Category: Aircraft

In the annals of military aviation, few aircraft have left a mark as indelible as the EA-6B Prowler. This electronic warfare aircraft stands as a testament to the ingenuity and innovation of its designers. Throughout its storied history, the Prowler has played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome of critical missions and establishing air superiority.

The EA-6B Prowler was conceived with a singular purpose: to dominate the electromagnetic spectrum. Armed with an array of sophisticated electronic countermeasures, this aircraft had the ability to neutralize enemy radar systems, disrupt communications, and thwart hostile missile guidance systems.

Its effectiveness in denying adversaries the advantage of modern technology was nothing short of extraordinary. In the heat of battle, the Prowler was a game-changer, shifting the balance of power in favor of allied forces.

For decades, the EA-6B Prowler served as the backbone of carrier-based electronic warfare operations. Its presence on aircraft carriers was a reassurance of unmatched electronic protection for carrier strike groups and naval fleets. The aircraft’s adaptability and reliability made it an invaluable asset in safeguarding not only the carrier but also the entire fleet.

During countless deployments, the Prowler demonstrated its prowess in maintaining the integrity of electronic systems critical to mission success. It was the first and last line of defense against electronic threats, earning the respect and admiration of pilots and crew members alike.

As with all great legacies, the time eventually came for the EA-6B Prowler to pass the torch. In the face of evolving threats and the rapid advancement of technology, the decision was made to retire this venerable aircraft. Its retirement marked the end of an era, but its impact on electronic warfare would forever be etched in the annals of aviation history.

The EA-6B Prowler stands as a testament to human ingenuity and innovation in the realm of electronic warfare. Its unrivaled legacy is a testament to the impact it had on critical missions and the establishment of air superiority. While its time in active service has come to an end, its influence will continue to resonate in the world of military aviation for generations to come.

So, the next time you hear of the EA-6B Prowler, remember that it was more than just an aircraft; it was a symbol of excellence and a guardian of the skies, dominating the electromagnetic spectrum with unmatched precision.

The P-51 Mustang is one of the most recognizable aircraft in military aviation history, and the story of “Berlin Express” illustrates just how far the Mustang’s legacy reaches.

The warbird’s story begins with American World War II aviator William B. “Bill” Overstreet who hailed from Clifton Forge, Virginia. After enlisting following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Overstreet trained with the U.S. Army Air Corps and was eventually deployed at Raydon Airfield in England. There he joined a squadron of the Eighth Air Force flying Republic P-47 Thunderbolts from RAF Leiston. As the AAF transition to the newer Mustang, Overstreet got his first opportunity to pilot a P-51 on January 30, 1944.

Overstreet named his first P-51, which he received in February 1944 “Southern Belle.” However, the aircraft was lost while being flown in combat by a different pilot a couple of weeks later, causing him to rethink the name. At the time, his squadron was assigned to bomber escort missions with the 357th fighter group regularly flying sorties to Germany, and thus the “Berlin Express” was born. All his subsequent planes went by the same moniker.

The “Berlin Express” P-51B Mustang achieved legendary status during an epic World War II dogfight in Paris in 1944, when Overstreet flew the aircraft under the Eiffel Tower in hot pursuit of a German fighter. Overstreet eventually downed the German Messerschmitt Bf 109G and eluded heavy enemy fire while escaping the battle with the “Berlin Express” intact. This victory was later immortalized by Len Krenzler in a painting of the “Berlin Express’” Eiffel Tower victory.

“Our man Bill was like Daredevil, the man without fear. Between flying so low and dodging enemy fire, he still shot a few bursts of his guns and hit the 109’s engine. In a last-ditch effort, the 109 flew under the Eiffel Tower hoping Overstreet would avoid it — NOPE!” recalled Brian Burnett II, Tour Guide at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. “Bill followed him under the tower, and as the 109 pulled up, Bill sent him back down in flames. Afterwards, Bill went down to the river and followed it, barely above water level. Under the cover of the structures on either side, he made his way out of the city and back to base,” continued Burnett.

Today, the restored Mustang “Berlin Express” is based on the remains of the P-51B 43–24837. This Mustang flew with the 9th Air Force’s 363rd Fighter Group out of RAF Staplehurst in Kent, England. It crashed in Beckley on June 10, 1944, after the pilot was forced to bail out during a training exercise. Sporting a “Malcolm Hood” canopy and wearing the markings for “Berlin Express,” its paint scheme models the 357th Fighter Group Mustang that Overstreet made famous.

The modern day “Berlin Express” also made a historic transatlantic flight from the U.S. to England with U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight alumnus Lee Lauderback in the cockpit, following the same route it took in 1942 as part of the military troop buildup in the United Kingdom during WWII. The four-day, 5,470-mile journey began June 28, 2017, in Texas and culminated with its landing at Duxford Airfield in England on July 4.

Nearly 80 years after its original landmark moment, the “Berlin Express” will take to the skies with the Horsemen Flight Team in honor of the Italian Air Force’s centennial celebrations in Rome from June 16–18.

Dan Friedkin, who owns “Berlin Express,” will fly the historic aircraft and perform in the Pratica di Mare Air Show on the right wing alongside his longtime Horsemen Flight Teammates Jim Beasley, Jr. and Ed Shipley.

“The ‘Berlin Express’ is an iconic aircraft that symbolizes a defining period in the history of aerial combat,” said Dan Friedkin, chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group, Horsemen Flight Team member and AS Roma football club president and owner. “It’s an honor to fly in the Pratica di Mare Air Show as we pay homage to the brave men and women who have shaped the course of military aviation. We’re excited to offer people around the world the chance to celebrate Aeronautica Militare’s memorable history and look forward to flying our routine for the first time in Rome, a city that holds a special place in my heart.”

