WASHINGTON (AFP) – The US military launched a nighttime search for a pilot missing in the Atlantic ocean Thursday after two F-16 fighter jets collided, the US Air Force said.
One of the two aircraft landed safely at an air force base near Charleston in the southeastern state of South Carolina, from where the single-pilot fighters were conducting a night proficiency training mission.
"There is a search underway for one pilot," Air Force Technical Sergeant Vincent Mouzon told AFP, adding that the search was continuing into early Friday.
The US Coast Guard launched search and rescue teams in two vessels and a helicopter to try and locate the pilot some 30 miles (48 kilometers) off the coast of Charleston, a Coast Guard official said.
The jets involved in the collision are stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, where pilots routinely practice with night-vision equipment as part of their combat training.
Jumat, 16 Oktober 2009
Search underway after F-16s collide over Atlantic
Minggu, 27 September 2009
Sometimes You Wonder...
There is a story running around about the potential for the V-22 Osprey to replace the C-2A Greyhound as the Navy's carrier onboard delivery (COD) transport. Based on the E-2C Hawkeye wing, engines, tail and cockpit married to a tubby fuselage (the name Greyhound was someone's idea of a joke) the C-2 has a niche mission of running guests, VIPs and urgently needed supplies on and off the boat.
Apparently the idea of the V-22 as the C-2's replacement was floated, and a Navy representative said that it was "one of the ideas being considered". Oddly, too, there are 48 Navy V-22s still in the "program of record" even though nobody in the Navy has identified a need for them in decades. But consider a few facts:
There's no great rush to replace the C-2s. They are just emerging from a rework that should let them fly until 2027, with other upgrades in the works.
From a support viewpoint, they are common in most respects to the brand-new E-2D Hawkeye, so there will be support for them until hell freezes over or the Navy retires the E-2, and I'm not sure which will come first. The V-22 would be a new (and rather maintenance-hungry) arrival.
People have compared the V-22's maximum range with that of the C-2 - but the only way that the V-22 can get anywhere near the C-2's range is to fly at high altitude, as the C-2 does. Unfortunately the V-22 is not pressurized, so the passengers and crew are going to have a cold and uncomfortable ride.
Finally, the "48 Navy V-22s" appear to be a hangover from the program's early four-service days when the Navy was supposed to buy them for CSAR (what, two per battle group?). The last mission I remember for them was an S-3 replacement, using surface combatants as refueling platforms to extend their time-on-station. Oleh:Bill Sweetman
Minggu, 24 Mei 2009
F-35 Helmet Display System To Scare the Bejeezus Out of Enemies
This is the new helmet-mounted display system for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. The helmet is designed to provide pilots with binocular-wide field-of-view, give night vision abilities and scare enemy pilots at first sight. It was used for the first time last April, making the F-35 the first combat plane without a cockpit-mounted heads-up display in a very long time.
Beyond making the pilot look like a spooky insect (comic book nerd moment: the Morpheus helmet from Neil
Gaiman's Sandman comes to mind), the F-35 HDMS is loaded with all kinds of amazing goodies, like extreme off-axis targeting and head tracking "providing the pilot with unprecedented situational awareness and tactical capability." The helmet was developed by Vision System International, a company that has other quite weird designs that are already operational, like the DASH and the JHMCS. Technical specs and another image of the F-35 HMDS after the jump.
F-35 HMDS Specs- Binocular Wide Field-of-View
- Integrated day/night capability with sensor fusion
- Highly accurate head tracking hardware and software
- Digital image source for helmet vision displayed symbology
- Custom helmet shell, liner and suspension system for lightest weight, optimal C.G. and maximum pilot - comfort.
jet tempur AS di bobol Hacker
Ribuan data rahasia pesawat tempur paling canggih milik AS, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, telah dibobol hacker selama dua tahun terakhir.
