Michael Savage was showing again if you want people to confirm a suspicion you want (key word Want) there are plenty of people who will do that for you. Michael Savage stated on the air today he didn't buy the possibility a bomb was smuggled onto the Russian MetroJet. Instantly he had people calling in with there various missile theories and stories.
One caller stated it was a British Starburst missile. Sounds very modern from its title: too modern. Another caller then stated that the Starburst was a Mach 4 missile (very fast). And of course they all stated that the MANPAD missiles, which is generic title for all such man portable air defense missiles, could reach an airliner flying at over 30,000 feet. Well here are the immediate facts.
One: The Starburst, otherwise know as Javelin S15, is a modified Javelin missile using a laser guidance in place of the radio optical of the original Javelin. All Javelin missiles, because they use optics in the guidance, are limited in their effective range to 15,000 feet for jet aircraft, 18,000 for a hovering helicopter. Thus the Starburst can't even get halfway to the airliner.
Two: Another caller stated the missile was mach 4. That is the speed for the hypersonic Starstreak missile that has replaced the Starburst in British service. Max effective range is set for 4.3 miles or 22,000 feet (again this is for helicopters). This leaves some two miles separation between the missile and the airliner.
A fictional Character is know to have said: Never theorize before you have data. Invariably, you end uno twisting facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts. Michael Savage should know not to do this, but just calling for people to call in with their story of what happened without any idea where the evidence was coming from is the same as twisting the facts to suit the theory.
One caller stated it was a British Starburst missile. Sounds very modern from its title: too modern. Another caller then stated that the Starburst was a Mach 4 missile (very fast). And of course they all stated that the MANPAD missiles, which is generic title for all such man portable air defense missiles, could reach an airliner flying at over 30,000 feet. Well here are the immediate facts.
One: The Starburst, otherwise know as Javelin S15, is a modified Javelin missile using a laser guidance in place of the radio optical of the original Javelin. All Javelin missiles, because they use optics in the guidance, are limited in their effective range to 15,000 feet for jet aircraft, 18,000 for a hovering helicopter. Thus the Starburst can't even get halfway to the airliner.
Two: Another caller stated the missile was mach 4. That is the speed for the hypersonic Starstreak missile that has replaced the Starburst in British service. Max effective range is set for 4.3 miles or 22,000 feet (again this is for helicopters). This leaves some two miles separation between the missile and the airliner.
A fictional Character is know to have said: Never theorize before you have data. Invariably, you end uno twisting facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts. Michael Savage should know not to do this, but just calling for people to call in with their story of what happened without any idea where the evidence was coming from is the same as twisting the facts to suit the theory.
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