Via: Horsemen Flight Team

 

As the theater of military aʋiatioп coпstaпtly reshapes itself iп respoпse to emergiпg threats aпd techпological adʋaпcemeпts, a few awe-iпspiriпg creatioпs haʋe takeп ceпter stage: the Dassaυlt Rafale, the SaaƄ Gripeп, aпd the Eυrofighter Typhooп. This trio of formidaƄle Eυrocaпard jet fighters, each eqυipped with a distiпctiʋe delta wiпg aпd caпard desigп, represeпts the piппacle of military aʋiatioп eпgiпeeriпg.

Bυt which oпe?

Oпe caппot help Ƅυt marʋel at these techпological marʋels, each emƄodyiпg the piппacle of their respectiʋe пatioп’s prowess iп aerospace eпgiпeeriпg. The Rafale’s seamless Ƅleпd of elegaпce aпd power is a testameпt to Freпch iпgeпυity. The Gripeп, a symƄol of Swedish craftsmaпship, exυdes a seпse of calcυlated precisioп. The Typhooп, a prodυct of paп-Eυropeaп collaƄoratioп, represeпts a perfect fυsioп of diʋerse techпological streпgths.

Yet, iп this appareпt symmetry of caпards aпd delta wiпgs, a qυestioп arises: Wheп faced with a choice, which oпe of these Eυrocaпard fighters shoυld a пatioп eпtrυst with the safegυardiпg of its skies? Each aircraft has its streпgths, its υпiqυe featυres that make it staпd apart, Ƅυt how do they measυre υp wheп pitted agaiпst each other? To determiпe the right fit for aп air force, oпe mυst delʋe deep iпto the iпtricacies of their desigп, performaпce, aпd capaƄilities. Shall we diʋe iп?

Dassaυlt Rafale

Hailiпg from Fraпce, the Rafale is kпowп for its agility aпd ʋersatility. Twiп-eпgiпe, caпard-delta wiпg desigп offers sυperƄ Ƅalaпce Ƅetweeп speed, agility, aпd payload capacity. The Thales RBE2-AA Actiʋe Electroпically Scaппed Array (AESA) radar system, comƄiпed with Rafale’s highly iпtegrated aʋioпics aпd Spectra electroпic warfare system, allow the aircraft to coпdυct air sυperiority, iпterdictioп, recoппaissaпce, aпd пυclear strike missioпs with exceptioпal efficieпcy.

SaaƄ Gripeп

Swedeп’s Gripeп is a light, siпgle-eпgiпe mυltirole fighter desigпed to proʋide high performaпce for its cost. Its aerodyпamic desigп aпd powerfυl Volʋo Aero RM12 eпgiпe allows for impressiʋe speed aпd maпeυʋeraƄility. Gripeп’s modυlar aʋioпics system, aпd the iпtegratioп of the latest geпeratioп seпsor sυite iпclυdiпg aп AESA radar, eпsυres a sυperior sitυatioпal awareпess. Moreoʋer, its short takeoff/laпdiпg capaƄility aпd ease of maiпteпaпce make it a highly deployaƄle optioп.

Eυrofighter Typhooп

Price aпd Ecoпomical Aspects

The cost of a fighter jet is a crυcial factor for maпy coυпtries. The Rafale’s υпit price is aroυпd $100 millioп, depeпdiпg oп the specific coпfigυratioп. The Gripeп is the least expeпsiʋe, with a υпit cost of aƄoυt $60 millioп oп the lower-eпd models, which coυpled with its lower operatioпal costs makes it ʋery attractiʋe for smaller coυпtries. The Typhooп, howeʋer, is the most expeпsiʋe, hoveriпg aroυпd $120 millioп per υпit.

Video: Dassaυlt Rafale | MOST BRUTAL JET DISPLAY EVER

Come oп, I caп get aп F-35 with that kiпd of moпey

While the F-35 has ofteп Ƅeeп criticized for its seemiпgly extraʋagaпt cost, its price has actυally Ƅeeп oп a dowпward treпd, settliпg at aroυпd $78 millioп per υпit for the F-35A ʋariaпt. Iп comparisoп, eʋeп the most ecoпomical amoпg the trio, the Gripeп, is fairly close iп terms of price, makiпg the procυremeпt of these Eυrocaпards a sigпificaпt fiпaпcial decisioп for aпy air force, coпsideriпg Ƅoth acqυisitioп aпd lifecycle costs.

Despite its lower cost, the decisioп to pυrchase the F-35 isп’t as straightforward, as it reqυires coпsideriпg factors sυch as political alliaпces, techпological compatiƄility with existiпg systems, specific missioп reqυiremeпts, aпd the desire for strategic aυtoпomy iп defeпse procυremeпt.

Aп F-35 Lightпiпg II coпdυcts its first flight aпd first taпkiпg with a KC-135R Stratotaпker (U.S. Air Force photo Ƅy Seпior Airmaп Mary Begy)

ComƄat Use

All three aircraft haʋe seeп comƄat υse. Rafale has participated iп mυltiple campaigпs, sυch as iп LiƄya, Mali, Iraq, aпd Syria, demoпstratiпg a roƄυst aпd capaƄle performaпce. The Gripeп, thoυgh пot as exteпsiʋely υsed iп comƄat, has Ƅeeп deployed iп iпterпatioпal missioпs aпd regυlarly participates iп mυltiпatioпal exercises. The Typhooп has seeп actioп iп operatioпs oʋer LiƄya aпd Iraq, showcasiпg its effectiʋeпess as a mυltirole comƄat aircraft.

JAS 39 Gripeп: How Swedeп Bυilt The World’s Best Noп Stealth Fighter Jet. (Video yoυtυƄe)

Who’s Flyiпg What?

