Tag:

planes

The importance of a T-38 Talon trainer for ISR mission

by Till Daisd April 11, 2023

Due to the limited size of the U-2 fleet, instrument and general flying training on the T-38 keeps pilots up to date and skilled

Above Beale Air Force Base (AFB), the T-38 Talon may be seen in the sky together with the U-2 Dragon Lady and the RQ-4 Global Hawk. The T-38 is an essential tool that U-2 pilots employ to carry out their mission and help the U.S. Air Force (USAF) as a whole, even though it may not directly provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).

“The T-38s are a part of the Companion Trainer Program for the U-2 pilots at Beale,” said Lt. Col. Paul Wurster, 1st Reconnaissance Squadron commander. “The U-2 fleet is small so our pilots only get three or four flights per month on average. The T-38 is used to provide instrument and general flight training which keeps our pilots current and proficient.”

Even though many people assist in T-38 flight operations, a group of mechanics plays a crucial part. These non-military contractors maintain the aircraft so that it is always ready to take off.

“We get all of the aircraft prepared for the daily flying schedule,” said Sam Holmes, 9th Maintenance Group (MXG) T-38 aircraft mechanic. “After each flight, we recover the aircraft, we refuel them, inspect them, and send them back up.”

The T-38 has a shorter turnaround time between flights than the U-2 because of its bigger fleet on Beale and less frequent maintenance needs. This gives the pilots the opportunity to complete more sorties.

“We fly almost every day and fly upwards of 30 pilots in that time,” said Matt Miller, 9th MXG T-38 aircraft mechanic. “We can fly between 12 and 15 sorties no problem.”

The level of knowledge of the mechanics is what makes the aforementioned flying schedule possible. Nearly all T-38 maintenance is carried out internally, much of it preventative maintenance.

“The preventative maintenance is to ensure the airworthiness of the aircraft,” said Miller. “A lot of small problems can be stopped from becoming big problems, but things do break. As the issues arise, we work to get the aircraft back in the air as quickly as possible.”

The thorough inspections carried out by the mechanics guarantee the safety of the pilots by identifying the bigger problems early.

“We do both preflight and post-flight inspections and inspections every 25 and 225 flight hours,” said Holmes. “We have an oil sampling program we do every 20 flight hours.”

It takes a lot of time inside a T-38 to maintain a pilot’s proficiency. Equally significant is the time the mechanics spend maintaining the aircraft.

“The mechanics make it possible to fly multiple flights a day,” said Wurster. “Their work keeps our flight operations safe and efficient.”

Story by Airman Tristan D. Viglianco, 9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs; Photo by Airman Tristan D. Viglianco, Staff Sgt. Robert M. Trujillo amd / U.S. Air Force

April 11, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

The U.S. NAVY Phantom F-4G could perform automatic carrier landings

by Till Daisd April 11, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The 12 F-4G aircraft of the U.S. Navy were to test a new tactical camouflage for aircraft that were boarded in 1966

Twelve F-4Bs were removed from the McDonnell production line in March 1963 so that special equipment could be added.

With these Phantoms, the brand-new AN/ASW-21 air-to-ground data link was being tested. The No. 1 fuselage fuel cell was replaced directly aft of the rear cockpit by the new communication system and an approach power compensator. Hands-off carrier landings were possible thanks to the AN/ASW-21 data link communication system, approach power compensator, shipboard AN/SPN-10 radar, and AN/USC-1 data connection. To create a larger radar target so that the AN/SPN-10 ship-borne radar could follow the F-4 during automatic landings, a radar reflector had to be mounted to the nose. The radar reflector was initially fastened to the nose gear door, but in production models, it was retracted into a space beneath the nose, just in front of the landing gear.

Remembering the U.S. Navy F-4G, the Phantom that could perform automatic carrier landings — Two U.S. Navy McDonnell F-4G Phantom II aircraft of Fighter Squadron VF-213 “Black Lions” on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63).

The twelve modified planes were given the new designation F-4G. BuNos 150481, 150484, 150487, 150489, 150492, 150625, 150629, 150633, 150636, 150639, 150642, and 150645 were assigned to them as their serial numbers. On March 20, 1963, the first of these (150481) took flight.

The only modifications to a conventional F-4B airframe were the data link system and approach power compensator.

The F-4Gs were assigned to VF-213 Black Lions, which had been deployed to Vietnam with Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) from 19 October 1965 to 13 June 1966, according to Larry Davis’ book F-4 Phantom II In Action. F-4G 150645 was lost over North Vietnam while on deployment.