Pembobol berhasil mengacak-acak sistem elektronik pesawat itu melalui komputer-komputer kontraktor Pentagon yang bertugas merancang dan mengembangkan pesawat tersebut. Demikian diungkapkan sejumlah pejabat yang enggan disebutkan namanya karena sensitifnya kasus ini.
Seperti dilaporkan CNN, Rabu (22/4), para hacker juga bisa memasuki sistem kontrol lalu lintas Angkatan Udara AS. Mereka bahkan bisa mendapatkan informasi tentang lokasi penerbangan pesawat militer AS.
F-35 Lightning II, pesawat baru ini dirancang menjadi pesawat tempur yang bisa digunakan bagi Angkatan Laut, Angkatan Darat, maupun Angkatan Udara. Proyek pembuatan pesawat itu bernilai 300 miliar dollar AS.
Sebagian besar data yang dibobol seputar rancang bangun dan statistik kemampuan pesawat, termasuk sistem elektroniknya. Dengan data itu, pembobol bisa dengan mudah menggunakannya untuk membuat pesawat tandingan.
Sementara itu, The Wall Street Journal menyatakan, hacker mampu menyalin beberapa terabyte data mengenai salah satu pesawat termahal di dunia itu. Satu terabyte adalah 1.000 gigabyte. “Tak pernah terjadi yang seperti ini,” kata seorang mantan pejabat.
Belum jelas seberapa parah penerobosan tersebut atau siapa sesungguhnya para peretas itu, tapi data paling peka mengenai proyek pesawat tempur dilaporkan disimpan di komputer yang aman dan tak tersambung ke internet.
Wall Street mengutip beberapa mantan pejabat AS yang tak disebutkan jati diri mereka dan mengatakan serangan itu “tampaknya berasal di China”. Satu laporan belum lama ini dari Pentagon menyatakan, militer China telah membuat “kemajuan pasti” dalam pengembangan teknik bagi peningkatan perang online sebagai bagian dari upaya mengimbangi militer yang kurang berkembang.
Awal April, China membantah laporan The Wall Street Journal bahwa para peretas China dan Rusia telah berusaha mengirim virus ke dalam instalasi listrik AS.
sumber : kompas
Jumat, 27 Maret 2009
F-22 Raptor Jatuh
Sebuah pesawat tempur canggih F-22A milik Angkatan Udara Amerika Serikat (AS) jatuh di gurun pasir dekat Pangkalan Udara Edwards di negara bagian California. Pesawat berkursi tunggal itu jatuh pada hari Rabu 25 Maret 2009 sekitar pukul 10.30 pagi waktu setempat (Kamis dini hari WIB).
Menurut sumber di Angkatan Udara AS, penyebab kecelakaan masih diselidiki dan nasib pilot masih belum jelas. Menurut stasiun televisi CNN, kecelakaan terjadi saat pesawat itu sedang melakukan uji terbang.
Ini merupakan kali kedua F-22 jatuh. Kejadian Pertama(lihat videonya) berlangsung pada Desember 2004. Dalam suatu uji terbang di tempat yang sama, pesawat buatan Lockheed Martin Corp. itu jatuh, namun pilot berhasil menyelamatkan diri setelah melontarkan diri. Sedangkan pesawatnya sendiri hancur.
F-22A merupakan jet tempur paling canggih saat ini sekaligus paling mahal yang dimiliki Angkatan Udara AS. Harga per unit di banderol sekitar US$150 juta.
Another picture of F-22 Raptor.
Jumat, 20 Maret 2009
Tips Penerbangan
Demi kenyamanan dalam perjalanan anda, tips berikut ini mungkin berguna ketika anda memutuskan akan menggunakan moda transportasi udara untuk mencapai tujuan anda.
1. Lakukanlah check in minimal 2 jam sebelum jam keberangkatan
2. Nama yang tertera di tiket harus sesuai dengan identitas diri.
3. Pastikan tanggal keberangkatan sebelum membeli tiket karena untuk pembatalan akan dikenakan biaya
sesuai administrasi yang berlaku di maskapai yang anda pilih.