Leadiпg the skies iп a breathtakiпg show of power aпd precisioп, the Rafale sees its primary υse iп the Freпch Air Force aпd Naʋy. Fυrther afield, its wiпgs also toυch the azυre expaпses oʋer Egypt, Qatar, Iпdia, Greece, aпd Croatia. The Gripeп, iп all its Swedish-eпgiпeered glory, has Ƅeeп adopted Ƅy a plethora of air forces iпclυdiпg those of Soυth Africa, Hυпgary, Thailaпd, aпd Brazil. The Typhooп, 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 from a Eυropeaп coпsortiυm, holds domiпioп iп the air forces of its foυr foυпdiпg пatioпs – the UK, Germaпy, Italy, aпd Spaiп, aпd has made its mark iп Saυdi AraƄia, Kυwait, aпd Qatar.

F-117 Nighthawk: The IпʋisiƄle Stealth Strike BomƄer. (Video yoυtυƄe)

The Fiпal Verdict

Iп the graпd scheme of aerial comƄat, each of these formidaƄle Ƅirds of prey offers a υпiqυe Ƅleпd of adʋaпtages. The Rafale sweeps the competitioп with its υпriʋaled mυltirole fυпctioпality, while the Gripeп charms with its ecoпomical allυre. The Typhooп, oп the other haпd, asserts its domiпaпce throυgh high-speed iпterceptioп prowess aпd aп iпdomitable air sυperiority.

The decidiпg factor? It Ƅoils dowп to the specific demaпds, fiпaпcial mυscle, aпd strategic aims of the пatioпs iп qυestioп. If a coυпtry desires a mυlti-faceted, cυttiпg-edge aircraft capaƄle of tackliпg a spectrυm of missioпs, the Rafale staпds poised for coпsideratioп. Alterпatiʋely, the Gripeп coυld Ƅe aп attractiʋe propositioп for пatioпs пaʋigatiпg Ƅυdget restrictioпs, yet υпwilliпg to compromise oп the пeed for a moderп, effectiʋe mυltirole fighter. The Typhooп, meaпwhile, will пatυrally appeal to those who place a high premiυm oп air sυperiority aпd swift iпterceptioп capaƄilities.

No matter the fiпal choice, oпe thiпg remaiпs crystal clear: The Rafale, the Gripeп, aпd the Typhooп are amoпgst the most elite warriors graciпg oυr skies today.

An old fighter such as the MiG-21 can be deadly under the right circumstances.

Here’s What to Remember: Indeed, the aerial battle in which the MiG-21 and F-16 were shot down involved, on both sides, mixed formations of old and new fighters.

The Indian air force defended its decision to send old MiG-21 fighters up against much more modern Pakistani F-16s during recent aerial skirmishes.

Several days of aerial fighting followed the bombing raid. On Feb. 27, 2019, Pakistani F-16s and other planes crossed the line of control to attack Indian forces, New Delhi claimed.

Indian MiG-21s and other fighters intercepted the Pakistanis and shot down one F-16, killing its pilot, according to the Indian government. Islamabad claimed its forces shot down two MiG-21s, but New Delhi copped to losing just one jet.

Pakistani forces captured the MiG-21 pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, and held him for two days before handing him over to Indian officials.

India’s MiG-21s, while featuring some key upgrades, still are more than 30 years old. The Pakistani F-16 that the Indians shot down reportedly was a Block 52D model that Islamabad in 2005 ordered from the United States.

“The MiG-21 is in our inventory, why will we not use it?” Indian Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa rhetorically asked reporters when questioned about the aerial disparity.

To be fair, India in the 1990s upgraded its MiG-21s to the “Bison” standard with Western-style avionics, a new radar and radar warning receiver and compatibility with modern weapons. “[It] has got better weapons system, better air-to-air missiles,” Dhanoa pointed out.

But the main reason India sent the MiG-21 into battle is that the type is still one of the most numerous in Indian air force service. “We fight with all the aircraft in our inventory,” Dhanoa said.

Indeed, the aerial battle in which the MiG-21 and F-16 were shot down involved, on both sides, mixed formations of old and new fighters.

“The MiG-21 that was shot down on Feb. 27, 2019, was part of a formation of eight Indian fighters which included four Sukhoi 30s, two upgraded Mirage 2000s and two MiG-21 Bisons that were dispatched to engage a package of 24 [Pakistani air force] jets that included eight F-16s, four Mirage III aircraft, four JF-17 Thunders,” David Cenciotti reported at The Aviationist.

India for years has been struggling to replace a large fleet of old, Russian-made warplanes. In 2018 the Indian air force operated 244 1960s-vintage MiG-21s and 84 MiG-27s that are only slightly younger.

The MiG-21s, in particular, are accident-prone. Since the first of 874 MiG-21s entered Indian service in 1963, around 490 have crashed, killing around 200 pilots.

New Delhi wants to spend around $18 billion building 115 new fighters to replace the old MiGs. The new planes would fly alongside European-designed Jaguars, French Mirage 2000s and Rafales, Russian MiG-29s and Su-30s, and India’s own indigenous Tejas fighter in what Lockheed described as “the world’s largest fighter aircraft ecosystem.”

Competitors for the 115-plane purchase include an upgraded F-16 that Lockheed Martin calls the “F-21,” Boeing’s F/A-18E/F, the Rafale, the European Typhoon, the Swedish Gripen E and the Russian MiG-35 and Su-35. Indian companies would assemble the new jets on license.

At the same time, Russia wants to sell to the Indians an upgrade package for New Delhi’s Su-30s. The Su-30SM would benefit from many of the systems that manufacturer Sukhoi developed for the newer Su-35.

The complexity of acquisitions processes in New Delhi could force the Indian air force to operate for years or even decades longer a diverse mix of old and new fighters.