The 12 F-4Gs were employed by the service in 1966 to test a brand-new tactical camouflage for Navy aircraft. The undersurfaces remained White, while the upper surfaces were painted entirely in either 34079 or 34102 Green, or a combination of the two. Other aircraft types, such as A-1s and A-6s, were also tested with the new camouflage colors. The U.S. Navy determined that camouflage paint did not significantly conceal the aircraft and was actually detrimental when trying to maneuver an aircraft under the carrier deck at night. Up until the 1970s, Naval aircraft would continue to be painted in the usual scheme of 36440 Gull Gray on the upper surface and Gloss White on the undersides and control surfaces.

The F-4Gs were eventually brought back to the United States and modified to F-4B specifications. The F-4G name was deleted by the U.S. Navy, but the AN/ASW-21 data connection system became a regular feature of the F-4J. Later, when F-4Es were converted into “Wild Weasels” by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), the “F-4G” designation was once more employed.

Photo by U.S. Navy

April 11, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

How the F-14 and F-15 fighters were able to down the SR-71 in simulated combat

by Till Daisd April 10, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Under specific circumstances, F-14 and F-15 fighters were capable of simulating SR-71 kills

The SR-71 Blackbird collected intelligence during the course of its 24 years of service in some of the world’s most hostile environments. The Blackbird avoided every one of the 4,000 missiles aimed at it, and it continues to be the only USAF aircraft never to lose a crew member, either in the air or on the ground.

F-14 Tomcat Vs F-15 Eagle: the pilots' perspective

The Blackbird was built to operate at high speeds and altitudes; in fact, it could survey 100,000 square miles of the Earth’s surface per hour from an altitude of 80,000 feet. Therefore any enemy fighter would have had a very tough time getting a radar lock on it (although as we have explained Swedish Air Force JA-37 fighter pilots have several hot intercepts against the SR-71 to their credit).

The (simulated) kills achieved by F-14 and F-15 fighters against the SR-71 Mach 3 spy plane

Col. Richard H. Graham, USAF (Ret. ), a former Blackbird pilot, details in his book The Complete Book of the SR-71 Blackbird: The Illustrated Profile of Every Aircraft, Crew, and Breakthrough of the World’s Fastest Stealth Jet, the SR-71 pilot “could fly the aircraft anywhere in the world and return safely. […] On one occasion, as Don [Don Emmons who was Graham Reconnaissance System Officer or RSO, the Blackbird back seater] and I approached Soviet airspace off the southern end of the Kamchatka Peninsula, I could see three Soviet fighters streaming their contrails off in the distance. The contrails showed them in a clockwise circular orbit. As we approached closer I could see their contrails as they came out of their orbit and headed directly toward us. They were in trial with each other about two to three miles apart. As soon as I saw contrails disappear, I knew the fighters had gone to full afterburner and were initiating their climb in an attempt to intercept us. Knowing there were Soviet planes out there that would try to shoot you down if they were so ordered heightened your senses as they approached. I often wondered how they felt, knowing we were up there, and their inability to do anything about it. Nothing ever came of their attempts, and I smiled to myself, realizing their frustration and dilemma.”

Yet, according to Graham, there were two fighters who, under specific circumstances, could pull off (simulated) SR-71 kills. “Don and I, as well as many other crewmembers, had flown numerous ‘Tomcat Chase’ and ‘Eagle Bait’ sorties against our best fighters – the Navy’s F-14s and the Air Force’s F-15s. We flew the SR-71 to provide the fighters practice at finding, tracking, locking on, intercepting, and simulated firing of their sophisticated F-14 Phoenix missiles and the F-15’s Sparrow missiles at a high altitude, high-speed target. The Tomcat Chase missions were flown over the Pacific Ocean and Eagle Bait missions in the Nellis AFB training area, north of Las Vegas, Nevada.”

Graham continues. “To maximize scarce, high altitude/high-speed intercept practice for the fighters against the SR-71, we stacked the deck in their favor to avoid a multitude of missed intercepts, and consequently, wasted time. The intercepts were conducted in a very controlled environment, favoring a successful outcome by the fighters. Both the SR-71 and fighters were on a common ground control intercept (GCI) frequency, so the fighters could be vectored for the head-on intercept and we could talk to each other to help set it up. We flew a precise straight-line track that was communicated to the GCI controller and fighters well in advance of our arrival. All aircraft had their transponders on for positive radar identification, and no DEF systems [the Defensive Electronic systems that were designed to jam or spoof any radar or SAM system as necessary and were carried in SR-71’s chine bays] were to be used. We kept the SR-71 at a constant altitude, airspeed, and heading as the fighters maneuvered for their head-on attack. GCI controllers provided constant range and bearing for the fighters to their target (the SR-71) so they could search for us on their radar. Even under these highly controlled flying conditions, the F-14s and F-15s had extreme difficulty achieving a satisfactory SR-71 kill.