4. 30 menit sebelum berangkat sebaiknya masuk ke pintu keberangkatan (Boarding Gate).
5. Barang / dokumen berharga tidak dimasukkan kedalam bagasi.
6. Barang yang dibawa ke dalam cabin pesawat maksimal 5 kg.
7. Apabila memiliki penerbangan lanjutan international dan domestic sebaiknya berikan selisih waktu
minimal 4 jam sebelum keberangkatan.
8. Penumpang yang holding return ticket, agar melakukan re-konfirmasi di kantor perwakilan setempat,
minimal 1 hari sebelum tanggal keberangkatan.
Jumat, 13 Maret 2009
MiG-29 FULCRUM
By the late 1970s Western analysts had identified a new fighter under developement for the Soviet Air Force. Since its first sighting at the Ramenskoye test range in 1977, when it got unofficially dubbed with the rather tentative and anonymous RAM-L designation, the Fulcrum has been one of the key aircraft on the military aviation scene. The twin-finned air superiority fighter, now known as the MiG-29, first flew in 1977 and entered service with Soviet fighter regiments in 1983.
In contrast to the primitive electronics of the MiG-25, the MiG-29 has a radar system comparable to wome Western machines. Like the post-Vietnam generation of US fighters, it was an agile aircraft capable of maneuvering in a dog-fight. The MiG-29 was marketed worldwide and equaled or surpassed the F-15C in several areas. Consequently, the MiG-29 was initially a useful export fot the new Russian Republic, though subsequently it was eclipsed by the larger Su-27.
The MiG-29 is superficially similar in layout to the larger Su-27, and unlike counterpart American fighters which are easily distinguished, a close attention to design details is needed to distinguish the two Russian fighters:
- The most striking difference is the Su-27's signature centerline fuselage stinger, which protrudes well aft of the engine exhaust, and is entirely absent on the MiG-29, though this feature may not be apparent from all angles.
- The vertical stabilizers on the MiG-29 are canted outward, while those of the Su-27 are vertical.
- Conversely, the air intakes on the MiG-29 are canted inward, while the air intakes on the Su-27 are vertical.
- The Mig-29 fuselage sits entirely above the air intakes, engine pods and exhaust beneath the wings, whereas on the Su-27 there is a distinct droop of the forward fuselage below the upper edges of the air intakes.
The MiG-29's wings are swept-back and tapered with square tips. The Leading- Edge Root Extensions (LERXs) are wide and curved down to the front. LERX begins on the nose below the mid-mount point, and the wings’ trailing edges end at a high-mounted point. Twin jet engines are mounted low and to the sides of the fuselage. Diagonal-shaped air intakes give a box-like appearance, with large exhausts. The fuselage is made of a long, thin, slender body with long, pointed drooping nose. There is a high-mounted bubble canopy. The tail fins have sharply tapered leading edges, canted outward with angular, cutoff tips. Flats are high-mounted on the fuselage, movable, swept-back, and tapered with a negative slant.
There are half a dozen major variants of the MiG-29 recognized under the NATO reporting name taxonomy, while MiG itself accounts for variants too numerous to enumerate.
- Fulcrum-A - MiG-29 basic version
- Fulcrum-B - MiG-29UB two-seat conversion trainer
- Fulcrum-C - MiG-29S bulged and extended spine houses both fuel and avionics
- Fulcrum-D - MiG-29K/ MiG29KUB navalized for carrier ops
- Fulcrum-E - MiG-29M wide-ranging upgrades, did not enter production
- Fulcrum-F - Mig-29OVT/ MiG-35 thrust-vector control engine
The MiG-29 basic version fighter is capable of hitting air targets day and night, in any weather, in free airspace and against the earth background and in active and passive jamming environment. The MiG-29 fighter (export version B) is armed with R-27R1 medium-range missiles with semi-active radar homing heads and R-73E short-range missiles, and unguided weapons (S-24B and S-8 rockets and FAB-250 and FAB-500 free-fall bombs) for hitting ground and sea-surface targets. The aircraft also has a built-in GSh-301 gun (30 mm caliber).
