Yeah…and we had just gotten GPS…so, we were not only predictable, we were exactingly so…
Royal Navy an USMC F35B on combat missions.
- Thread starter Tikka
- Start date
Both are good articles, but the first is an absolute gem.
Desert Storm took place near the peak of Air Force EW prowess. By the time of Kosavo, the Air Force had dismantled much of it's EW capability. A lot of this was done so that money could be freed up for F-22 acquisition. Ignorant planners had promoted the concept that "we have stealth, we don't need EW".
Besides the retirement of the EF-111, the AF had retired the last of it's true Wild Weasels, the F-4G. The F-16s that replaced them were excellent fighters, but had a small fraction of the ability to quickly react to SAMs, locate and destroy them. Had the F-4Gs been around, it would added another level of complication to the air defense picture.
While less HARM missiles would have been wasted and more radars damaged, I can't say it would have definitely saved those two aircraft, though. Being predictable, and ignoring past lessons learned about flying above an overcast in a SAM environment has it's consequences.
After a few episodes of batman coming on at 4PM even a 3rd grader can figure out when its coming on next.
jeez sorry man, our leadership really failed you and us. I grew up in an Air Force family and this hurts to hear.
not to forget that at least that one sam unit was very disciplined and knowledgeable about their capabilities. Something that wont be universally so, and I seriously doubt it was like that during Desert Storm
I was estimating around $150 per round and 4000 rounds per minute. Reminds me of an SNL sketch of an off duty James Bond having to spend his own money, called “Bullets Aren’t Cheap”.
Hi.
Thank you for the links. I enjoyed them.
Hi
I hope you did not take my remark as an insult. It was certainly not intended that way.
I believe the speed can be set since it’s all just externally powered, but I rounded up from the 3900 I saw in several sources.
General Dynamics (I believe it was originally developed by General Electric) says 4200.
GAU-8/A 30mm Gatling Gun
The GAU-8/A 30mm Gatling Gun that is installed on the U.S. Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and the Navy’s Goalkeeper Close-In Weapon System.
www.gd-ots.com
Rate of fire Up to 4,200 shots per minute
I remember seeing F14’s regularly. So maybe we met before
I would say that Bosnia was different thing. Executing no fly zone with occasional air attacks for 3+ years brings predictability etc. Also, Bosnian Serbs were nowhere near as capable as Serbia regardless that everything was supplied from there including troops and weapons. But, there were huge issues with morale, disorganization, alcoholism, crime etc. Not sure how much that influenced OAF campaign in 1999 to underestimate what Serbia can or cannot do. Tactically OAF had mixed results, and even strategically it is questionable and since that is the Balkans, jury is still out.
Dave Zelko went to Serbia later to meet the guy who commanded SA3 battery.
As for Scott O’Grady, I was in PhD program with guy who flew sortie before him. It would be understatement to say he didn’t have high opinion about him.