There’s no reason this mixed force can’t be effective in aerial combat, Cenciotti explained. An old fighter such as the MiG-21 can be deadly under the right circumstances.

Not always does the more modern and capable weapon system (in this case the PAF F-16) win. Several factors must be taken into consideration: pilot skills, support from other assets (including fighters and [airborne early warning] aircraft), ground radars, etc.

Above all, [rules of engagement] play an essential role: if the rules of engagement require a positive [visual identification] of the opponent, a fighter might be forced to come [within visual range] where a MiG-21 can be particularly threatening.

The F-5E “Tiger” is one of U.S. aerospace industry’s largest export successes. Designed as a budget lightweight fighter, the F-5E is still operated by many nations around the world despite the availability of more modern fighters.

Here’s What You Need To Remember: Brazilian experts stress that the FAB’s capability gap with neighboring air forces was only narrowed by the upgrade and that the F-5EM still remains an outclassed fighter in modern air combat due to its shortcomings and old-school design. Regardless, it was the best the FAB could do on a limited budget and the resulting craft was quite good for the money spent.

The F-5E “Tiger” is one of U.S. aerospace industry’s largest export successes. Designed as a budget lightweight fighter, the F-5E is still operated by many nations around the world despite the availability of more modern fighters.

Its continued service is enabled by miniaturization of electronics, which allows for more powerful radars and more systems to be integrated into the same spaces as the original system. This approach is exemplified by the F-5EM operated by Brazil, one of the most advanced variants of the F-5E flying today.

Brazil first acquired F-5Es in 1974 after comparing it to rival NATO light fighters like the Harrier, Jaguar, Fiat G.91 and A-4 Skyhawk. Forty-two units were purchased originally, followed by twenty-six more in the 1980s.

These aircraft served in without much modification until CRUZEX I aerial exercise in 2002. The exercise simulated conflict between the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and a French Armee de l’Air force equipped with Mirage 2000s with E-3 Sentry AWACS support. The results were abysmal, with France expected to take air superiority in a real conflict despite some good simulated kills by FAB Mirage IIIs.

This sparked a significant push to modernize the FAB’s capability to defend Brazil’s airspace. Modernization of the Mirage III was explored but deemed to be cost ineffective. The F-5E showed much more promise.

In the 1990s, Chile, facing a similar need to modernize, created their own variant, the Tiger III Plus with assistance from Israel Aircraft Industries. A similar program with newer technology could be done with the FAB’s F-5Es.

The program began in the 2000s when a contract was awarded to the Brazilian firm Embraer to modernize forty-six F-5Es with European and Israeli technology. The key aspect of the modernization was to “extend” the legs of the F-5E from being a short-range “point defense” fighter to something that could cover more ground over Brazil’s rather large borders.

To this end, the radar was upgraded to the SELEX Grifo-F, which involved lengthening the nose cone of the aircraft to account for the larger radar antenna. But while the new radar was better, the F-5EM was designed with a secure data link to connect to FAB E-99 AWACS aircraft and ground radars, which were envisioned to vector the F-5s onto a target.

The role of the data link in FAB doctrine is significant. In addition to the dominance displayed by the French Mirages working with E-3s during CRUZEX, the FAB always favored vectoring their fighters from more powerful radars due to poor experience with the original F-5E radar. During a night intercept of a British Vulcan bomber in 1982, the F-5E’s onboard radar was unable to effectively search for the massive aircraft, the fighters were reliant on ground radar.

To take advantage of the additional range given by the data link and radar systems, the Israeli Derby active-radar medium-range air-to-air missile was integrated into the F-5EM. While lighter and shorter ranged than heavier missiles like the AMRAAM and R-27, the missile gave the FAB much-needed beyond-visual-range capability in air-to-air combat, the third nation after Chile and Venezuela to gain such capability.

Many other systems were added or upgraded on the F-5EM. In addition to the Derby, Israeli Python III short-range missiles were integrated. The Israeli DASH helmet mounted display was installed in the cockpit to cue those missiles, making the F-5EM a formidable close range fighter.

A radar-warning receiver, onboard oxygen generation system, hands-on throttle and stick, and INS/GPS navigation are all included. The addition of all these systems came at a cost though. The starboard M39A2 20mm cannon was removed to make space for electronics in the jet.

Finally to address the F-5E’s meager internal fuel capacity, provision for air-to-air refueling was added.

The F-5E modernization program continued through the 2000s and 2010s, with the final jet being delivered in 2013. Eleven additional F-5Es were acquired from the Jordanian Air Force in 2009 to increase the number of the type in FAB service.

The type is expected to serve on to 2025, with the integration of the new A-Darter beyond visual range air-to-air missile expected to happen soon. The new Gripen Es being acquired by the FAB are expected to supplement the shorter ranged F-5EMs.

Brazilian experts stress that the FAB’s capability gap with neighboring air forces was only narrowed by the upgrade and that the F-5EM still remains an outclassed fighter in modern air combat due to its shortcomings and old-school design. Regardless, it was the best the FAB could do on a limited budget and the resulting craft was quite good for the money spent.

“Strike Eagle, Strike Eagle, they call me by name/I bombed the hell outta Goldwater Range…” So begins the song that Dick Jonas—Vietnam War fighter pilot turned professional singer—dedicates to the F-15E Strike Eagle, the successor to the F-4 Phantom that Lt. Col USAF, Ret. Jonas had flown over the jungles of Southeast Asia. And an examination of the F-15E’s history makes it abundantly clear why “the fighter pilot’s minstrel” sings about the Strike Eagle with such reverence.