The MiG-29 has a few advantages over its more electronically advanced American counterparts. At about 40 miles apart, the American planes have the advantage because of avionics. At 10 miles the advantage is turning to the MiG. At five miles out, because of the MiG weapons sight and better maneuverability, the advantage is to the MiG. The weapons sight is a helmet-mounted system that allows the missile to follow the line of sight of the pilot's helmet. Where the pilot looks is where it goes.
The MiG-29 is a widely exported aircraft, flown by Iraq, Iran, North Korea, India, Syria, Cuba and Afghanistan, as well as Czechoslovakia, East Germany and Yugoslavia. Aside from MiG-29 basic version B, other modifications of the MiG-29 family, such as MiG-29SE, MiG-29SD, MiG-29SM and MiG-29SMT, can be offered to customers. Moreover, the MiG-29 fighters operated by customers can be upgraded to the level of the SE, SD, SM and SMT versions. The MiG-29UB aircraft and its modifications are manufactured by "Sokol" Joint-Stock Company of Nizhny Novgorod.
MiG Corp. offers its customers three basic versions - the MiG-29SD, MiG-29SM and MiG- 29SMT. They significantly differ from each other in terms of functionality and price. The MiG-29SD is an air superiority fighter adapted for NATO/ ICAO standards. Its advanced version, the MiG-29SM, is a cost-effective multi-role aircraft. Finally, the MiG-29SMT is a generation 4+ fighter equipped with new targeting system, avionics and armament.
The US Department of Defense of the United States of America and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova reached an agreement to implement the Cooperative Threat Reduction accord signed on June 23, 1997, in Moldova. The Pentagon pounced on the planes after learning Iran had inspected the jets and expressed an interest in adding them to their inventory. Although Iran already flew the less-capable Fulcrum A, it doesn't own any of the more advanced C-models. Of the 21 Fulcrums the United States bought, 14 are the frontline Fulcrum C's, which contain an active radar jammer in its spine, six older A's and one B-model two-seat trainer. This agreement authorized the United States Government to purchase nuclear-capable MiG-29 fighter planes from the Government of Moldova. This was a joint effort by both Governments to ensure that these dual-use military weapons do not fall into the hands of rogue states. From Oct. 20 to Nov. 2, 1997, loadmasters and aerial port experts squeezed two MiGs apiece, sans wings and tails, into the cargo holds of C-17 Globemaster III transports from Charleston Air Force Base, SC. The Charleston airlifters delivered the MiGs to the National Air Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson AFB near Dayton, Ohio. If NAIO can discover how the Fulcrum works, Air Force pilots might gain an edge if they faced the Fulcrum in future combat.
The MiG-29 upgrade project involves two main packages for customers. The first package offers the full upgrade of the aircraft up to the MiG-29SMT level. The second package offers the upgrade of certain aircraft units and aggregates and installation of new completing elements (including those of Western produce) to suit customers' requirements. In the process of upgrade, some share of contract works could be transferred to the aviation plants of the customer's country.
Improvement of aircraft performance includes: increase of flight range, improvement of aircraft maneuverability and upgrade of engines. An increase of the flight range up to 3,000 km can be reached by installation of additional 1800 l conformal tanks. Installation of the in-flight refueling system makes it possible to use both Russian and Western tankers. Due to installation of three external fuel tanks and in-flight refueling system, the aircraft flight range can be increased up to 6200 km;
The RD-33 engine upgrade provides for the thrust-vector control and increase of engine thrust and fuel efficiency. The core upgrade of the engine itself is now at the test bench stage and should be completed in the nearest future. The installation of these engines will enhance the aircraft power-to-weight ratio to the level of fifth-generation aircraft. All these characteristics will allow the operator to keep the aircraft air superiority till 2010-2015.
