F-16I was shot down as the crew failed to “defend themselves sufficiently”

The Israeli Air Force has completed its investigations on the lost of a F-16I to a Syrian S-200 (NATO: SA-5) missile on Feb. 5.

By Master Sergeant Kevin J. Gruenwald [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The service determined that the crew, in its quest to complete the mission, had failed to defend themselves from the incoming missile. Seven other aircraft were able to complete their missions by deploying countermeasures.

“Their actions did not correlate with standard procedure while under enemy fire.”