“I Totes More Bombs Than a B-24…”

The F-15 Eagle series of fighter jets certainly needs no introduction to military aviation history buffs, as it has attained an unmatched and mind-boggling 104:0 kill ratio during 40-plus years of service, with nary a single loss in air-to-air combat.

The E-series variant in particular made her maiden flight on 11 December 1986, 14 years after the original F-15 did so.

The Strike Eagle in particular was conceived as a warplane that would truly excel in both the air superiority and the ground attack roles, a dual which the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark had previously been intended to fulfill but didn’t quite make it (although, in fairness, the Aardvark did perform quite well during Operation Eldorado Canyon, the U.S. bombing mission against Libya in April 1986). Indeed, by 1996 the F-111 would be retired and completely replaced by the F-15E.

What Truly Makes the F-15E Special

The most obvious difference between the F-15E and earlier models is that this one is a two-seater, as the Strike Eagle also has a weapons system officer (WSO), known affectionately in USAF slang as a “Whizzo” or “GIB (Guy/Gal In Back).”

The Whizzo is a necessary addition for multiple reasons, chief among them being the operation of the APG-70 radar system, which, as my 1945 colleague Brent M. Eastwood explains, “has a dual role too. The pilot can use the system to engage ground targets while the weapons system officer can look out for air targets. The crew can then swap roles depending on whether there are new air-to-air threats or different targets on the ground.” In addition, as Brent continues, “The weapons system officer has a great gig because there is all kinds of action in the back seat. There are four screens to peruse. These handle radar, electronic warfare, enemy aircraft monitoring, weapons status, threats, and navigation.”

As for the intended dual role of the plane, this warbird can carry a payload of up to 23,000 pounds (3,628 kilograms) of bombs, with a carrying capacity of 15 JDAMs being one of the options. (Joint Direct Attack Munitions).

To give the reader a sense of perspective and basis of comparison, the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, and B-29 Superfortress, all of which were considered “heavy” bombers by WWII standards, had bomb load capacities of 17,600 pounds (7,800 kilograms), 8,000 pounds (3,600 kilograms), and 20,000 pounds (9,100 kilograms) respectively.

“…And I Laid a Couple in Saddam’s Backdoor”

 The F-15E received its baptism of fire during Operation Desert Storm. On the first night of that campaign, 24 F-15Es launched an attack on five fixed Scud installations in western Iraq. F-15Es struck heavily defended targets throughout Iraq, prioritizing SCUD missile sites, as well as embarking on tank plinking missions against Iraqi vehicles in Kuwait prior to the commencement of the ground war phase of the Kuwait liberation effort.

F-15Es also destroyed 18 Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) jets on the ground using GBU-12s and CBU-87 munitions.

Ironically enough, the F-15E would score its first air-to-air kill, not with its internal gun 20mm gun or its air-to-air missiles…but a laser-guided bomb, namely a GBU-10.

On Valentine’s Day of 1991, an F-15E crew consisting of then-Captain Tim Bennett, the pilot, and then-Capt. Dan Bakke, the WSO, spotted a Mi-24 Hind helicopter in the process of unloading Iraqi troops which would have posed a threat to a nearby U.S. Special Forces team.

As recounted by Tim Bennett himself:

“Dan and I discussed how we wanted to conduct the attack. We decided to hit the lead helicopter with a GBU-10 while he was on the ground. If we hit him, he would be destroyed. If he moved off before the bomb landed, it would still get the troops he just left on the ground. It would also give the other helicopters something to think about, which might give the team a chance to get away in the confusion…There was a big flash, and I could see pieces flying in different directions. It blew the helicopter to hell, damn near vaporized it.”

Strike Eagles would go on to add three UAVs to their air-to-air kill tally during operations over Syria in 2017 and 2021. As far as the bombing role, the F-15E did this with aplomb, from Operations Deliberate Force and Allied Force over the Balkans, to Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (credited with destroying 60% of the Iraqi Medina Republican Guard’s total force during the latter operation), to the Operation Inherent Resolve. In November 2015, the Strike Eagle bagged her highest-value target, killing Abu Nabil AKA Wissam Najm Abd Zayd al-Zubaydi, then-leader of Islamic State (ISIS) in Libya.

“…And Nobody Wants to Leave Me ‘Cause I’m Too Much Fun”

 Since this article began by quoting the Dick Jonas song, methinks it fitting to conclude this piece accordingly: “Strike Eagle, Strike Eagle, you know what I mean/I’ll still be flying in 2019/Yeah, I’ll still be flying in 2019.”

Here were now are in 2022, and she’s indeed still flying.

F-15E Strike Eagles taxi into formation June 12, 2019, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. This was a rare opportunity to capture the Gunfighter family, including the 391st, 389th and 428th Fighter Squadrons, before a morning flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Jeremy L. Mosier)

A pair of heritage painted F-15E Strike Eagles assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing conduct aerial maneuvers over southern England June 9, 2019. The Liberty Wing conducts routine training daily to ensure the 48th Fighter Wing brings unique air combat capabilities to the fight when called upon by United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew)

An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron takes off for a training sortie at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Oct. 26, 2018. The 494th trains regularly to ensure RAF Lakenheath brings unique air combat capabilities to the fight. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew)

An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron flies over Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, May 10. The 492nd trains regularly to ensure RAF Lakenheath brings unique air combat capabilities to the fight. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew)

An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 492nd Fighter Squadron flies over Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, May 10. The 492nd trains regularly to ensure RAF Lakenheath brings unique air combat capabilities to the fight. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew)

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Since entering service in 1979, this “warbird” has been battle-tested, engaging in more than 400,000 combat sorties and has a combined 19 million flight hours.

Here’s What You Need To Remember: While Lockheed delivered the last F-16 from Fort Worth to the Iraqi Air Force in November 2017, ending 40 years of F-16 production, this old warbird will be taking to the sky for years to come.

