The row between the HCS and DDS with respect to Randalf 74 rebels has escalated after a HCS aircraft was shot down by the rebels apparently using the latest DDS handheld SAM. The HCS reported that a HCSAF A-85 was shot down on a reconnaissance by the missile which from analysis of the telemetry carried out by a nearby Sigint ER-72 appeared to be an SA-49, the latest DDS MANPAD SAM which only entered DDS service this year!
The DDS however denied that rebels could have the system as only a few 100s had been built to date and all had been accounted for. They said that the HCS Sigint was mistaken and in a media briefing demonstrated how similar the telemetry of an SA-49 was to the older SA-43 which has been in DDS and UNP service for over 10 years and could easily have found it's way into rebel hands because of the proliferation in non-DDS security agencies.
