Jordan shoots down UAV near Syrian border

A Royal Jordan Armed Forces (RJAF) F-16 fighter used a Matra missile to shoot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) near the Syrian border, a recently retired senior RJAF officer has told Jane's .

The Jordanian Armed Forces announced on 10 May that an F-16 had shot down a UAV in an unidentified place in the north of the kingdom. It did not identify the UAV or the missile that was used to shoot it down.

The retired officer said the missile was a Matra-45: a probable reference to the R550 Magic.

Brigadier General (rtd) Fayez al-Dwairi told Jane's that he believes Iran, the Lebanese group Hizbullah, or the Syrian military sent the UAV to carry out reconnaissance of the Jordanian military or the international forces that have deployed to the kingdom for Exercise 'Eager Lion'.

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