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Operation Secret Squirrel: when the B-52 Stratofortress opened strikes of Operation Desert Storm

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

Saddam Hussein’s troops had invaded the neighboring country of Kuwait, and Secret Squirrel prepared the way for American forces to overthrow him

In a single, secret mission that would launch Operation Desert Storm, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) sent seven B-52G Stratofortress aircrew from the 2nd Bomb Wing (BW) to Iraq early on January 16, 1991.

This first salvo, carried out by the 596th Bomb Squadron (BS), made it possible for American forces to overthrow Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein, whose forces had invaded the neighboring country of Kuwait. The covert mission was known as Operation Senior Surprise by the then-Strategic Air Command (SAC).

“Secret Squirrel” mission patch created by the men who took part in the historic mission. The mission marked the first combat launch of the AGM-86C, Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile, a GPS-guided munition.

SAC oversaw the effort known as Operation Senior Surprise during Operation Desert Shield. The operation was officially known as Senior Surprise, but the aircrew and maintainers ingeniously came up with the name Secret Squirrel so they could keep track of timetables and talk about the mission in unclassified areas.

A limited group of airmen and maintainers from the 596th Bomb Squadron (BS) were instructed on the use of a novel type of weapon, the Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM), in battle at the beginning of Desert Shield.

“I was first informed of the mission in August 1990 and then had six months to train on the new weapon. We couldn’t tell anybody anything,” explained Warren Ward, Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) deputy chief of programming division and 596th BS B-52G Stratofortress co-pilot, during Operation Senior Surprise. “The 62nd BS and part of the 596th BS were largely deploying forward yet a large portion of the 596th stayed at Barksdale. We were watching our brothers in arms going forward, yet we were staying back. We had to work under a veil of secrecy.”

A B-52G Stratofortress aircraft is serviced on the flight line prior to flying a bombing mission against Iraqi forces during Operation Desert Storm. The aircraft is armed with M-117 750-pound bombs.

The parties started rigorous training after being briefed to make sure the aircraft could fly long-range missions safely and flawlessly.

On the morning of January 16, 1991, seven B-52G Stratofortresses from Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB) launched 35 of the brand-new AGM-86C CALCMs at Iraqi targets, decimating Saddam’s army and damaging critical communication equipment, and then secretly made their way back.

Additionally, it was the first time that a missile had ever been guided to a target using GPS.

DAYTON, Ohio — Boeing AGM-86B (ALCM) at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)

When he participated in the Secret Squirrel mission as a B-52G electronic warfare officer, Col. Trey Morriss, vice commander of the 307th BW, was a brand-new captain.

“The Secret Squirrel mission was used to blind Iraq by eliminating certain power and communication nodes throughout the country. This severely hampered their response in the initial phase of the war,” Morriss pointed out. “We proved to U.S. citizens, our allies, coalition partners, and even to our enemies that we will do what we say we’re going to do. In doing so, we solidified the B-52 in the realm of long-range strike capability.”

“The B-52 provides a great first-strike capability in any conventional war,” Morriss said. “It gives us the ability to degrade the enemy with the first attack and press in with other capabilities. We also proved to the world that we were on the threshold of a new type of modern warfare with GPS-guided weapons. The results speak for themselves.”

A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft boom operator refuels a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft, center, during air operations for Operation Desert Storm over Southwest Asia Feb. 1, 1991. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Chris Putnam/Released) — A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft boom operator refuels a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft during air operations for Operation Desert Storm over Southwest Asia on Feb. 1, 1991. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Chris Putnam / Released)

When flying to the Middle East during “Secret Squirrel,” the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker, as the B-52 is known) aircrews faced unforeseen risks but remained confident in their training. These dangers included the possibility of hostile action, landing on friendly territory that might not have been ready for U.S. military aircraft, and a variety of system malfunctions with the aircraft itself.

“The risks were the unknown,” explains Russell Mathers. who took part in Secret Squirrel as a B-52 copilot “We didn’t know if anyone was going to take a shot at us.”

The longest combat sortie flight was Secret Squirrel, which covered 14,000 miles in 35 hours and 24 minutes. Additionally, the covert operation established the standard for the long-range strike.

According to Mathers, SAC gained important knowledge regarding long-range combat missions as a result of Desert Storm. “What we learned as a bomber community is that the bomber is still a huge viable weapons system. We also learned how difficult it is physiologically, to fly these missions and prepare the human body to fly 30 or 40-hour missions.”

The B-52 continued to play a crucial part in Desert Storm operations after “Secret Squirrel” launched operations. A total of nearly 70 B-52G crews flew 1,741 missions for 15,269 combat hours, dropping 27,000 tons of ammunition.

