If you were a fighter pilot and ordered to shoot down a hijacked airliner....?

Question

if not shooting it down meant court martial........

Answer 1

Shoot it down, of course.

Answer 2

Then so be it. Sadly it isn't what anyone wants but where do you draw the line. Kill 200 people on a flying bomb that's heading to a thickly populated area and have thousands killed or lose 200 and the plane.

Think about being 5 stories below decks in a ship. You take a torpedo and start taking on water. You have say 5000 men on an aircraft carrier and 120 men in the engine rooms below decks. They can't all get out and if you don't 'dog' the hatches, you lose the entire ship along with crew, planes, etc.
The hatches get dogged and then men drown. But...you've saved the majority. Sucks I know but these are facts in war and situations that are becoming a reality.

Answer 3

First, I'll confirm that I heard my orders correctly, and then procedd with shooting it down. This one was easy to answer since I am a fighter pilot in the US Air Force.

Answer 4

I think you would only shoot if it was definately the only chance of not killing thousands of people. The passengers may be able to overthrow the highjackers so it must be a last resort

Answer 5

Makes no dif about the courts martial... given the events of 9/11... the airliner would be toast................

Answer 6

It's your job! If ya can't handle it, you've no business being in the armed services. Protecting America sometimes means killing innocent Americans for a greater good...WOW I sound like a crack-pot!

Answer 7

Sorry to say, shoot it down, most likely everyone is going to die on the plane anyway.

Answer 8

Failure to follow a lawful order during war-time or when we are getting attacked is death by firing squad!!!!

Answer 9

In a heartbeat

Answer 10

I would follow my orders. You would have to scrafice a few to save many!