The aircraft was criticized for the low assigned lifetime (2,500 hours only). However, the operation of the aircraft produced in early 1980s have demonstrated that the lifetime could be extended to 4,000 hours in the event they are maintained properly. This allows extension of their lifetime till 2010-2015. The practice of overhauls has also been revised. Transition to on-condition maintenance has been adopted. The calculations have shown that the operating cost of one air vehicle can be reduced by 15-20% if 4000 hour lifetime is assigned and transition to on-condition maintenance is performed. The worked to increase the engine lifetime have been carried out.
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At MAKS-2003 airshow MiG Corp. presented, along with the basic version of MiG-29, its newest modifications – MiG-29K, MiG-29M2, MiG-29SMT, MiG-29OVT. MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29M/M2 belong to a family of multirole single/twin-seater ship and shore-based fighters accordingly. Aircraft designs are unified up to 90%. Such approach gives several advantages. Serial production becomes cheaper thus influences market price of the aircraft. Exploitation, maintenance and logistics support system as well as the system of pilots and ground personnel training become simpler. The fleet of aircraft in the Air Force can become more unified. All this, along with flight-technical and combat characteristics, makes MiG-29 family quite attractive for potential customers.
| HISTORY: | |
| First Flight | (MiG-29) 6 October 1977 (MiG-29M) 1989 (MiG-29UBT) 8 October 1998 |
| Service Entry | 1983 |
| CREW: | 1 pilot |
| ESTIMATED COST: | unknown |
| AIRFOIL SECTIONS: | |
| Wing Root | unknown |
| Wing Tip | unknown |
| DIMENSIONS: | |
| Length | 56.83 ft (17.32 m) |
| Wingspan | 37.29 ft (11.36 m) |
| Height | 15.54 ft (4.73 m) |
| Wing Area | 408 ft2 (38.0 m2) |
| Canard Area | not applicable |
| WEIGHTS: | |
| Empty | 24,030 lb (10,900 kg) |
| Typical Load | 33,600 lb (15,240 kg) |
| Max Takeoff | 40,785 lb (18,500 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity | internal: unknown external: unknown |
| Max Payload | 6,614 lb (3,000 kg) |
| PROPULSION: | |
| Powerplant | (MiG-29A) two Klimov/ Sarkisov RD-33 afterburning turbofans (MiG-29M) two Klimov/ Sarkisov RD-33K afterburning turbofans |
| Thrust | (RD-33) 36,600 lb (162.8 kN) (RD-33K) 41,450 lb (184.44 kN) |
| PERFORMANCE: | |
| Max Level Speed | at altitude: 1,520 mph (2,445 km/h) at 36,090 ft (11,000 m), Mach 2.3 at sea level: 805 mph (1,200 km/h), Mach 1.06 |
| Initial Climb Rate | 65,000 ft (19,800 m) / min |
| Service Ceiling | 60,700 ft (18,500 m) |
| Range | typical: 810 nm (1,500 km) 340 nm (630 km) with max payload ferry: 1,570 nm (2,900 km) |
| g-Limits | unknown |
| ARMAMENT: | |
| Gun | one 30-mm GSh-301 cannon (150 rds) |
| Stations | six or seven external hardpoints (MiG-29K) nine external hardpoints (MiG-29M) eight external hardpoints |
| Air-to-Air Missile | R-60/AA-8 Aphid, R-27/AA-10 Alamo, R-73/AA-11 Archer, R-77/AA-12 Adder |
| Air-to-Surface Missile | AS-12, AS-14, AS-17 |
| Bomb | free-fall, guided, cluster bombs |
| Other | rocket pods, ECM pods, munitions dispensers |
| KNOWN VARIANTS: | |
| 9-01 | Pre-production model |
| MiG-29 'Fulcrum-A' | First production model, prototypes included three slightly different models with varying types of nose gear, fin, and rudder arrangements |
| MiG-29UB 'Fulcrum-B' | Two-seat trainer with radar removed |
| MiG-29S 'Fulcrum-C' | Improved single-seat fighter for serial production with an enlarged fuselage, new avionics, and a larger fuel capacity |
| MiG-29KVP | MiG-29K prototype built to test catapult takeoff and arrestor gear systems, may also have been used as a trainer for the MiG-29K |
