Low Graphics Site
 
 
 
 
 
 
|
|
|
|
May 11, 2002
|
Saturday
|
Safar 27, 1423
|
Schroeder plane was targeted by missile: radio
BERLIN, May 10: A missile launcher in the Afghan mountains locked on to a plane carrying German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to Uzbekistan, Germany’s NDR radio said on Friday, although an air force spokesman denied the incident was caused by a radar.
In a statement, NDR said the Transall aircraft’s defence systems went into operation when the radar signal was detected, causing “a detonation and numerous flashes.”
“However there was no explosion,” the radio said.
German government officials were not immediately available for comment, but an air force spokesman said it was possible that a storm had set off the plane’s defence systems.
The aircraft landed without incident in Tashkent.
A military aircraft that detected a missile radar could be programmed to fire off flares or other munitions as a decoy to try and divert any weapons launched against it.—AFP
|
