THIS HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND!



Two British traffic patrol officers from North Berwick were involved in an unusual incident, while checking for speeding motorists on the A-1 Great North Road .

One of the officers (who are not named) used a hand-held radar device to check the speed of a vehicle approaching over the crest of a hill, and was surprised when the speed was recorded at over 300mph. The machine then stopped working and the officers were not able to reset it.

The radar had in fact latched on to a NATO Tornado fighter jet over the North Sea , which was engaged in a low-flying exercise over the Border district.

Back at police headquarters the chief constable fired off a stiff complaint to the R A F Liaison office.

Back came the reply in true laconic R A F style. "Thank you for your message, which allows us to complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Tornado had automatically locked on to your 'hostile radar equipment' and sent a jamming signal back to it. Furthermore, the Sidewinder
Air-to-ground missiles aboard the fully-armed aircraft had also locked on to the target. Fortunately the Dutch pilot flying the Tornado responded to the missile status alert intelligently and was able to override the
automatic protection system before the missile was launched".

THIS HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND!



Two British traffic patrol officers from North Berwick were involved in an unusual incident, while checking for speeding motorists on the A-1 Great North Road .

One of the officers (who are not named) used a hand-held radar device to check the speed of a vehicle approaching over the crest of a hill, and was surprised when the speed was recorded at over 300mph. The machine then stopped working and the officers were not able to reset it.

The radar had in fact latched on to a NATO Tornado fighter jet over the North Sea , which was engaged in a low-flying exercise over the Border district.

Back at police headquarters the chief constable fired off a stiff complaint to the R A F Liaison office.

Back came the reply in true laconic R A F style. "Thank you for your message, which allows us to complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Tornado had automatically locked on to your 'hostile radar equipment' and sent a jamming signal back to it. Furthermore, the Sidewinder
Air-to-ground missiles aboard the fully-armed aircraft had also locked on to the target. Fortunately the Dutch pilot flying the Tornado responded to the missile status alert intelligently and was able to override the
automatic protection system before the missile was launched".


Thats a shame

THIS HAPPENED IN SCOTLAND!



Two British traffic patrol officers from North Berwick were involved in an unusual incident, while checking for speeding motorists on the A-1 Great North Road .

One of the officers (who are not named) used a hand-held radar device to check the speed of a vehicle approaching over the crest of a hill, and was surprised when the speed was recorded at over 300mph. The machine then stopped working and the officers were not able to reset it.

The radar had in fact latched on to a NATO Tornado fighter jet over the North Sea , which was engaged in a low-flying exercise over the Border district.

Back at police headquarters the chief constable fired off a stiff complaint to the R A F Liaison office.

Back came the reply in true laconic R A F style. "Thank you for your message, which allows us to complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Tornado had automatically locked on to your 'hostile radar equipment' and sent a jamming signal back to it. Furthermore, the Sidewinder
Air-to-ground missiles aboard the fully-armed aircraft had also locked on to the target. Fortunately the Dutch pilot flying the Tornado responded to the missile status alert intelligently and was able to override the
automatic protection system before the missile was launched".

Having read this forum with interests for weeks and considered joining, I have finally taken the plunge today. The first thing I have to post is regarding the above 'story'. (now where did I put my anorak) I don't know where the poster got this story because there are a few things that strike me as odd. I know its perfectly possible for a radar gun to register the speed of an aircraft having been told this by a police traffic officer. Unfortunately, the bit about the 'sidewinder air to ground missile' is totally wrong. The sidewinder is an air to air heat seeking missile that locks on to the heat produced by the jetpipe of other aircraft. Also the Dutch haven't got any Tornado aircraft (although he could have been on an exchange with the RAF or German Air Force). Anyway, I'll put my anorak back in the wardrobe!

Snopes (http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/radar.asp) is everybody's friend.

I have seen this tale told on many Military sites and have to say yes it is a "Story" . Not true for many techo reasons I do not quite understand but I believe those that have told me so.
Phredd