Syrian air force put Turkish jets under radar lock for second time in 10 days

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

A similar incident happened on Nov. 16 during which three planes were put under a radar lock by the Syrian air defense systems. DHA photo

A Turkish F-16 jet carrying out a routine patrol duty in the southern province of Hatay was put under a radar lock by Syrian missile batteries for a period of 20 seconds, the Turkish General Staff said on Nov. 24.
 
“Four F-16 jets were performing an air patrolling duty on the Turkish-Syrian border when SA-2 missile systems deployed in Syria have harassed one of the F-16 planes by putting it under radar lock for 20 seconds at around 10:07 a.m. The incident occurred while the plane was in Turkish airspace over the province of Hatay,” read the statement published on the General Staff’s website.
 
During a previous incident that had occurred on Nov. 16, Syrian forces had put three different F-16 jets flying over the Hatay province, which borders Syria, under radar lock.
 
A radar lock is considered a hostile act as it amounts to interfere with a planes' navigational systems
indicating that the missile is ready to be fired at it. 
 
A Turkish F-4 jet that was flying over the Mediterranean Sea was downed by Syria on June 22, 2012, causing an international uproar.
 
More recently, Turkey shot down a Syrian helicopter on Sept. 16 after arguing that it had violated Turkish airspace by two kilometers.