Staff Sgt. Brian D. Land checks a .50-caliber tail turret gun on a B-52G Stratofortress aircraft during Operation Desert Shield

AFGSC program analyst Jim Bowles participated in Desert Storm as a B-52 instructor pilot and aircraft commander. According to Bowles, it was a blessing to be flying with a copilot, radar navigator, electronic warfare officer, and gunner who were all instructors in their respective fields. “We knew our aircraft, and we knew our training. While there was some apprehension about going into combat and the potential of not coming home, there was also confidence because we knew we could do our mission. When I look back on Desert Storm, it feels like yesterday. It’s a memory deep within myself and my family. It’s a defining moment that shaped me for the rest of my Air Force career.”

Prior to being awarded air, accomplishment, and commendation medals on January 16, 1992, the aircrew members and maintainers who made Secret Squirrel possible remained secret.

Twenty-five years after Operation Senior Surprise, aka “Secret Squirrel”, the aircrew members that kicked off Operation Desert Storm reunited on Barksdale Air Force Base, La. on Jan. 15, 2016. One of the B-52 Stratofortress bombers stationed at Barksdale is displaying the “Secret Squirrel” patch to commemorate the anniversary. This 35-hour mission was the first combat use of the Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM). (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Dachelle Melville/Released)

Source: Senior Airman Benjamin Raughton, 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs and U.S. Air Force; Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

When Argentine Air Force Dagger Fighters severely damaged HMS Ardent

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

“It was a Sea Harrier going for Captain Robles’ aircraft. Almost simultaneously I saw fire in my mirror and immediately I felt the impact of a missile in my Dagger, which remained without controls,” 1st Lieutenant Luna, Argentine Air Force

The Malvinas/Falkland Islands, an archipelago 300 miles off the coast of South America that was the subject of a dispute between this country and the UK, were invaded by the Argentine Navy and tens of thousands of troops on April 2, 1982. The First Vulcan bomber raids on the islands started British operations on May 1; twenty days later, on May 21, British landings on the Falklands took place.

The Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force) undertook numerous attack missions against the Royal Navy fleet.

Escuadrón III Aeromóvil, which was stationed at Naval Air Base Rio Grande in Southern Argentina and outfitted with the Mirage 5A Dagger, was one of the units that participated in the air raids (how the FAA renamed its IAI Nasher examples purchased from Israel before the war). The second round of strikes was started in the afternoon of May 21 after the morning’s initial sorties failed to seriously damage the British ships. Together with Libra flight with Captains Cimatti and Robles, Cueca flight with Captain Mir González, Lieutenant Bernhardt, and First Lieutenant Luna took off at 13.55.

The story of how Argentine Air Force Dagger fighters severely damaged HMS Ardent during the Falklands War — HMS Ardent (F184)

Due to an oil leak, Cimatti Dagger soon started to leave a thick, black contrail, forcing the pilot to return home as Robles boarded Cueca’s flight.

The Hornby Mountains, which the Daggers had to fly over to get to the target area, were obscured by clouds, so the pilots had to find another route to the Royal Navy ships. Robles explains this in the book Latin American Mirages Mirage III/5/F.1/2000 in Service with South American Air Arms by Santiago Rivas and Juan Carlos Cicalesi, “we flew along the hills until we found a small valley through which we could see the other side. We went through it. Now we were only three as we supposed Luna crashed against a hill… On the other side of the sound, at Ruiz Puente Bay/Grantham Sound, we saw a frigate close to the coast. We started the attack thinking ‘For Luna’!” The British ships started firing on them as they were flying quite close to the surface of the ocean. In addition to opening fire with his cannons, Mir González detonated a bomb 10 meters from one of the ships, creating a large wave that struck the ship’s hull.

González was followed by Lieutenant Bernhardt, who detonated his bomb and damaged the upper half of the ship. As he turned, Robles let go of his ammunition and flew dangerously close to the ship’s antenna. He then observed a missile coming in the direction of Bernhardt’s Dagger, which he managed to dodge by swerving to the right. The three Argentine jet pilots could clearly see the frigate blazing as they were returning home.

They were unaware that Luna had missed the hill because, according to Luna, five Sea Harriers intercepted their flight while the Daggers were only three minutes from the target. But because of the terrible weather, Luna was the final Argentine pilot to pass through the valley. Next, he saw a shadow passing above him and to his left, as he explains: “It was a Sea Harrier going for Captain Robles’ aircraft. Almost simultaneously I saw fire in my mirror and immediately I felt the impact of a missile on my aircraft, which remained without controls. I tried to climb and the aircraft turned upside down, I thought I would die. I left the stick and searched desperately for the upper ejection handle. I think I found it when I was again flying normally, as the ejection was normal.”

Lieutenant Andy Auld and Lieutenant Commander Rod Frederiksen piloted the Sea Harriers that intercepted the Daggers. Therefore, it appears that the Sea Harrier element that intercepted the Argentines was made up of only two fighters that were passing close to King George Bay and not five aircraft as previously thought. HMS Brilliant directed the British aircraft towards the Daggers, and when the Sea Harriers were able to see the enemy jets, Frederiksen fired the Sidewinder, striking Luna, who was later saved by the islanders.

