Syrian radar p0wned by Israeli military hackers?

One fascinating aspect of Israel's mysterious September 6th airstrike on Syria is just how Israel's jet fighters evaded Syria's Russian-made radar system. David A. Fulgham at Aviation Week's defense technology blog has an informed guess: The Israelis hacked it (perhaps it was these guys).

U.S. aerospace industry and retired military officials indicated today that a technology like the U.S.-developed “Suter” airborne network attack system developed by BAE Systems and integrated into U.S. unmanned aircraft by L-3 Communications was used by the Israelis. The system has been used or at least tested operationally in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last year.

The technology allows users to invade communications networks, see what enemy sensors see and even take over as systems administrator so sensors can be manipulated into positions so that approaching aircraft can’t be seen, they say. The process involves locating enemy emitters with great precision and then directing data streams into them that can include false targets and misleading messages algorithms that allow a number of activities including control.

Fulgham relays a report in a Kuwaiti newspaper saying that the Russians are scratching their heads trying to figure out just what the Israelis did, while the Iranians, who use the same anti-aircraft systems, are equally befuddled. Fulgham's post suggests that the real mission of the Israeli raid wasn't knocking out North Korean nuclear supplies (and obviously, speculation about that didn't derail the six-party talks), but making clear that Iran's air defenses won't protect its nuclear sites from Israeli bombs.

(Hat tip: Danger Room)