There are approximately 3,000 operational F-16s in service today in 25 countries, a testament to what is easily the world’s most successful, combat-proven multi-role jet fighter ever produced. The fast and agile F-16 Fighting Falcon isn’t just one of the top fighters it is also amongst the most cost-effective. While it lacks the range and payload of the larger twin-engine F-15 Eagle, it also costs less than half – which is why the fourth-generation F-16 has been in use since the 1970s and will likely keep flying for many more years to come.

Since entering service in 1979, this “warbird” has been battle-tested, engaging in more than 400,000 combat sorties and has a combined 19 million flight hours. It has been adapted to complete a number of missions, including air-to-air fighting, ground attack, and electronic warfare. As a combat fighter, the F-16 has proven to be highly maneuverable while its combat radius exceeds that of its potential threats.

Along with the larger F-15 Eagle, the F-16 was one of the world’s first aircraft to withstand higher g-forces than the pilots. These are notable accolades for an aircraft that really began as a technology demonstrator to determine where it was possible to build a versatile fighter that could be cheaper than the F-15.

In 1972 the Air Force’s Prototype Program Office at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, launched the Lightweight Fighter (LWF) program, and the request for proposals (RFP) called for a highly maneuverable fighter with a significant emphasis on reduced weight but also cost. The program wasn’t originally intended to lead to a production aircraft, but rather to determine what was possible at what cost.

While five contractors competed for the LWF two finalists emerged – General Dynamics and Northrop, which would build two prototypes of their respective designs, the YF-16 and YF-17. As the program continued four European members of NATO – Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway – sought to replace the F-105Gs with a lighter and more affordable fighter.

In April 1974 this resulted in a revision to the LWF, which became the Air Combat Fighter (ACF) program and together the F-16 took shape – with final airframe assembly in Belgium and the Netherlands, while components came from all five countries.

The latest version of the Fighting Falcon is powered by a single-engine, either the General Electric F110-GE-129 or Pratt and Whitney F100-PW-229, and while it is a speedy fighter it can pack a serious punch. The F-16 has nine hardpoints for weapons payloads – including one at each wingtip, three under each wing and one centerline under the fuselage.

It has carried a variety of air-to-air missiles including the Lockheed Martin/Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder, Raytheon AMRAAM, Raytheon Sparrow, MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics) Skyflash and ASRAAM, and the MBDA R550 Magic 2; and in April 2004 it was the first fighter to fire the new-generation AIM-9X Sidewinder. Air-to-surface missiles carried on the F-16 include Maverick, HARM and Shrike missiles, manufactured by Raytheon, and anti-ship missiles include Boeing Harpoon and Kongsberg Penguin.

While Lockheed delivered the last F-16 from Fort Worth to the Iraqi Air Force in November 2017, ending 40 years of F-16 production, this old warbird will be taking to the sky for years to come.

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Operated by the U.S. агmу, the Chinook is one of the heaviest lifting helicopters in the world. Named for the Chinook tribe of Oregon and Washington state, the helicopter eпteгed service in 1962, and it has remained relevant ever since.

The helicopter’s story begins in 1956, when the U.S. Department of defeпѕe decided to replace the Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave, a cargo helicopter with post engines.

The Department wanted a fresh design, something that used the recently invented gas turbine-powered engines.

The contract was awarded to Vetrol, and work began on what would become a timeless component of U.S. military рoweг.

Vietnam Was a Hard Testing Ground for the CH-47

Vetrol’s final design is distinct among U.S. агmу helicopters in that the helicopter features two rotors. Each is powered by a Lycoming T55 turboshaft engine and is mounted to either side of the helicopter’s rear pylon.

With two rotors, rotating in opposite directions, the Chinook does not need the anti-torque vertical rotor found on most helicopters. Instead, the Chinook can apply every single watt of рoweг toward generating ɩіft and thrust.

Additionally, the twin-rotor configuration is more stable than a single-rotor configuration in situations where weight is added or subtracted mid-fɩіɡһt – a helpful feature for a helicopter designed to lug troops and cargo.

(CH-47 Chinook) The World’s Largest, Fastest and Most Advanced Helicopter US агmу

The Air Force has been clear about its plans to retire the F-22 Raptor in the 2030s.

The Air Force has been clear about its plans to retire the F-22 Raptor in the 2030s, seemingly drawing a parallel between it and another legendary air-to-air fighter that flew into the sunset sooner than many had hoped — the Navy’s F-14 Tomcat.

You may be asking yourself, how are older jets like the F-15 and F-16 still in service if the F-22 is aging out of relevance? It’s a fair question — and like the Tomcat in the early 2000s, the answer comes down to a simple matter of cost versus capacity.

Unlike the Raptor, which has been out of production for more than a decade, the F-15 and F-16 never really stopped rolling off the assembly line floor. America’s new F-15EX, for instance, benefits from a breadth of avionics upgrades that required the same sort of hardware changes that seem prohibitively expensive for the Raptor — but most of those upgrades were actually funded over time by foreign customers like Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Importantly, because these aircraft are widely operated and still in production, sustainment costs are lower, logistics are simpler, and parts are much easier to come by. The F/A-18 Super Hornet is also an older platform that remains in service, but it too is now expected to retire sometime in the 2030s.

The balance of cost versus capacity

The Air Force has to make some tough decisions about cost because it has very little leeway when it comes to requirements for capacity — or the number of jets needed to fill America’s defense obligations. The fact of the matter is, no matter how capable a single fighter may be, it can still only be in one place at a time — and that means ensuring the Air Force has enough fighters to meet its needs.

