I am very happy to be incorrect if there is firm evidence, but I think this was an actual strike. There isn’t really evidence of anything though, the entire discussion is driven by a twitter thread under an IOF video clip.
I find that very unconvincing. In the above video, there’s soil getting blasted up, way into the air, in every direction, followed by a cartoonishly circular crater with low heat/IR output (ie a crater of cold, revealed soil). There’s absolutely zero measureable wobble on the ‘target’.
Whereas the video in your link shows what you’d actually expect from hitting a target: Metal fragments scattering unequally and a few paving stones on a very low arc/skimming the ground. Plus the rotors do noticeably wobble.
Video of a different helicopter that was hit by a small explosive and the rotors do not move.
I am very happy to be incorrect if there is firm evidence, but I think this was an actual strike. There isn’t really evidence of anything though, the entire discussion is driven by a twitter thread under an IOF video clip.
I find that very unconvincing. In the above video, there’s soil getting blasted up, way into the air, in every direction, followed by a cartoonishly circular crater with low heat/IR output (ie a crater of cold, revealed soil). There’s absolutely zero measureable wobble on the ‘target’.
Whereas the video in your link shows what you’d actually expect from hitting a target: Metal fragments scattering unequally and a few paving stones on a very low arc/skimming the ground. Plus the rotors do noticeably wobble.