1: Yeap, if your IFF is bust, its hard for others to tell
whether you are friendly or not. So, if there is anyway of
transmitting your identity, eg turning on ur radar and hoping
friendlies ESM identify you, or trying to contact AWACs if you
still can communicate. Usually, battle damage would not allow one
to do any of these.
It was a sad incident for the Tornado pilots. And equally sad that
they were in a zone where Patriot batteries were free to shoot if
deemed a threat.
2. Despite being their defense minister, I'm not sure if he over
simplified his words.
A few things are unclear about that statement.
Which radar did they have this problem with? AN/APG 65, or
73?
What capabilities were locked exactly?
They extracted "the codes" and got a new radar? If they got a new
radar why bother about extracting the codes? (The codes to WHICH
system?)
The article which those statements were taken from seemed to have a
political agenda. Perhaps, not a good evaluation of the actual
situation.