| MiG-29K 'Fulcrum-D' | Navalized one-seat multipurpose fighter for use on aircraft carriers; Russian production cancelled after trials completed but a derivative was later purchased by India |
| MiG-29KU | Trainer version of the MiG-29K with a modified nose adding a separate cockpit for the instructor forward and below the normal cockpit; cancelled |
| MiG-29KUB | Trainer version of the MiG-29K purchased by India and the Russian Navy |
| MiG-29B | Two-seat version, details unknown |
| MiG-29UBT | Two-seat strike model designed for special operations |
| MiG-29SD | Export version of the MiG-29S |
| MiG-29SE | Export version of the MiG-29S with a new ECM jammer |
| MiG-29N | Export version for Malaysia similar to the MiG-29SD and optimized for air defense but equipped with in-flight refueling capability, updated communications equipment, improved navigation systems, and updated engines |
| MiG-29UBN | Two-seat trainer exported to Malaysia |
| MiG-29SM | Improved MiG-29S/SE with in-flight refueling capability, increased payload, and the ability to carry improved air-to-air missiles plus a TV display compatible with the KAB-500KR guided bomb or the Kh-29T missile, also capable of carrying the Kh-31A and Kh-31P missiles |
| MiG-29SMT | Modernization program for MiG-29SM export models with an improved cockpit, improved avionics, and increased range |
| MiG-29SMT-2 | "Second stage" modernization program for export models that provides a new radar, improved engines, revised ECM equipment, a digital fly-by-wire control system, and compatibility with numerous adbanced air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons |
| MiG-29SMTK | Carrier-based export model offered to India, includes folding wings, arrestor gear, and improved navigation systems |
| MiG-29M 'Fulcrum-E' | Improved fighter with fly-by-wire controls, upgraded engines, a modified tail and wing layout, a revised canopy, and the ability to carry guided-munitions |
| MiG-29MaE or MiG-29MEh or MiG-29EM | Export version of the MiG-29M |
| MiG-29MR | Reconnaissance version of the MiG-29M |
| MiG-29UM | Two-seat combat-capable trainer version of the MiG-29M |
| MiG-29M2 'Fulcrum-F' | Two-seat variant of the MiG-29M |
| MiG-29 'Fulcrum-Plus' | MiG-29 variant equipped with thrust-vectoring nozzles and canards, not believed to have been completed or flown due to financial problems |
| MiG-29OVT | Early designation for the MiG-35 |
| MiG-29AS | Upgrade program for single-seat MiG-29 fighters used by Slovakia that includes installation of new IFF equipment and American radios while also adding an improved navigation system; 10 converted |
| MiG-29UBS | Upgrade program for MiG-29UB trainers used by Slovakia; 2 converted |
| MiG-33 | Believed to be a designation for an export version of the MiG-29M |
| MiG-35 | Upgraded model based on the MiG-29M2 primarily for the export market |
| KNOWN COMBAT RECORD: | Iraq - Operation Desert Storm (Iraq, 1991) Chechnya (Russia, 1994-present) Bosnia - Operation Deliberate Force (Serbia, 1995) Kosovo - Operation Allied Force (Serbia, 1999) |
| KNOWN OPERATORS: | Algeria, Al Quwwat al Jawwawiya al Jaza'eriya (Algerian Air Force) Angola, Força Aérea Popular de Angola (Angolan People's Air Force) Armenia (Armenian Air Force) Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan Air Force) Bangladesh, Bangladesh Biman Bahini (Bangladeshi Defense Force Air Wing) Belarus, Voyenno Vozdushnyye Sily (Belarus Air Force) Bulgaria, Bulgarski Voenno Vozdushni Sili (Bulgarian Air Defense Force Military Aviation) Croatia, Hrvatske Zracne Snage (Croatian Air Force) Cuba, Defensa Antiaerea y Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria (Anti-Aircraft Defense