The HMS Ardent was the vessel that the Daggers struck. The Mk 17 bomb dropped by Bernhardt, while the bomb dropped by Robles impacted the ship but did not explode, caused the assault aircraft to fully destroy the vessel hangar, the ship’s helicopter, and the Sea Cat missile system.

Later that day, Ardent was struck by three A-4Q Skyhawks from the Argentine Navy. At least two bombs were dropped on the ship’s stern, and numerous unexploded bombs tore into the hull.

The Ardent sank the following day as a result of the airstrikes carried out by Dagger and Skyhawk.

Photo by Jorge Alberto Leonardi and Horacio Claria via Wikipedia, U.S. Navy, and screenshot from YouTube video

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

How the Buff was trasformed into a MiG Killer by B-52 tail gunners

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The two BUFF MiG kills occurred during Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas-time strategic air assault against the logistical and industrial hub of North Vietnam

The Boeing B-52 is the quintessential example of strategic airpower in action. Originally designed to carry a hydrogen bomb over intercontinental distances, the Stratofortress saw extensive use in conventional bombing during the Vietnam War, turning it into a MiG killer by downing two MiG-21 fighters.

Both MiGs were destroyed during Operation Linebacker II, the Christmas-time air onslaught against North Vietnam’s logistical and industrial core that got underway after the Paris peace talks ended in failure. Two B-52D tail gunners from the 307th Strategic Bomb Wing stationed at U-Tapao RTAFB (Royal Thailand Air Force Base), Thailand, continued the long tradition of tail gunners from prior wars by shooting down two North Vietnamese Fishbeds during this air operation.

Here's how B-52 tail gunners made of the BUFF a MiG killer

The four.50-caliber M3 machine guns installed at the rear of the D model of the Stratofortress made it possible for these accomplishments, and they possibly made the B-52 the last strategic bomber to shoot down an enemy fighter. The 600-round weapons on board the A-3A fire control system search and tracking radar may be handled remotely from the forward fuselage by the gunner or manually by a tail gunner.

On December 18, 1972, 129 bombers (42 B-52Ds from U-Tapao, 87 BUFFs between B-52Ds and B-52Gs from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam) were launched to attack rail yards and logistical facilities in and around Hanoi as well as the MiGs bases at Kep, Hoa Loc, and Phuc Yen. This was the first of the two MiG kills. B-52 Stratofortress: The Story of the BUFF from Drawing Board to the Skies over Afghanistan by Bill Yenne claims that the bombers flew in three aircraft cells for mutual ECM (Electronic Counter Measures) defense.

The B-52D Tail No. 56-0676, callsign Brown III, which had Sgt. Samuel O. Turner working as a tail gunner was one of the bombers. Numerous SAMs (Surface to Air Missiles) were fired throughout the bomb run to the target, and anti-aircraft fire of all calibers exploded close to Brown III.

When the B-52Ds arrived at their objective and dropped their bombs, several MiGs took off to intercept them as they were flying back to base. Turner was able to lock on to the incoming Fishbed and, as it was in the firing line, he opened fire on it, hitting the back of the MiG-21, which burst into a big inferno. One of the MiG-21s was prepared to launch its missiles toward Brown III. According to Donald J. McCarthy, Jr. in his book MiG Killers A Chronology of U.S. Air Victories in Vietnam 1965-1973, this kill was the first for a bomber crew since the Korean War, and it had also been confirmed by MSgt. Lewis E. Le Blanc, who was a tail gunner on another B-52.

At the Fairchild AFB Heritage Park in Spokane, the B-52D with the tail number 55-0676 is still on display and still carries the iconic MiG Killers logo, a red star under the cockpit.

On December 24, 1972, Christmas Eve, the second Stratofortress aerial victory of the Vietnam War occurred. During the bomb run, the B-52s were assaulted by the MiGs, and thirty BUFFs that took off from U-Tapao had to hit rail yards at Thai Nguyen and Kep, 40 miles north and northeast of Hanoi. A1C Albert E. Moore, the tail gunner of the B-52D Tail No. 55-0083, Diamond Lil, noticed one of them on the radar sight. At 4,000 yards, he latched onto the Fishbed and started firing at the blip on his radar scope until it vanished.

In his combat report, according to a lengthy essay by Tom Docherty that was published in FlyPast magazine’s December 2015 issue, Moore wrote: “I observed a target on my radar scope 8 o’clock low at 8 miles. I immediately notified the crew, and the ‘bogey’ started closing rapidly. It stabilized at 4,000 yards, at 6 o’clock. I called the pilot for evasive action and the EWO for chaff and flares. When the target goes to 2,000 yards, I notified the crew that I was firing. I fired at the bandit until it ballooned to three times in intensity then suddenly disappeared from my radar scope at approximately 1,200 yards. I expected 800 rounds in three bursts.”

