Booman Tribune ~ Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today?

Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today?

by Steven D
Fri Jun 15th, 2007 at 07:05:37 PM EST

Are the Iraqi insurgents so well armed they have the means to shoot down our fighter jets, now? Certainly sounds like it's a possibility, based on this report at IraqSloggger:

A U.S. Air Force F-16 plane with one crew member aboard crashed during a mission in Iraq on Friday, the Air Force said in a statement.
The plane "was flying on a close air support mission", the statement said, when it crashed at 12:27 am.
"The cause of the accident is under investigation," it said, without mentioning the fate of the crew member.

What is a fighter jock doing flying close air support missions, anyway? Aren't those missions usually performed by Apache helicopter gunships and A-10 Warhogs? What the hell are they thinking? Or are we so strapped for serviceable Apaches and Warthogs in Iraq that we now have to regularly use F-16's on ground support missions, to make up the difference?

Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (4.00 / 3)

I won't go into tactical details, but CAS is a standard F-16 mission. Hell, it's the only air combat mission in town these days.

Jeff Huber Pen and Sword

by Jeff Huber on Fri Jun 15th, 2007 at 07:20:52 PM EST

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (none / 0)

I stand corrected, as usual.

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. Franklin D. Roosevelt

by Steven D on Sat Jun 16th, 2007 at 10:29:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (4.00 / 2)

Was it shot down? Good question; with an F-16, you never know. What was for years, and probably still is, the main training base for F-16s, Luke Air Force Base, is here in Arizona, just west of Phoenix. They crash all the time, usually from mechanical failure of some type. There have been periods where they literally took the whole fleet of F-16s off line because it was so bad. On the other hand, the F-14s, which were quite good, were decommissioned by the Bush Defense Department; in order to force production of the JSF fighter is a good guess.

by bmaz on Fri Jun 15th, 2007 at 07:59:22 PM EST

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (4.00 / 2)

The problem with ANY low altitude flying, and this includes the mosquito control flying I'm familiar with, you have so little response time in the event of an emergency that crashing is inevitable.

Birds are common obstacles that cause crashes, I've been in a helicopter on 2 occasions, once when we almost hit a frigate bird, which would not have been a pretty sight in a MD500E, and once when we blenderized what must have been a sparrow. A bone chip ended up landing on my knee from it, the sound it made as it went through the rotor blades was unforgettable.

Seeing the speed the F-16 travels, even a sea-gull collision on the canopy could prove disastrous.

by Bugboy on Sat Jun 16th, 2007 at 09:43:03 AM EST

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (none / 1)

When you need air support, you go with what is available. War isn't all ideal circumstances. An F-16 can get where you need it a lot faster than a warthog or a helocopter. I've heard stories from Viet Nam about Marine F-4s attempting to use their tailhooks and afterburners on ground troops when they had used up all their arms. If the pilots have a chance at helping save some ground troops, they'll do it.

by david anderson on Fri Jun 15th, 2007 at 08:00:22 PM EST

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (none / 1)

As Jeff said, CAS is often done by fighter/attack jets. Interesting wording in the first sentence quoted: "with one crew member aboard" as if, but for the grace of the gods, others might have died.

The F-16 is a single-seat F/A as you see in the photo above.

by PA Lady on Fri Jun 15th, 2007 at 08:11:38 PM EST

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (none / 1)

Lot of knowledgable people posting accurate info in this thread - it's what I love about blogs.

by sidewinder on Fri Jun 15th, 2007 at 08:54:10 PM EST

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (none / 1)

To pile on, the F-16 is regularly sold as the handyman do everything combat aircraft by Boeing. About as good as an F-15 at air to air (close enough for government work at least), almost as good as an A-10 for air to ground, hell I'd be surprised if there was a single mission they hadn't at least looked designing a mod for.

Boeing regularly wins the majority of sales orders with this pitch.

Man good thing you didn't ask this over in Freeperville, you would've receive 40 page treatises on the use of jet aircraft in CSAR.

I'd be interested to see if it was a crash, collision, or if it was shot down it was hit by a MANPADS. We'll never find out for years no doubt, but it sounds like some Iraqis are getting their hands on increasingly sophisticated missiles.

by Windowdog on Sat Jun 16th, 2007 at 01:56:23 AM EST

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (none / 1)

ack CAS not CSAR, beer and typing late at night are getting to me. I'd be banned from LGF for that offense no doubt.

by Windowdog on Sat Jun 16th, 2007 at 01:58:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? (none / 1)

All you need to know on the F-16.
Lockheed-Martin F-16 Falcon

by ask on Sat Jun 16th, 2007 at 07:10:09 AM EST

Was an F-16 Shot Down in Iraq Today? | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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