“The majority of missed intercepts for the fighters were because of two parameters that influence the intercept geometry greatly: the altitude difference between the SR-71 and the fighters, and the extreme closing velocity between the two aircraft. At the start of Eagle Bait missions, the F-15s discovered that their fire control system speed gate (the computed closing velocity between two aircraft) was not large enough to accommodate their extreme closing velocity against the SR-71. Software changes to their computers solved that problem. If the fighters decided not to climb and remained at twenty-five thousand feet, for example, their missiles found it very extremely difficult to climb up fifty-five thousand feet (against gravity) to achieve a kill against the SR-71. Another factor in our favor was the small guidance fins on their missiles. They are optimized in size for guiding a missile to its target in the thicker air from the ground up and around forty thousand feet. At eighty thousand feet the air is so thin that full deflection of the missile’s guidance fins can barely turn it.”

Photo by Airman John Linzmeier, Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew and Senior Airman Devin Nothstine / U.S. Air Force, Edwards History Office file photo, Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Lauren Booher and Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Christopher B. Long U.S. Navy

April 10, 2023 0 comment

History

After more than 60 years of service, a Royal New Zealand Air Force A-4 pilot retires

by Till Daisd April 9, 2023

written by Till Daisd

It was the only occasion an A-4 Skyhawk from the Royal New Zealand Air Force had opened fire in anger

When Jim Jennings fired a warning shot over the bow of a Taiwanese squid boat that was fishing illegally in New Zealand waters in 1976, he entered the annals of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF).

It was the only occasion an RNZAF Skyhawk had opened fire in anger. Although that incident attracted the public’s attention, Mr. Jennings’ remarkable flying career, which lasted more than 60 years and took him all around the world, was not defined by that event.

He is now retired, and on May 27, 2021, a brief ceremony at RNZAF Base Ohakea bid him farewell. An 18-year-old Mr. Jennings joined the military in 1961 and began his training as an engine fitter and mechanic after growing up on a farm in North Canterbury.

He made the decision to become a pilot in 1964. Before being assigned to Ohakea to fly Vampires, he had training on Harvard and Devon aircraft.

“The old Vampire that sits outside of the main gate of Ohakea is one I’ve flown many times,” he says in a New Zealand Defence Force news release.

As the RNZAF upgraded to Skyhawks, Mr. Jennings piloted them on training exercises in Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. He also served as an operations flight commander on the Strikemaster for a while.

Royal New Zealand Air Force A-4 pilot who fired warning shots across the bow of a Taiwanese squid boat retires after more than 60 years of service — A McDonnell Douglas A-4K *Skyhawk* (s/n NZ6205) from No. 75 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force, preparing for take-off from RAAF Base Darwin, Northern Territory (Australia), during exercise “Pitch Black ’84”, a joint US, Australian and New Zealand exercise on Apr. 22, 1984.

Prior to being assigned to Malaysia in the integrated Air Defence System from 1981 to 1983, he spent some time at the headquarters in Wellington with his family.

Before receiving an “out of the blue” offer to take over the No. 2 Squadron, a Skyhawk training unit, Mr. Jennings went back to his old habitat at Ohakea where he served as the Strike Wing’s Executive Officer.

“I had two lovely years there training lots of pilots on the Skyhawk and having a real blast.”

Another high point in Mr. Jennings’ career was his 1989 deployment to Iran as the Detachment Commander of the Air Unit, which provided in-country air transport for the UN mission there.

“It was a very nice place and a lovely country and the mission itself worked quite well but it did have its moments dealing with Iranian Revolutionary Guards.”

The country was like “Central Otago on a grand scale”.

“It had magnificent scenery, lovely people, and snow. My tour was a winter one and at the back of Tehran, where we were based they had a very good ski field. It was a real highlight of my career.”

For his military achievements, he was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2010.

The position of Mr. Jennings was changed to a civilian position in 2011. He has been in charge of operational support issues for the previous ten years, including the airline diversion capability at Ohakea.

Now that he is 79, the man is ready for retirement and a “good sleep-in.”

“I feel young, but the reality is, that’s quite a few years on the clock. I think it was time to retire and give someone else a run at it.

“I think I will miss being on an air base with aircraft around because I’ve been with aircraft nearly all my life, but it’s been a lovely experience and I’ve worked with some excellent people over the years.”

The A-4 Skyhawk in service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force

The RNZAF received 10 A-4K single-seat aircraft and 4 TA-4K in 1970, joining the 75 Squadron. In 1984, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) added 8 A-4G Skyhawks and 2 TA-4Gs, enabling the formation of a second squadron with Skyhawk equipment, 2 Squadron.

Project Kahu was started in 1986 as a less expensive option for purchasing new replacement Skyhawks. Its goal was to equip New Zealand’s Skyhawks with new avionics, including AN/APG-66NZ radar based on the F-16, and armaments. The 12 original RNZAF aircraft and the 10 ex-RAN aircraft were all converted to the A-4K Kahu standard.