This kill too was confirmed by another tail gunner, TSgt. Clarence W. Chute, reported: “I went visual and saw the ‘bandit’ on fire and falling away. Several pieces of the aircraft exploded, and the fireball disappeared in the undercast.”

Also preserved and on display at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado is the B-52D tail number 55-00083. According to Vietnamese authorities, a B-52 downed a MiG-21 on April 16, 1972, earning its third air-to-air win.

General George L. Butler, who was in charge of Strategic Air Command (SAC) at the time, announced the removal of the gunner post and the deactivation of the B-52’s guns on September 16, 1991. As a former B-52 gunner explained to us “we (Gunners) were done away with for two reasons 1) Budget. It was very expensive to maintain the Fire Control System. It was the ONLY system on the jet that had never been updated. It still used vacuum tubes! If a part broke and couldn’t be located, it had to be made. This was very expensive. And 2) Missile technology had become advanced enough to shoot aircraft down from beyond visual range. The guns were obsolete unless a fighter was dumb enough to try and get close enough to use its guns on the BUFF. Those are the facts.”

Since then, a generation has passed since the BUFF had a tail gunner, and the days of a fighter having to be cautious when attempting to get behind a B-52 are long gone.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

The first official American aerial victory of the Vietnam war

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Murphy and Fegan’s kill remained unsubstantiated for many years even if the Chinese claimed the destruction of the F-4 immediately following the fight because it was not deemed politically wise to counterclaim a MiG-17

On April 9, 1965, Lt. (j.g.) Terrence M. Murphy and his Radar Intercept Officer (RIO), Ens. Ronald J. Fegan of Fighter Squadron 96 (VF-96), shot down a Chinese MiG-17 while departing from the USS Ranger (CVA-61) in an F-4B Phantom II BuNo 151403, callsign “Showtime 602,” to claim the first recognized American aerial victory of the Vietnam War.

The unknown story of the first official American aerial victory of the Vietnam War

Three VF-96 crews were assigned to Barrier Combat Air Patrol (BARCAP) duty on April 9; this duty required them to fly a racetrack pattern over the water roughly 25 miles off the coast of Haiphong. The mission’s target, as stated by Peter E. Davies in his book Gray Ghosts, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F-4 Phantoms, was to thwart hostile aircraft’s attempts to attack components of the 7th Fleet. Pairs of aircraft flew the circuit’s legs in roughly three minutes while cruising at a speed of around 300 kts and 20,000 feet. However, they frequently slowed down and gently steered towards the shoreline on the inshore side of the circuit to entice one or more MiGs to surface.

CDR Frazer was in charge of the BARCAP on April 9, and LT Don Watkins was his wingman. When their Phantom II experienced an engine failure on takeoff, LCDR Greer and his RIO LTJG Bruning were forced to eject and fly the third F-4B. Murphy and Fegan made their official debut in Showtime 602 as replacement section leaders under the guidance of LT Watkins and LTJG Mueller.

Watkins attempted to overtake Murphy while they were passing Chinese MiG-17s as they were flying north from Hainan Island, but Murphy heard him send “Three in contrails.” A fourth MiG-17 attacked Watkins’ F-4 from behind, according to Davies, and Murphy reported that he was being fired upon. After being called back from their BARCAP, Frazer and Don Watkins engaged the MiGs. When two AIM-7s were launched, the engine of one failed to ignite while the other went ballistic.

Additionally, two AIM-9s were fired, although only one connected, and the other was dodged. Murphy and Fegan went missing shortly after, and the three Phantom crews discovered this while they were making their way to the tanker. “Out of missiles,” had been their most recent transmission. Going back to base Watkins and Mueller, however, had witnessed a MiG-17 going down in a fiery crash after ejecting the other robbers. A second blip appeared behind Showtime 602 as it headed away from Hainan on the radar of the Fleet’s Combat Information Center (CIC), and the F-4 subsequently vanished from view.

Even if the Chinese had immediately after the combat claimed the loss of the F-4, it was not seen as politically wise to claim a MiG-17 in response, and Murphy’s kill remained unconfirmed. Additionally, according to some Chinese reports, one of the Phantoms’ inaccurate missiles is what brought Murphy and Fegan down.

The destruction of the Chinese MiG was handed to Murphy and Fegan after the air war, while they were piecing together the events.

This engagement, however, quickly brought to light issues that would continue throughout the Vietnam War. According to Davies, these problems were:

Poor missile performance. None of the four missiles fired hit their intended target.
With the MiGs moving at a moderate speed, Murphy and Fegan attempted to turn. They lost when their Phantom ran out of energy during the turn, making them maybe the first of many to learn that this maneuver could be lethal in an F-4.
Communication difficulties. Frazer’s and Murphy’s, the two aircraft in the air fight, were using various radio frequencies and different radar controllers. Only after the MiGs had indicated that they intended to attack and had dropped their wing tanks were they permitted to engage in combat. The mutual effects of the two portions may have been compromised if each F-4 had only one primary radio.

