"Islamic State Now Possess Sophisticated... " Topic

…Heat-Seeking Anti-Aircraft Missiles.

"From the battlefield near Baiji, an Islamic State jihadist fired a heat-seeking missile and blew an Iraqi Army Mi-35M attack helicopter out of the sky this month, killing its two crew members.

Days later, the Islamic State released a chilling series of images from a video purporting to capture the attack in northern Iraq: a jihadist hiding behind a wall with a Chinese-made missile launcher balanced on his shoulder; the missile blasting from the tube, its contrail swooping upward as it tracked its target; the fiery impact and the wreckage on a rural road.

The helicopter was one of several Iraqi military helicopters that the militants claim to have shot down this year, and the strongest evidence yet that Islamic State fighters in Iraq are using advanced surface-to-air missile systems that pose a serious threat to aircraft flown by Iraq and the American-led coalition…"
Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

It is probably the single most important factor in USA considerations of where to conduct air strikes. If such weapons blew the Soviet air force out of the sky over Afghanistan, the same can be done to US aircraft. So proceeding with caution is top priority….

Agree.

Amicalement
Armand

The US does what we call SEADS … unless the ROE at very tight, CAS levels any suspect/known ADA/AAA sites. Before any other air ops commence. A few months back a US SF unit choppered in to rescue hostages in ISIS hands in Syria. CAS[and possibly TLAMs] leveled all ADA/AAA in the area, then the choppers went in without any real incident. Albeit, the hostages had been moved and the SF spent 3 hours on the ground looking for them. Much longer than they planned. The raiders suffered only one minor WIA and KIA'd a number of ISIS. And departed without incident under the cover of CAS … That is the way an insertion behind enemy lines is is suppose to work. Regardless of the hostages not being there … You get in and out with no real losses and KIA'd a bunch of the enemy. It's a good day …

Thats fine against more established air defence systems. Not so relevant where you are talking about shoulder fired missiles though

The IS air defense threat will mainly be from portable Manpads.

… O.K. lets go to school boys … If you suppress [SEADS] the air routes with FA and/or CAS that the gunships are going to use. Along with likely/suspected MANPADS locations … it may reduce the risk … And MANPADS as well as any other ADA system does not do well against Ham & Eggs [ie.: HE]. And I'm sure MANPADS were also a consideration when the US did the raid in Syria. Unless things have greatly changed since I was an Air Ops Officer in the 101 '81-'83 ? SEADS is a good idea/tactic … SEADS = Suppression of Enemy Air Defense Systems. Which includes MANPADS. Again on likely or known ADA. Does it mean you will take out everything they have ? No, but hopefully it will at least keep their heads down … There few guarantees in warfare …