Friendly Fire: What Goes Wrong When Aircraft are Shot Down by Allies?

Fratricide or “friendly fire” is a scenario where aircraft are fired upon and even shot down by their own side or those aligned with them during a particular conflict or engagement. Fratricide is a large contributor to the overall death toll, accounting for up to 20% of all combat-related deaths according to some estimates. Misidentification, untrained operators, beyond visual range “smart” weapons, panic/fear, and simple pilot error are all contributing factors in friendly fire incidents.