Overall, the only solace was the knowledge that Murphy and Fegan’s deaths would have been VF-96’s only casualty to enemy aircraft during wartime.

Gray Ghosts, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps F-4 Phantoms is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.

Photo by U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

The Project Blue Book and how UFO sightings covered high-altitude U-2 flights

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Numerous U-2 spy planes testing at high altitudes were the primary cause of many UFO sightings reported to Project Blue Book beginning in 1955

Midway through the 1950s, the USAF and CIA covered extremely high-altitude flights of their then-secret U-2 surveillance planes with UFO sightings.

The United States Air Force (USAF) program known as Project Blue Book was established in March 1952 at General Cabell’s request to research unidentified flying objects. Despite the fact that this research team continued to work until 1969, it is still uncertain if Project Blue Book was actually employed to keep an eye on unidentified flying objects in American airspace or to cover “black programs” that the team itself was well aware of.

Airliners flew between 10,000 and 20,000 feet in the middle of the 1950s, while military planes like the B-47 and B-57 soared below 40,000 feet. However, in 1955, the then-covert U-2 spy planes started flying over 60,000 feet, an altitude above which no aircraft was known to function, according to Bill Yenne’s account in Area 51 Black Jets. Due to this, U-2s conducting high-altitude testing were a common cause of UFO encounters reported to Project Blue Book beginning in 1955.

Project Blue Book and the story of how UFO sightings were used to cover high altitude U-2 flights

The aircraft were difficult to see because they were in the troposphere and had no trailing contrail; they could only be seen if sunlight reflected off of their silver wings. This assertion is confirmed by Gregory Pedlow and Donald Welzenbach, who stated in their book The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance: The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974 that the reports of U-2s as UFOs “were more prevalent in the early evening hours from pilots of airliners flying from east to west.”

These evening sightings occurred because an airplane flying at 20,000 feet was in darkness as the sun descended below the horizon. However, if a U-2 was flying nearby at the same time as the aircraft, its horizon would be farther away from it at 60,000 feet, and because it was flying so high in the sky, its silver wings would reflect the sun’s rays and seem to the airliner pilot 40,000 feet below as fiery objects.

But even during the day, when their silver bodies might reflect the sun even on the ground, the high-flying U-2s could be mistaken for UFOs. An object that was high in the sky was not anticipated to be observed at the time since no one thought an airplane could fly above 60,000 feet.

When Blue Book members received a letter reporting a UFO sighting, they called the CIA in Washington and requested that the Agency’s Project Staff check U-2 flight logs. By doing this, the investigators were able to rule out the majority of the UFO reports, even though they were unable to inform the letter writer of the true cause of the UFO sighting.

By the time Project Blue Book was formally shut down, its investigators had looked over a total of 12,618 UFO reports, classifying all but 701 of them as misinterpretations of regular objects.

According to Pedlow and Welzenbach, the majority of the “unidentified” sightings were U-2s and other dark aircraft, while the other inexplicable sightings remain unsolved.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

Brazilian Mirage Fighters intercepted an Il-62 during Falkland War

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The two Mirage jets prepped their air-to-air missiles as they both climbed above the clouds and increased their speed from Mach 0.98 to Mach 1.15

Brazil never considered getting involved in the Falklands war, despite being close to the battle area.

However, after conflicts over control of the islands between Argentina and the U.K. on April 2, 1982, Brazil expressed its support for Argentina, and its bases were alerted.

The radars of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) noticed a massive aircraft coming from the north without permission at about 20:00 on April 9. (FAB, Brazilian Air Force). The aircraft was identified as a Cubana Ilyushin Il-62 traveling to Buenos Aires and carrying the Cuban envoy to Argentina by the air defense operators who made contact with it.

The two QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) Mirage IIIEBRs were scrambled after its pilot refused to comply with the order to land at Brasilia, but due to a strong storm the pilots, Major Aviador Paulo César Pereira, the section leader, and 1° Tenente-Aviador Eduardo José Pastorelo de Miranda, the wingman, were only able to take off at 21:00, but because of a problem with his navigation system, Pastorelo was forced to take off a few minutes later.

Pereira moved in the direction of the airplane that was passing above Porto Nacional. He was flying at roughly 31,000 feet and the wingman was following him at 29,000 feet. The high cloud cover prevented him from using the onboard radar to find the intruder. As a result, the target was located by the Ground Control Intercept (GCI) when it was wheeling to the left.

Here's how Brazilian Mirage fighters intercepted an Il-62 that was bringing Cuban ambassador to Argentina during the Falklands War

While the leader and wingman both readied their air-to-air missiles, the two Mirages rose above the clouds and increased their speed from Mach 0.98 to Mach 1.15.

The Ilyushin was recognized by the two fighters after they were able to establish visual contact. The flying crew responded that they were headed to Ezeiza International Airport in Argentina when the ground controller again ordered the plane to land at Brasilia.

