Pierluigi Paganini
January 07, 2016
According to a footage obtained by Sky News, the members of the Islamic State have sophisticated surface-to-air missiles in their arsenal. Members of the Islamic State are reportedly developing surface-to-air missiles that can be used in attacks against airliners and military jets flying over the controlled territories.
The most disconcerting part of the revelation is related to the existence of a secret Research & Development lab in Syria that has also designed hi-tech car bombs. Journalists at Sky News obtained a video footage from the Free Syrian Army fighters that shows workshop equipped with sophisticated tool kits.
Intelligence experts believe it is located in the Syrian town of Raqqa, the city considered the nerve center of the caliphate.
IS has found a way to reuse old jet missiles. Watch a full, exclusive report at https://t.co/m56a71tgZG https://t.co/eqDDATRvWf
— Sky News (@SkyNews) 6 Gennaio 2016
In the video appear several R&D team members of the Islamic State, the footage shows them while at work. The experts in the video show their high-tech arsenal, including a surface-to-air missile. The specific missile seems to be converted from that of a military jet, the militants of the Islamic state have managed to preserve the search function of the heat used by the missile to lock onto the target, this feature could allow terrorists to hit airliners and military jets.
“The missile came from a fighter jet, it has heat-seeking warhead””The missile needs a thermal battery in order to work, this usually wears out and the weapon can’t be used, but Islamic State has found a way to create a new battery. This means old jet missiles could be used as surface-to-air missiles” states the footage.
As explained in the video, the engineers at the Islamic State have designed a self-made thermal battery to use the missiles. The experts fear that thousand missiles could now be recommissioned.
Why are Islamic State using mannequins in their car bombs? Watch the full report at https://t.co/m56a71tgZG https://t.co/ELgncCDVuM
— Sky News (@SkyNews) 6 Gennaio 2016
The footage provided to Sky News also shows a remote controlled car that can be used in the attacks without a driver. The video shows that the engineers of the Islamic State have designed “driver” mannequins with self-regulating thermostats. The mannequins use the thermostats to produce the heat signature of humans to deceive IR scanners used to a physical measure to protect potential target (i.e. embassies, government offices).
The intelligence is extremely concerned by the media power of the footage which is recognized as a remarkable propaganda vehicle.
Thanks to movies like these, the Islamic state is able to recruit foreign fighters worldwide, especially in the West.
(Security Affairs – Islamic State, surface-to-air missiles)