The Skyhawks were placed in storage in anticipation of sale in 2001 after the dissolution of the three Air Combat Force squadrons (Nos. 2, 14, and 75). They were kept up with the help of sporadic service flights before being transferred to RNZAF Base Woodbourne and preserved in latex.

In 2012, Draken International and the government of New Zealand agreed to the purchase of eight A-4Ks and related equipment for its adversary training services. Six of them were former RAN A-4G aircraft with considerably fewer flying hours as carrier aircraft. In Lakeland, Florida, at Draken’s Lakeland Linder International Airport facility, these were subsequently transported to the United States. The other A-4K planes were donated to museums in Australia and New Zealand.

Photo by Royal New Zealand Air Force, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy

April 9, 2023 0 comment

Airshows

This amazing video shows Royal Netherlands Air Force F-35s “going ballistic”

by Till Daisd April 9, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The footage was captured on June 10–11, 2016, at Leeuwarden Air Base, during the RNlAF Open Days 2016 airshow

The stunning video in this post shows two Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force, RNlAF) F-35As going vertical right away after takeoff. These are the first two Dutch F-35A aircraft, AN-1 (F-001) and AN-2 (F-002).

Notably, the footage was captured during the 2016 RNlAF Open Days airshow, which took place at Leeuwarden Air Base between June 10 and 11.

The F-35A Lightning II made its premiere at this event, which was the first airshow in Europe. But the F-35’s stay in the Netherlands extended beyond the RNlAF Open Days in 2016.

Since arriving at Leeuwarden Air Base on May 23, 2016, the aircraft has completed environmental noise testing in the air and on the ground. They have also undertaken a scenic flight for invited journalists over the North Sea range. Hundreds of members of the local community, government representatives, and RNLAF workers have also had the chance to travel to Leeuwarden to see the jet up close, hear from program specialists about the program, and even “fly” the cockpit demonstration.

April 9, 2023 0 comment

History

Amazing photo of the X-15 Hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft’s first captive carry flight

by Till Daisd April 8, 2023

written by Till Daisd

As of March 2017, the X-15’s official world record for the fastest time has not been broken

The amazing photograph in this article shows the first of four captive-carry flights of the X-15 coupled to its Boeing NB-52A Stratofortress “mother ship” (s/n 52-003A), which was taken on March 10, 1959, at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB).

A. Scott Crossfield, a test pilot for North American Aviation, was seated in the X-15’s cockpit.

The North American X-15 belonged to the X-plane family of experimental aircraft, and it was flown by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the United States Air Force (USAF) at hypersonic speeds. In the 1960s, the X-15 broke speed and altitude records while traveling to the edge of space and returned with useful information for designing aircraft and spacecraft.

As of March 2017, William J. “Pete” Knight’s flight of Mach 6.72 at 102,100 feet (31,120 m), a speed of 4,520 miles per hour (7,274 km/h), the greatest speed ever recorded by a human, powered aircraft, has stood as the X-15’s official world record.

Thirteen flights by eight different pilots during the X-15 program satisfied the Air Force spaceflight requirement by flying higher than 50 miles (80 km), making them eligible to be astronauts. The civilian pilots received their NASA astronaut wings in 2005, 35 years after the final X-15 flight, but the Air Force pilots received theirs right away.

Two of the 199 X-15 missions (both by Joseph A. Walker) met the international (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) definition of a spaceflight by traveling more than 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) in altitude, making them actual space trips.

Photo by Edwards History Office file photo / U.S. Air Force

April 8, 2023 0 comment

History

WWII fighter pilot who flighted the first P-38 Lightning gets a glimpse on the F-35 Lightning II

by Till Daisd April 8, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The P-38 absolutely purrs out there with 1300 hp in each engine, making flying it feel like you were driving a Cadillac

On October 3, 2016, retired Maj. Earl Conrad Jr., a World War II (WWII) fighter pilot who flew the original P-38 Lightning, went to Luke Air Force Base (AFB) to see the F-35 Lightning II, which bears the name of the storied fighter jet that ruled the skies over the Pacific during his time in service.

The 62nd Fighter Squadron (FS) pilots welcomed Conrad during his visit and gave him a tour of the flightline to get a closer look at the aircraft. They also gave the 97-year-old veteran a briefing on the mission capabilities of the Lightning II and the experience, equipment, and training of present-day Lightning pilots in honor of the heroic service he and others like him rendered in the fight against Hitler’s Germany and Imperial Japan.

Conrad’s dedication to serving his country, like that of many other young people who joined in the armed forces at the time, was inspired by the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Conrad, who was enrolled in San Jose State University’s engineering program, interrupted his studies that same month to enlist in the Army Air Corps.

“Much better than being a gravel cruncher,” Conrad said.

Conrad had a private pilot’s license at the time, which he had purchased for $25 during his first year of college.