The leader moved to the left of the Ilyushin and the wingman to the right until they were quite near to the cockpit as per the command to the Mirages to make them visible to the airliner. In their book Latin American Mirages Mirage III/5/F.1/2000 in Service with South American Air Arms, Santiago Rivas, and Juan Carlos Cicalesi detail how they made one more contact with a Cuban airplane from the ground while communicating in English: “Cubana 1225, you have been intercepted! There are two fighters alongside your aircraft. You are ordered to land in Brasilia immediately!” The Il-62 pilot responded after a while, “Roger, Roger, Brasilia! Give me instructions! The Mirages closely tracked the airliner over Brasilia, but when they ran out of gas, the fighters returned to base just in time for the Il-62 to touch down.

Five hours after landing, the Il-62 was given the go-ahead to take off once more. The attempt by the Cuban envoy to mediate in the conflict before the arrival of the American ambassador in Argentina was later identified as the cause of this unauthorized flight.

Even though they weren’t scrambled again, the FAB Mirages were kept on guard for the duration of the conflict.

Photo by Força Aérea Brasileira

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

A B-1B Lancer doing the first-ever low-altitude terrain following

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

On December 12, 2017, precisely thirty years later, a B-1B crew successfully fired two LRASMs in production configuration simultaneously during a test at Point Mugu’s sea range

The fascinating video in this post shows a B-1B executing a terrain-following flight to test the Lancer automatic terrain-following system on December 12, 1987, at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB).

On December 12, 2017, exactly thirty years later, a B-1B crew successfully fired two Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) in production configuration simultaneously during a test at Point Mugu’s sea range.

“This continued success with LRASM provides confidence in its upcoming early operational capability milestone, putting a proven, unmatched munition into the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force inventories,” said David Helsel, LRASM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The successful flight demonstrates LRASM’s continued ability to strengthen sea control for our forces.”

Check out this video of a B-1B Lancer performing low-altitude terrain following at Edwards AFB

By utilizing cutting-edge technologies that lessen reliance on platforms for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, network connectivity, and GPS navigation, LRASM is intended to detect and kill individual targets inside groups of ships in electronic warfare scenarios. Due to its improved capacity to distinguish and perform tactical engagements from extended ranges, LRASM will play a vital role in securing military access to operate in open ocean/blue waters.

Precision-guided Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range-based LRASM is an anti-ship standoff missile (JASSM-ER). It is made to accommodate the demands of American Navy and Air Force warfighters operating in hostile circumstances. The air-launched variant gives the U.S. Navy’s offensive anti-surface warfare Increment I requirement an early operational capability that could be integrated onboard the B-1B of the U.S. Air Force in 2018 and the F/A-18E/F of the U.S. Navy in 2019.

Photo by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

SR-71 Blackbird spy planes performed Rocket Ride mission

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

All was calm halfway over the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), but Graham suddenly observed a big object over North Korea that was astonishingly higher than his SR-71 Blackbird actually was

Performances from the SR-71 Blackbird were astounding.

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3 strategic reconnaissance aircraft maintained that title for the majority of its nearly 24-year service. It could survey 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from an altitude of 80,000 feet.

However, despite these distinctive qualities, the Blackbird was an extremely short-range aircraft; in fact, depending on the mission plan, the majority of sorties required at least one and occasionally as many as six aeuelings.

However, a reconnaissance mission that didn’t require aerial refueling was occasionally flown from Okinawa to gather intelligence on North Korea. Col. Richard H. Graham, a former Blackbird pilot, piloted one of these missions and detailed it in his book SR-71 The Complete Illustrated History of THE BLACKBIRD The World’s Highest, Fastest Plane: “From takeoff to landing the total mission time was fifty-seven minutes and we named it the ‘Rocket Ride.’ This mission was very demanding because everything happened so quickly: departure, acceleration and climb, cruise, and descent for landing. Mentally you had to stay well ahead of the plane on this mission compared to others.”

Join this SR-71 Blackbird driver for a top secret recoinnassance mission over North Korea — A Boeing KC-135Q Stratotanker refueling an SR-71

Graham says that the 160-mile-long and 2.5-mile-wide demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea is the most highly militarized region on earth. The purpose of the Rocket Ride missions was to keep an eye on military installations and tunnels that North Korea had developed on the north side of the DMZ over a long period of time in anticipation of future confrontations with South Korea.

Graham was the Reconnaissance System Officer on the first Rocket Ride with Don Emmons (RSO, the Blackbird backseater). According to Graham “Our mission was planned to fly down the middle of the DMZ, imaging directly under the SR-71 and North Korea about fifty-seven miles.” They flew directly from Okinawa north over the Korean Straits into the Sea of Japan, past the DMZ from northeast to southwest, out into the Yellow Sea, and back to Okinawa.

The SR-71’s takeoff roll was longer than typical because it was loaded with 65,000 pounds of fuel. They conducted a 400-knot rising left turn to the north after liftoff while still in AB and fled Okinawa. They reached 33,000 feet in four to five minutes, where they started accelerating and climbing at supersonic speeds.

