Aerospace

Russian Su-24M communications equipment blamed for shootdown

The crew of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24M 'Fencer' strike aircraft downed by Turkey on 23 November may not have been able to hear radio warnings issued by the Turkish Air Force, Russian sources tell IHS Jane's .

Turkish authorities have stated that the aircraft was warned 10 times within a five-minute period. However, the surviving crewmember told Russian media on 25 November that he and the aircraft commander, who was shot from the ground while parachuting, did not receive the signal.

Russian specialists familiar with the R-862 model VHF radio installed on the Su-24M say it requires an optional add-on receiver module in order to receive emergency channel transmissions in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) and very high frequency (VHF) bands.