“I was kind of interested and my friends were all doing it so I did it,” Conrad said. “They threw a little Piper J-3 Cub at me and let me fly it around for a bit and then I had my license.”

Conrad completed his primary Army Air Corps pilot training in June 1942. After being chosen, he was dispatched to Tallahassee to begin training to fly the P-39 Airacobra, but the demands of the war slightly derailed his plans.

“They needed pilots over in the Pacific, so they cut the training short,” said Conrad. “We took a train over to San Francisco and then a boat over to Hawaii and checked out of there in old, beat-up P-40s for about two or three weeks before flying to New Caledonia and getting back into P-39s.”

Conrad and the other new pilots flew their Airacobras to Guadalcanal after receiving a brief substitute training course there to ensure they could take part in combat operations. There, they experienced their first taste of fighting before even landing.

“As we were coming around the end of the island, there were a whole bunch of ships parked in the water, and they all took a shot at us,” Conrad said.

Not only did he not know who they were, but neither did they.

“They couldn’t tell one plane from the other,” Conrad said. “Fortunately, we all landed safely.”

Retired Maj. Earl Conrad Jr., a World War II fighter pilot who flew the original P-38 Lightning, visited Luke Air Force Base on Oct. 3, 2016, to get a glimpse of the F-35 Lightning II, the namesake of the legendary fighter aircraft which dominated the skies over the Pacific during his time in service.

Conrad describes another episode in which American Navy ships took out a Japanese battleship just off the coast of the airfield where he was stationed. The ship was mostly operational, but it was immobile, and those on board must have realized it was doomed just as well as those ashore.

“We were going to sink it right there,” Conrad said. “That night, [the battleship] shelled all up and down the runway and knocked out almost all of our planes, both the Navy’s F-4Fs and our P-39s.”

One of Conrad’s friends and a colleague pilot rallied up a small four-ship to fly a protection detail after a couple of the least-damaged aircraft were promptly restored into flying condition the following day.

“They went out to fly and he mistook that same battleship as one of ours, and they ran protection cover for it all day,” Conrad said with a laugh. “You can tell how easily things got snafued.”

Even within the borders of “friendly” territory, the situation on the ground was not much prettier.

“There was a Japanese guy we called ‘Wash-machine Charlie’ who had a cannon,” said Conrad. “He would go up in the hills at night about three or four times a week and he would shoot down at us so you’d have to dive into the trenches to get away from him. He was awfully upsetting.”

Conrad flew about 130 missions throughout his roughly one year in the Pacific during four tours, initially in the P-39 with the 67th FS and then in the P-38 with the 39th FS. His squadron would strafe enemy ships, conduct close air support for charging Marines, and escort bombers on lengthy missions.

“It was just like you were driving along in a Cadillac,” Conrad said of the P-38. “It just purrs out there with 1300 horses in each engine.”

The P-38 was a unique twin-engine aircraft that excelled in performance, especially at high altitudes, and had an astonishing amount of speed and power. Because of how well it was designed, it was used continuously throughout the conflict.

Conrad talks about one specific flight he made in his P-38 on an aerial patrol. One of the few true “mano a mano” aerial engagements he claims to have seen throughout his time in the Pacific, his flight came face to face with the ultimate Japanese dogfighter, the Mitsubishi “Zero.”

“All of a sudden my element leader yells, ‘There are 30 or 40 Zeroes up here right above us, about a thousand feet!’” said Conrad. “They’d come down and fire at us and then go right back up. I don’t know why they didn’t stay on us, they could have taken us, but I said, ‘To hell with this,” and I went way out and circled back around and came back right up behind four Zeroes.”

Conrad instructed his flight leader to descend low and hit the deck while he and his wingman lined up a Japanese target because his flight leader couldn’t reach the same location without taking a significant risk.

“He was toast,” Conrad said. “We had eight 50-caliber guns on him and he just became spaghetti.”

Conrad gained many honors and decorations for his service, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Air Medals. In 1946, he received an honorable discharge.

“I’m proud of him,” said Jarolyn Allen Jerry, Conrad’s daughter. “I’m proud of all that he’s done. I’m proud of the man that he’s been, the service member that he’s been, and the father that he’s been. He’s our hero.”

Conrad heard it and disputed the story.

“Oh, there were a thousand guys who did just what I did!” argued a grinning Conrad.

“Not everyone could do what you did,” Jerry argued back, eyes rolled. “He’s got a lot of medals to prove it.”

Jerry’s point of view is shared by Maj. Jondavid Hertzel, the 62nd FS F-35 pilot.

“It was an honor to meet with such a great Airman from the past,” said Hertzel. “Even with the incredible accomplishments and the stories of fighting that are hard to imagine in today’s world, men like Maj. Conrad carried themselves with humility and dignity. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have shared with him his legacy in what we do here at Luke and in the F-35.”

As for the legacy of the Lightning, Conrad left Luke’s flightline impressed.