They immediately reached Mach 3.0 and leveled off at about 73,000 feet. From Okinawa’s brake release to Mach 3.0 and 73,000 feet, the total time was slightly under seventeen minutes.

Graham concentrated on the Blackbird’s performance when they crossed the DMZ, and Emmons was busy keeping an eye on the sensor systems. As North Korean surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites were looking for or monitoring them, he also maintained a close check on the radar warning equipment informing him of this. Over the DMZ, we spent around seven minutes in total.

All was quiet around halfway through the DMZ when Graham abruptly observed a big object over North Korea that was astonishingly higher than they actually were. As Graham recalls “whatever it was, we were closing on it fast! I barely had time to tell Don when it rapidly passed directly over and behind us. It turned out to be a high-altitude weather balloon that could have been launched from USSR, China, North Korea, or South Korea. Don and I agreed later this was probably coincidental, rather than a nefarious plot of some sort.”

As soon as the SR-71 left the DMZ and entered international airspace, its onboard sensors began recording electronic signal intelligence. If China’s military radar network had detected the SR-71 and responded, the recorders would have gathered a wealth of information about Chinese capabilities to respond to the Blackbird’s presence. Instead, shortly after leaving the DMZ, Graham and Emmons heard a very peculiar HF radio call. The RSO decrypted the message, which instructed them to confirm the correctness of their navigation system. They continued on course after confirming their navigation system, started a left-hand descent, and landed at Kadena Air Base in less than an hour.

As Graham explains “we found out later that the other assets didn’t know our programmed flight path and when they were aware the SR-71 was heading directly for China it raised a red flag. The sheer excitement of this Rocket Ride made us look forward to future ones!”

Photo by Lockheed Martin, Ken Hackman, and Brian Shul / U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

A cap flown by two Royal Navy Sea Harrier Fighters during the Falklands war

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

The Sea Harrier’s Extra Dark Sea Grey color scheme, which made it very difficult to see over land or sea, earned it the nickname “La Muerta Negra” (The Black Death) among Argentine pilots

The account of a stressful combat air patrol flight by two Sea Harrier planes of the Royal Navy during Operation Sutton.

When they destroyed 23 Argentine aircraft for no casualties in that area of action during the 1982 Falklands War, Royal Navy Sea Harriers demonstrated their value in air-to-air combat.

Operation Sutton (the British landings on the Falklands) started on May 21, 1982, and the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (FAA, Argentine Air Force) launched multiple attack missions against the Royal Navy fleet. On board HMS Invincible (R05), the Sea Harriers from 801 Naval Air Squadron engaged Argentinean aircraft in the afternoon, first shooting down a Pucara and then fending off three Daggers that were attempting to attack the British fleet.

Two Daggers attacked HMS Brilliant, which was anchored close to the San Carlos village, later in the day. The cannon shells damaged the operations room, resulted in injuries, and hurt a Fighter Direction Officer (FDO). Falklands The Air War by R. Burden, M. Draper, D. Rough, C. Smith, and D. Wilton claims that the same FDO observed three further Daggers on his radar screen and directed two Sea Harriers that were conducting a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) in the area toward them.

Lt. Steve Thomas and Lt. Cdr. Nigel Ward flew the two British planes. Thomas recognized the Daggers as belonging to Grupo 6 De Caza (6th Air Brigade) as they had passed over the enemy aircraft due to their yellow fin identification bands and wings. The enemy fighters’ pilots were Flt. Lt. Jorge Senn, Maj. Gustavo Justo Piuma, and Capt. Guillermo Donadille.

The story of a tense CAP flown by two Royal Navy Sea Harrier fighters during the Falklands War

The moment the Argentines spotted the Sea Harriers, they jettisoned their underwing stores and started to climb in an attempt to intercept them. However, Thomas dove in behind Piuma’s Dagger and fired an AIM-9L, disabling the fighter as it attempted to elude the Sidewinder by making a quick turn to the right. Piuma miraculously managed to safely exit his airplane.

Thomas next launched a second missile, this time aiming it at Donadille’s aircraft, which blew up when the Sidewinder impacted the port wing of his Dagger. Donadille had also successfully ejected before his aircraft crashed, and the fighter did not disintegrate but instead went into an uncontrollable spin. When the Dagger was attempting to escape the furball, Ward fired an AIM-9L at the ship, destroying the final Dagger Senn had flown. Senn safely exited his fighter before it entirely disintegrated around him.

Following the fight, Brilliant vectored Ward and Thomas against three A-4Qs, but they quickly realized they were too far away from the Argentine Skyhawks to attack them. As a result, they kept the A-4s in view until two Sea Harriers from the 800 Naval Air Squadron were able to successfully intercept the enemy attackers. While traveling along the East coast of West Falkland at Port Howard, Ward and Thomas resumed their CAP when Ward realized he had lost radio contact and sight of his wingman. He phoned the Invincible to report his suspicion that Thomas had been downed by Argentine anti-aircraft artillery (AAA).

