 3 rockets are enough to incapacitate your 3rd/4th gen tanks.
Our second hand fighter jets are doing awesome in somalia. The jewel ones are just about to pop too.....Kenyas 50 years of independence will be a show and a half i reckon. Anyway, i love this witch hunting, tell us how Kenya brought these birds down.
KDF attributes the crash to pilot error/bad weather.
Someone even suggested SAM batteries, GooD Heavens!!! waTz mnawashwa wapi?mara fuel, mara maps, mara flight path.
For what matters, lets wait for the inquiry to compile a report. All air protocols were observed by Kenya.