“They picked the right name,” Conrad said of the F-35. “My goodness, I sure wish I could’ve flown it.”

Photo by Staff Sgt Staci Miller and Senior Airman Marcy Copeland / U.S. Air Force

April 8, 2023 0 comment

Military

This is how A-10 drivers practise hunting and sinking “pirate boats”

by Till Daisd April 7, 2023

written by Till Daisd

A-10 pilots fired inert training rounds of 30-millimeter caliber at unmanned boats positioned in the Gulf of Mexico to make training more realistic

On February 6, 2017, fishing boats armed with improvised machine guns and weapons to mimic “pirate boats” swarmed the region near the Midbay Bridge between Niceville and Destin.

This scenario was from Combat Hammer, an annual multi-service exercise that the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron (FWS) conducts to assess weapon systems.

The 96th Operations Support Squadron hired about 35 local boat captains and mariners to practice realistic swarm attack formation maneuvers in the Choctawhatchee Bay while twin-engine jets, multi-role fighter jets, Navy helicopters, and Canadian F-18s targeted them from above to practice dummy “real-time kills.”

Local boat captains and mariners operating fishing boats equipped with makeshift guns and weapons invaded the Choctawhatchee Bay area on Feb. 6 during the 86th Fighter Weapons Squadron exercise, Combat Hammer. The boat swarms helped create a realistic environment to provide exercise participants with an opportunity to train as they fight.

“We evaluate precision-guided munitions against realistic targets with realistic enemy defenses,” said Lt. Col. Sean Neitzke, 86th FWS commander. “There are plenty of places in the world where low-tech adversaries can mount 50-caliber machine guns and rocket launchers on small boats for use against us. They could also use other types of shoulder-launched weapons, all of which could be a threat to American assets.”

During the morning portion of the test, A-10 pilots fired inert 30-millimeter training rounds at unmanned boats stationed in the Gulf of Mexico to make training more realistic. The pilots also launched 500-pound GBU-12 laser-guided bombs, 2,000-pound Guided Bomb Unit-10 inert bombs, and GBU-54 laser-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs).

Over 62 bomb drops were accomplished over the Eglin range during the training week. Units from the 96th Range Group acquire the data from the drops. Within the Central Control Facility at Eglin, the 96th Range Control Squadron (RNCS) provides real-time mission control and data processing capabilities for the Weapon System Evaluation Program (WSEP) exercise (CCF).

“The 96th RNCS CCF receives data from aircraft, weapons, targets, and a multitude of other range sensors and combines that information to provide full situational awareness to the WSEP engineers,” said Stan Pitchford, Director, 96th Range Control Squadron. “This allows them to make real-time decisions on the performance of various weapon systems.”

Digital data streams are gathered by ground telemetry facilities run by the 96th RNCS using telemetry kits placed on weapons. After being converted into information (such as targeting coordinates) and being sent across a fiber optic cable to the 96th RNCS CCF, the data is then made available to the WSEP customer for analysis. In order to improve situational awareness, the CCF also receives high-speed video and radar data from the 96th RNSS.

“At the end of the exercise, we package all of the mission data and deliver it to the WSEP customer. In a nutshell, we provide WSEP with decision quality data, so they can ensure the employment of the weapons work as intended before they go downrange,” said Pitchford.

This information evaluates the weapons’ suitability, dependability, accuracy, and maintenanceability. In order to help senior Air Force officials, combatant commanders, and operational planners make judgments about warfighter capacity, analysts have broken down those findings. Additionally, when munitions shortcomings are found, the data is used to support financing, training requests, hardware, and software requests.

According to Neitzke, the detection of flaws enables the Air Force to address any problems in the Air Force inventory prior to the deployment of the weapons to operational hotspots. The evaluation exercise also offers and improves operationally realistic training for the participating units and the squadron’s pilots and maintainers.

An A-10 Thunderbolt IIs with the 74th Fighter Squadron from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., flies over the Gulf of Mexico on Feb. 7 during Combat Hammer.

Combat Hammer is frequently the first opportunity aircrew men get to discharge a certain kind of munition from their aircraft. The objective is to give pilots who have never fired a weapon before the opportunity to get in the cockpit and drop a new weapon or a weapon that is often unavailable at their home base.

“We strive for 50 percent first-time shooters in the cockpit,” said Neitzke. “We get an allocation of more unique munitions than an operational fighter squadron typically gets at their home station.”

The 86th FWS Airmen examine every part of the weapons from the point of assembly to the point of impact to guarantee that the munition can be taken off the rack and used successfully in battle tomorrow.

“We want to ensure Americans have the best hardware and software possible. Our goal is to find problems, and fix them, to provide our warfighters the best capabilities we can,” said Neitzke. “We want to protect them and help them be more effective in accomplishing their mission.”

