Article

2007-02-05 Iraq

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Posted by anonymous5089 2007-02-05 07:54|| || Front Page|| [9 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Flying low and fast and zig-zagging is one way to address the problem. Another is to fly high and slow in something larger doing a "carpet bombing" maneuver.

Posted by Excalibur 2007-02-05 08:57|| 2007-02-05 08:57|| Front Page Top

#2 Nothing a carpet Napalm wouldn't fix.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-02-05 09:11|| 2007-02-05 09:11|| Front Page Top

#3 Another way is to demolish as much of Iran as possible.

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2007-02-05 09:20|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2007-02-05 09:20|| Front Page Top

#4 ...Actually, this isn't good from another standpoint: the Apache and Blackhawk were designed to late Cold War standards - they were intended to be as survivable as technology and countermeasures could make them on a Central European battlefield where AAA on a nearly unimaginable level would be coming up at them. If we're losing choppers like this to SA-7s, we have a serious problem.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2007-02-05 10:48|| 2007-02-05 10:48|| Front Page Top

#5 It's an issue of airspace management from the tactical perspective. Crews should relook their route discipline and management, and I'm sure they are. The old Ranger adage of never taking the same route twice and never go back the way you came is the rule to be applied here. Deconflicting airspace is tougher when you are using different routes every day but it will keep the ZSU moving and in the open trying to hunt helicopters. They need to go back and read the Mogadishu AARs and learn about being templated by the enemy.

Posted by 49 Pan">49 Pan 2007-02-05 13:07|| 2007-02-05 13:07|| Front Page Top

#6 Repetitive and predictable use of airspace was determined to be the cause for the -117 shootdown in Serbia. The bad guys simply waited outside the airfield and called the aircraft outbound, then their comrades just waited. Probably something similiar going on here.
Why must we relearn everything in blood?

Posted by USN, Ret. 2007-02-05 14:12|| 2007-02-05 14:12|| Front Page Top

#7 I read he also failed to retract doors leaving a sig.

Posted by 49 Pan">49 Pan 2007-02-05 14:17|| 2007-02-05 14:17|| Front Page Top

#8 Pan: can't speak to that, but leaving weapon bay doors open would be a foolish mistake. If they were landing gear doors, they are part of the retrction sequence.
Any-117 gurus out there? Do the doors cycle as part of weapons release sequence?

Posted by USN, Ret. 2007-02-05 14:20|| 2007-02-05 14:20|| Front Page Top

#9 Landing gear doors don't cycle during weapons release, I think what Pan meant was that the Nighthawk pilot was ingressing towards a target point and left the weapons bay doors open prior to overflight of target, hence leaving a big sig spot on a radar, course it also helped that the the missile was optically as well as radar tracked to target.

Posted by Valentine 2007-02-05 15:18|| 2007-02-05 15:18|| Front Page Top

#10 That checks... thanks.

Posted by USN, Ret. 2007-02-05 17:24|| 2007-02-05 17:24|| Front Page Top

#11 Rumor has it USN Ret, he finished a run and forgot to close the bomb doors. Not sure if it is true but the signature is enough to get shot down with them open.

Sorry for the late reply.

Posted by 49 Pan 2007-02-05 20:40|| 2007-02-05 20:40|| Front Page Top

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