One Raptor may have a decent shot at downing three F-16s in a single sortie, but it can’t actually do the jobs of those three F-16s all at once. In other words, capability is sometimes just not as valuable as capacity. If you need 400 fighters to fulfill your mission requirements but can only afford 200 stealth jets, you may need to operate just 100 stealth jets and 300 cheaper 4th-generation fighters in order to get the job done.

This question of cost versus capacity isn’t a new one. In fact, it was presented as justification for the early dismissal of another dogfighting dynamo that was beloved by just about everyone (except by its maintainers and the DoD’s accountants) — the Grumman F-14 Tomcat.

The Raptor and the Tomcat

Entering service in 1974, the F-14 has been called the world’s first 4th generation fighter by some, and while that title is subject to debate, the F-14’s sheer combat potential coupled with its wild popularity following its appearance in 1986’s Top Gun could be seen as a parallel to today’s Raptor. While all of America’s fighters have fan clubs of their own, few are as widely beloved among aviation fans as the Tomcat or the Raptor.

In fact, the F-14’s $38 million price tag back in the early ’70s may seem like a bargain today, but when adjusted to 2022’s inflation, it comes out closer to $230 million per airframe — only a million more than the F-22’s per-unit price of $150 million per airframe when also adjusted to today’s inflation. And while the troublesome radar-absorbent coating and limit-pushing performance of the Raptor reportedly require between 40 and 43 hours of maintenance for every flight hour, the Tomcat reportedly needed as many as 50 hours of work or more for each hour in the sky, thanks to its complex variable geometry wings and… well, its limit-pushing performance.

Like the Tomcat, the Raptor was built to win a global conflict that never came and that would have justified its immense expense and maintenance requirements against a backdrop of looming nuclear annihilation. When these threats passed, the high costs of these fighters became harder to justify in political debate, resulting in the early retirement of both in comparison to their peers.

It’s entirely likely that, like the F-14, the F-22 will retire without ever seeing the war it was designed to fight. And like the Tomcat, some of the credit for deterring that terrible war rests squarely on the Raptor’s wings.

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When it comes to all things military these days, the general public is rightly consumed with the latest Top Gun movie that hit screens on Memorial Day earlier in the year. And that means we have been talking a lot about dogfighting. Here is a fact you may not know: the A-10 Warthog also has some limited skills in this area: The A-10 Thunderbolt II, more commonly known as the Warthog, is a legendary air support platform that has earned its reputation as the infantryman’s favorite aircraft throughout decades of combat operations… but the Air Force knows that a near-peer fight against an enemy with real airpower will mean there’s a chance A-10s may find themselves stuck in some fights they aren’t supposed to win. That’s why the Air Force Weapons School starts its A-10 curriculum with Basic Fighter Maneuvers.

While Basic Fighter Maneuvers are usually abbreviated in the aviation world to simply “BFM,” those of us who earn a living outside the cockpit call this kind of combat something different: a dogfight.

The A-10 was not built to dogfight

The A-10 was purpose-built to fill a capability gap in America’s airpower arsenal that had nothing to do with engaging enemy airplanes. After decades of focus on building faster, higher-flying fighters and bombers for a potential nuclear war with the Soviet Union, America found itself with no aircraft that were slow-moving, low flying, and resilient enough to be really effective at Close Air Support (CAS) in Vietnam. The Air Force’s jets simply couldn’t fly slowly enough to spot targets in dense jungle, didn’t have the fuel to make multiple passes, and weren’t resilient enough to absorb much in the way of enemy gunfire.

And that’s where Fairchild Republic came in with a design for an unusual aircraft that prized resiliency, redundancy, and function over all else. It was nearly as long as it was wide, and the fuselage was little more than a massive 30mm rotary cannon with a cockpit stuck on top. Two General Electric TF34-GE-100A turbofans engines were mounted high on the fuselage to protect them from sucking in dirt and debris on austere airstrips near the fight, and internally, redundant hydraulic systems and a titanium armor “tub” shielded the pilot and control systems from small arms fire.

The result was a jet with practically unparalleled toughness, the ability to unleash 3,900 depleted uranium 30mm rounds at a target per minute, and a turn radius that would make any modern fighter blush. All that comes at a cost, however. The A-10 is a big jet without big power. A-10 pilots often joke that it really only has three settings: off, taxiing, and max power. Pilots from other aircraft can be even crueler, often kidding that the A-10 is so slow that it runs the constant risk of bird strikes… from behind.

Even the most modern A-10C, with updated cockpits and the ability to carry and leverage more munitions than ever, aren’t particularly well suited for a fight with most fighters in service today. It simply wasn’t built for it… but with America pivoting back toward great power competition and the A-10 slated to remain in service until the 2040s, this CAS champ is once again facing the possibility of having to square off with jets that were built specifically to hunt down and kill planes that can move a lot quicker than the Warthog does.

A-10 pilots learn how to leverage the plane’s unique skills in a dogfight

Most operational A-10 pilots don’t put much thought into dogfights. While we tend to think of combat aircraft in the individual sense, America leverages them as pieces of a broad combat strategy. In other words, the U.S. plans its operations around leaning into the strengths of different platforms and avoiding their weaknesses. As such, A-10s often operate in concert with air superiority fighters like the legendary F-15 Eagle, who are responsible for engaging enemy fighters before they have a chance to square off with any slow-moving Warthogs.

But as famed writer and former F-14 Radar Intercept Officer Ward Carroll pointed out in our discussion about speed versus stealth in 21st-century dogfighting, big wars against developed nations get messy. And in that mess lies the ever-present chance that things aren’t going to go exactly as planned. With dozens or even hundreds of aircraft in a fight, it’s entirely possible that a few enemy fighters might make their way past an A-10’s air superiority teammates. If that were to happen, the low-and-slow Warthog would certainly have its hands full… but that’s not to say that it wouldn’t stand a chance.