Story by By Ilka Cole, Team Eglin Public Affairs; Photo by Ilka Cole / U.S. Air Force

April 7, 2023 0 comment

History

How a college student scored the first gun kill for an Israeli F-4 Phantom II

by Till Daisd April 7, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Aviem Sella returned from missions over Egypt three or four times a week, flying low over Haifa to let his lecturers know he would soon be attending their classes

The astonishing story of the Israeli Phantom’s first gun kill. The McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II, which Israel purchased in 1969, immediately established itself as the mainstay of the Israeli Air Force (IAF) due to its payload, range, and bombing precision.

The 69 Squadron Hammers, which used its F-4s extensively for the first time in combat during the so-called Operation Blossom, a series of missions that targeted headquarters, logistical hubs, and training facilities throughout Egypt with the aim of convincing the nation to renounce the attrition war policy, was the second IAF unit to receive the Kurnass (as the Phantom was known by the Israeli Air Force).

When on February 8, 1970, after a strike against a logistical facility at Helwan, a pair of MiG-21s took off to pursue a pair of Kurnass piloted by Avihu Ben-Nun with Achikar Eyal and Aviem Sella with Shabtai Ben-Shoa, the 69 Squadron achieved its first-ever air-to-air kill.

It’s a fascinating story of how Aviem Sella managed to shoot down the first enemy fighter in the Hammers’ history by being in the right location at the right time. A narrative that starts prior to the IAF Phantom purchase, as recalled by Sella in the book Hammers Israel’s Long-Range Heavy Bomber Arm: The Tale of 69 Squadron by Shlomo Aloni & Zvi Avidror:

“Circa 1968 I was planned for conversion to the Mirage, but I already realized that flying was not enough. I initiated academic studies at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, immediately after the Six-Day War. The Mirage conversion course was at Ramat David, and the implication was that I would have had to discontinue my studies, so I turned down this offer. A fighter pilot turning down an offer for Mirage conversion was an unheard-of event, and I was summoned by the IAF Commander. The general attitude at the time was that a pilot did not need to study any further than he did during his flying training. I insisted upon studying, renounced the opportunity to fly the Mirage, and for this reason I was later assigned to 69 Squadron.”

The IAF acquired the Kurnass and reactivated the 69 Squadron while Aviem Sella was still pursuing his studies, which had the effect of allowing Sella to fly throughout the Attrition War while still attending his academic classes. Working as Deputy Commander, he returned from missions over Egypt three or four times every week, flying low over Haifa to notify his lecturers that he would soon be attending their classes. After landing in Ramat David, he traveled an hour to Haifa to attend class.

Sella completed his first Kurnass conversion course at Hatzor after which he was assigned to the 69 Squadron. On December 25, 1969, with a little over 30 flying hours under his belt, Sella launched an attack on a SAM battery.

When he shot down the first MiG in 69 Squadron history in February 1970, he only had 20 more hours left on the type: “In February 1970 I shot down my first MiG. I am not sure if I practiced air-to-air gunnery prior to that combat. I launched the first AAM – the wrong missile, as I confused the switches; instead of launching a heat-seeking missile, I launched a semi-active radar-homing missile. I launched the second missile beyond the effective range. I had only flown some 50 flying hours in the Kurnass until then and I hardly knew the cockpit, but luckily for me the Egyptian pilot had plenty of patience for me to do all possible errors until I shot him down.”

The Egyptian pilot actually flew slowly over the Nile Delta, and Sella was able to shoot him down with his seventh cannon burst after coming into cannon range. During that sortie, he finished his air-to-air training, and he undoubtedly created history when he achieved the first gun kill for an Israeli F-4 and the first air-to-air kill in the history of the 69 Squadron. Also, after the Attrition War was completed, Sella was granted nine months of leave to complete his studies.

Photo by Bukvoed via Wikipedia and Israeli Air Force

April 7, 2023 0 comment

Accidents and equipments

If you’re an F-16 fighter pilot wannabe consider checking this equipment

by Till Daisd April 6, 2023

written by Till Daisd

“We have done our jobs right if when they have to eject out of the aircraft because a mission went south, and our equipment worked, we saved their life,” Staff Sgt. Faitha Brookins, 35th Operations Support Squadron

Delivering sorties requires more work than simply donning a flight suit and taking off, and those who work with flights on a regular basis are aware of how crucial each step is for successful mission completion.

Pilots get ready in the flight equipment room before boarding the aircraft, where they were greeted by aircrew flight equipment (AFE) specialists who had prepared everything they would need for the day.

“The AFE personnel are imperative to the mission,” said Col. Travis Rex, the 35th Fighter Wing vice commander at Misawa Air Base (AB). “The amount of gear qualifications and items they maintain on a daily basis is massive. By keeping track of the pilot gear and the egress system, along with other items, they ensure we can safely get back home if anything were to happen during the flight.”