Ward returned to the carrier because his aircraft was running extremely low on gas, and when he landed on the Invincible in the early evening, he ran into Thomas, who had arrived just before him. In reality, his aircraft had only suffered minor damage from the AAA over Port Howard, and the Sea Harrier had been repaired in less than 24 hours.

The 801 Naval Air Squadron personnel evaluated the day’s events when the Argentine air attacks came to an end at dusk, and Ward and Thomas, along with the other pilots, were pleased that the Sea Harrier had earned the nickname “La Muerte Negra” from the Argentines (the aircraft was dubbed by the enemy pilots The Black Death because of its Extra Dark Sea Grey color scheme which made it very difficult to spot over land or sea).

However, Santiago Rivas, a renowned expert on modern military aviation, noted that Argentine pilots never referred to the Sea Harriers as “La Muerte Negra.” Rivas claims that it’s actually unclear why the Sea Harrier was given such a moniker. The nickname may have been created by Sea Harrier pilots or by British pilots who were misled by Argentine radar operators who called the Sea Harriers “moscardones” (botflies), which on the radio could sound like “muerte negra,” according to Rivas, who has worked with more than 100 Argentine pilots.

Photo by Jorge Alberto Leonardi via Wikipedia, U.S. Navy, Royal Navy

August 28, 2021 0 comment

History

A US NAVY RA-5C Vigilante captured an image of an SA-2 missile passing 104 feet from its belly

by Till Daisd August 28, 2021

written by Till Daisd

Although the most plausible explanation is that the missile had not reached its arming time when it shot past the crazily jinking RA-5C, no one is certain why it did not detonate

North Americans created the carrier-based supersonic bomber known as the A-5 Vigilante for the U.S. Navy. It only had a relatively brief stint doing nuclear strikes (replacing the Douglas A-3 Skywarrior). However, it was extensively used in the Vietnam War in the tactical strike reconnaissance capacity as the RA-5C.

Medium-level, risky reconnaissance missions (like the one described in this article) began in August 1964.

Lt Cdr Barry Gastrock and Lt Emy Conrad, flying the RA-5C Vigilante BuNo.156624 of Reconnaissance Attack (Heavy) Squadron Six (RVAH-6), with the call sign “Field Gold 602,” from USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63), accidentally captured an amazing photo on March 1, 1971, while performing one of these missions over North Vietnam.

That time an RA-5C Vigilante took a picture of a SA-2 surface to air missile passing just 104 feet from its belly — SA-2 Surface-to-Air Missile on display in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

According to Robert R. Powell in his book RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat, their intended course crossed over itself to permit the crew to capture the Song Ca River in its entirety on camera.

This location was deep inside the SAM envelopes around the city of Vinh.

Less than four minutes after passing through the same village in a westerly direction, the Vigilante, heading south, reappeared over the river juncture at Hung Nghia. On the jet’s initial pass over the area, AAA had been patchy, and there had been no missile warnings when Lt. Conrad saw a flash in his viewfinder, heard a “whumpf,” and was thrown against his seat-straps. The crew quickly “had their feet wet” and then made a simple landing back on the Kitty Hawk because the coast was not far away.

According to Robert R. Powell’s book RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat, this is the incredible picture of the SA-2 SAM missile that passed just 104ft below Gastrock and Conrad RA-5C

A photo interpreter stopped in surprise as she moved the six-inch-wide film from one enormous spool to another across the light table a little while later in the ship’s intelligence center. The vertical camera of the Vigilante captured an SA-2 surface-to-air missile (SAM) that was still gaining altitude perfectly.

The crew was called to see the near-miss. They assumed the SAM passed next to the RA-5C as Lt Cdr Gastrock made a sharp turn to return home because there was no terrain visible in the picture. With knowledge of the SA-2’s size and the camera’s focal length, the photogrammeters calculated that the missile had passed within 104 feet of the Vigilante’s belly.

Although the most plausible explanation is that the missile had not yet reached its arming time when it shot past the crazily jinking RA-5C, no one is certain why it did not detonate.

Despite the Vigilante’s speed and agility, 18 of these aircraft were destroyed in battle during the Vietnam War: 14 by anti-aircraft fire, three by surface-to-air missiles, and one by a MiG-21. As attrition replacements, 36 further RA-5C aircraft were manufactured from 1968 to 1970 in part as a result of these combat losses. These planes were very different from earlier RA-5Cs. These were worthy of being dubbed RA-5Ds thanks to improved engines, Leading Edge Extensions over the intakes, changed intake geometry, and other upgrades, but the existing moniker was kept. Since the BuNo. for this most recent batch of Vigilantes begins with the number 156, they are known as the 156 Series aircraft (some earlier RA-5Cs were rebuilt to the same standard so there are exceptions).

Photo by Emy Conrad / U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force

August 28, 2021 0 comment

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