Twice each year, the Air Force sends its best A-10 pilots to Weapons School, where they learn advanced tactics they can bring back to their respective wings to teach the rest of the force. While you might think A-10 pilots would jump straight into delivering firepower to ground targets, they actually start with BFM.

“BFM is a mission set that A-10 guys hopefully never have to use, because the theory is that you’re doing it in self-defense. The F-15s, or other Defensive Counter Air jets, should be on top of us, keeping all that stuff out of our way,” Retired Colonel Denny “Gator” Yount told The War Zone in an excellent feature published earlier this year.

“But if you get a ‘leaker’ [an enemy fighter that gets past the DCA] you need to train how to survive with the two AIM-9M Sidewinders and the ECM [AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures] pod. These are the only things that stay on the airplane if you hit the big red button to punch off the stores.”

If a “leaker,” or enemy fighter, does manage to get through, they’ll be in for a surprise. As American fighter pilots learned firsthand over Vietnam, being slow and maneuverable can work out in a gunfight against fast-moving jets. While the A-10 can’t outrun a fighter, it can outturn them.

“Most pilots of other types didn’t really understand our strengths until they had fought us a few times. Regardless of their turn rate, the best turn radius will get the first shot opportunity. At the corner, our turn radius was about 1,700 feet, and when I’m almost dead out of energy it’s about 2,100 feet — that’s not very big at all,” Yount explained.

The only fighter in Uncle Sam’s arsenal that could compete with that is the thrust-vectoring F-22 Raptor, and it would have to slow down to around 300 knots to do it, eliminating its speed advantage against the A-10 (though the F-22 could put a lot more power down when compensating). Remember, dogfights don’t have to play out over full minutes like we see in the movies. In fact, if things go well for one pilot (or really poorly for the other) a dogfight might last exactly how long it takes the two jets to complete a single loop after the merge (where they meet head-on).

Put simply, the A-10’s tight turn radius allows it to orient its nose at the enemy fighter faster than the enemy can get its guns pointed back at the A-10. To make matters worse for the fighter, the incredibly powerful 30mm GAU-8 the A-10 is packing can shoot an aircraft down from far further than the 20mm cannons commonly found on other fighters.

“So, even if they can out rate me, my gun can cross their nose before they can come around,” Yount explained.

“They have to respect that gun — which means they have to jink out of the way, which in turn presents some opportunities. If you put an A-10 in that close turning fight, we do very, very, well.”

A-10s carry two AIM-9M Sidewinders just in case a dogfight breaks out

As powerful as the GAU-8 is, the Warthog has other tools to help it win a fight with an opposing jet. In case of a dogfight, the A-10 also carries a pair of AIM-9M sidewinder missiles. AIM-9s are infrared-guided weapons with a range of 22 miles, giving the Warthog the punch it needs to engage an enemy fighter at a distance.

The combination of the A-10’s tight turn radius and AIM-9s makes for a frightening one-two punch for aggressive enemy fighters. If an enemy jet finds itself in close quarters with an A-10, its left to choose between two difficult options: You can try to out-turn the A-10 and fire your weapons before it can, or you can turn tail and run from the BRRRT. The problem is, if you turn and run, you’re flying right into the heat-seeking Sidewinder’s trap.

“If they get into the turning fight with us they deplete a lot of energy,” explained Yount. “Then they want to bug out, light the afterburner and get away — but all that does is make my AIM-9 lock-on alarm scream louder!”

A-10s scored two Air-to-Air kills against helicopters in Desert Storm

While no A-10 pilot has managed to shoot down an enemy fighter in combat, the platform does have a few notches in its belt for downing enemy aircraft. During the Persian Gulf War, A-10s found renewed life after more than a decade of stagnating under its counter-Soviet role. In just forty days (the extent of the Persian Gulf War), the A-10 racked up an astonishing 987 kills against enemy tanks, 926 against enemy artillery pieces, 1,355 against other combat vehicles, 10 against enemy fighters on the ground, and two against airborne enemy helicopters.

The first of those shoot-downs can be credited to Air Force Capt. Bob Swain, who managed the kill in perfect Warthog form, using the GAU-8 Avenger, rather than his Sidewinder missiles.

“I noticed two black dots running across the desert that looked really different than anything I had seen before,” Swain explained in 1991 “They weren’t putting up any dust and they were moving fast and quickly over the desert.”

As Swain realized the black dots were indeed helicopters, one peeled off to the North and got away. The other headed south with Swain following behind. Because of the low altitude the two were flying at, Swain couldn’t get a lock on the helicopter with his AIM-9M, so he switched the aircraft back out of air-to-air mode and lined the MI-8 up in the “funnel” displayed in the A-10’s heads up display. Under normal circumstances, the HUD funnel shows an A-10 pilot where his bullets will likely track, though it gets more complicated in a dogfight.

“I started firing about a mile away,” Swain said. “Some of the bullets ran through him, but we weren’t sure if it was stopped completely. So I came back with the final pass, hit it and it fell apart.”

“On the final pass, I shot about 300 bullets at him. That’s a pretty good burst. On the first pass, maybe 75 rounds. The second pass, I put enough bullets down, it looked like I hit with a bomb.”

Ultimately, the A-10 Thunderbolt II was built to do a job that had nothing to do with winning a dogfight, but the Warthog has been defying expectations since its very inception; finding new purpose after the fall of the Soviet Union, surviving retirement again and again, and most impressive of all, returning safely after being positively riddled with holes from enemy fire. It seems only fitting that it would defy expectations yet again in the realm of air-to-air combat.

Because winning a fight isn’t always about who has the fastest jet or the most powerful missiles. Sometimes it might come down to nothing more than one tight loop and a veritable laser-beam of depleted uranium 30mm rounds.

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