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Dominic Cicci, a 35th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment technician, verifies a compass’s magnetic pull is pointing north at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Feb. 8, 2017. Along with water, flares, and fire starters, a pilot’s survival vest contains different components to sustain them if they become stranded and need to be rescued.

Although there may appear to be only a few pieces of equipment inside from the outside, AFE experts are aware that there is more than what is immediately apparent.

The life preserver survival vest, parachute harness, a Joint Mounted Cueing System Helmet (JHMCS), display unit, MBU 20/P oxygen mask, and anti-G-LOC suit are all given to the pilots by the technicians, who also check them for functionality before and after each flight.

For an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter pilot to be able to observe and lock on targets during air-to-air combat, necessities like the helmet system must be available at all times, according to Staff Sgt. Faitha Brookins, 35th Operations Support Squadron (OSS) AFE NCO in charge.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Dominic Cicci, right, and Senior Airman Coty Buckley, left, both 35th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment technicians, perform pre-flight and post-flight inspections at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Feb. 8, 2017. The AFE shop oversees pilots’ item serviceability and restocks their uniforms with supplies like water and food if needed.

“Fitting one pilot’s display mask to their face takes approximately four hours for us,” Brookins said. “We have to measure all sides of their face and account for large or small jawlines and then shave off the plastic slowly. This [ensures] the display mask is made to fit them perfectly while they are flying and prevents it from being too loose and moving around while they’re in combat.”

The egress system, which consists of the ejection seat and parachuting gear in the cockpit of the aircraft, is added to the list of essential items of flight equipment. To make sure it won’t malfunction when deployed, the egress system is put through a rigorous inspection process.

The system examination, which entails disassembling each component, inspecting the F-16 seating system, making any necessary repairs, and reassembling it, can take one to two days.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Faitha Brookins, the 35th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment NCO in charge, cleans a joint-mounted cueing system helmet at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Feb. 8, 2017. Every day the AFE shop maintains the cleanliness and functionality of the pilot’s equipment while performing thorough routine checks during their shift.

An experienced, high-level chute rigger does this check at least once a year, whether or not the system will be used that year.

“We take a long time during this inspection because we are not allowed any margin of error,” said Staff Sgt. Travis Tillman, 35th OSS AFE technician. “If pilots have to use the system in an emergency situation, it has to deploy without a problem in order to save their life. That is why this system, as well as the inspections we perform, are so important.”

In addition to the parachute system, daily inspections are performed on all flying equipment.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Richard Smeeding, the 35th Fighter Wing Pacific Air Force F-16 Demonstration Team pilot, puts on his boot at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Feb. 8, 2017. The aircrew flight equipment personnel fits each pilot’s G-suit to their size and ensures all equipment is serviceable before their departure.

“When we do a preflight inspection we make sure everything in their locker is ready for use,” Brookins said. “We want to make sure it’s 100 percent reliable because if anything happens with the aircrew members once they leave through those doors, we are held responsible since our names are on those pieces of equipment.”

Even disused components are frequently inspected, giving pilots more safety protection.

“Some of the crew members don’t fly daily so they don’t receive a pre-flight and post-flight inspection,” Brookins said. “So we want to make sure every 30 days we get eyes on that equipment for a thorough inspection to make sure nothing is compromised in the pilot’s equipment.”

Brookins outlined how they disassemble each component for inspection during this period. They can then determine whether a piece of equipment needs to be changed if there is a probability that it will malfunction.

U.S. Air Force Col. Travis Rex, the 35th Fighter Wing vice commander, left, receives a pre-flight inspection by Staff Sgt. Faitha Brookings, right, the 35th Operations Support Squadron aircrew flight equipment NCO in charge, at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Feb. 8, 2017. After donning flight equipment, AFE personnel jolt and tug their suits ensuring survival amenities are secured and no tears or holes formed in their uniform.

“Everything we inspect and touch is life-saving equipment,” Brookins said. “When these pilots perform the mission, they have a sense of security knowing they received functioning gear.”

The 35th OSS aircrew flight equipment shop is in charge of providing the pilots with all the tools they need for a safe flight from takeoff to landing.

“We have done our jobs right if when they have to eject out of the aircraft because a mission went south, and our equipment worked, we saved their life,” Brookins said. “That means the pilot comes home to their family and flies another day.”

U.S. Air Force Capt. Jason Markzon, a 13th Fighter Squadron pilot, tests his MBU 20/P breathing mask at Misawa Air Base, Japan, Feb. 8, 2017. Before take-off, a preflight check is performed by aircrew flight equipment Airmen, ensuring all equipment functions properly.

Story by Airman 1st Class Sadie Colbert, 35th Fighter Wing; Photo by Cory W. Bush and Airman 1st Class Sadie Colbert / U.S. Air Force

April 6, 2023 0 comment

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