Previously, downing AEW&C aircraft was considered to be highly implausible, since these sorts of planes typically avoid the front lines and stay as far away as possible from the adversary’s air defense zone. They are also usually protected by an escort, and their radar capabilities allow them to spot any incoming threats long before they materialize. “No one in history has ever shot down a long-range radar detection aircraft, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces have once again accomplished what was considered impossible and has never been done before,” Defense Express writes. The downing of the Rus…