and Revolutionary Air Force) Czechoslovakia, Ceskoslovenske Letectvo (Czechoslovak Air Force) Czech Republic, Cesk Letectvo a Protivzbusna Obrana (Czech Air Force and Air Defense) East Germany, Luftstreitkräfte/Luftverteidigung (Air Force/Air Defense Force) Germany, Deutsche Luftwaffe (German Air Force) Hungary, Magyar Légierö (Hungarian Red Air Arm) Hungary, Magyar Honvedseg Repülö Csapatai (Hungarian Air Defense Group) India, Bharatiya Vayu Sena (Indian Air Force) India (Indian Naval Air Squadron) Iran (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) Iraq, Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya al Iraqiya (Iraqi Air Force) Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan Air Force) Lebanon, Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnamia (Lebanese Air Force) Malaysia, Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia (Royal Malaysian Air Force) Moldova (Moldovan Air Force) North Korea (Korean People's Army Air Force) Peru, Fuerza Aérea del Perú (Peruvian Air Force) Poland, Sily Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (Polish Air Force) Poland, Polska Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej (Polish Air Defense and Aviation Force) Romania, Fortele Aeriene Române (Romanian Air Force) Russia, Voyenno Vozdushniye Sili (Russian Air Force) Russia, Aviatsiya Voyenno-Morskoyo Flota Sily Rossii (Russian Naval Aviation) Serbia, Vazduhoplovstvo i PVO Vojske Srbije (Serbian Air Force) Slovakia, Velitelstvo Vzdusnych Sil (Slovak Air Force) Sri Lanka (Sri Lankan National Air Force) Sudan, Silakh al Jawwiya As'Sudaniya (Sudanese Air Force) Syria, Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al Arabiya as-Souriya (Syrian Air Force) Turkmenistan, Voyenno-Vozdushneyye Sily (Turkmenistan Air Force) Ukraine, Viys'kovo-Povitriani Syly Ukrayiny (Ukraine Military Air Forces) Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Voyenno Vozdushniye Sili (Soviet Air Force) Uzbekistan (Uzbek Air Force) Yemen, Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Yemeniya (Unified Yemen Air Force) Yugoslavia, Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo i Protiv Vazdusna Odbrana (Serbia and Montenegro Air and Air Defence Force) |
| 3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
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Rusia Larang Terbang Semua MIG-29 Setelah Kecelakaan
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| MIG-29 |
Seorang pejabat Angkatan Udara Rusia mengatakan hari ini, Angkatan Udara memutuskan penghentian penerbangan semua pesawat itu sampai penyebab kecelakaan dipastikan. Menurut para pejabat pesawat itu jatuh sekitar 60 kilometer dari lapangan terbang Domna di wilayah Chita.
Mereka mengatakan pilot pesawat dapat melepaskan diri dan dalam kondisi memuaskan.
Tidak ada korban ataupun kerusakan di lokasi dimana pesawat itu jatuh.
Pesawat tempur jet MIG-29 bermesin-ganda itu merupakan kekuatan inti utama Angkatan Udara Rusia. Oleh:voanews
Woman Captain
As the airliner pushed back from the gate, the flight attendant gave the passengers the usual information regarding seat belts, etc. Finally, she said, "Now sit back and enjoy your trip while your captain, Judith Campbell, and crew take you safely to your destination."
Joe, sitting in the eighth row thought to himself, "Did I hear her right? Is the captain a woman?"
When the attendants came by with the drink cart, he said, "Did I understand you right? Is the captain a woman?"
"Yes," said the attendant, "in fact, this entire crew is female."
"My God," said Joe, "I'd better have two scotch and sodas. I don't know what to think of all those women up there in the cockpit."
"That's another thing," said the attendant, "We no longer call it the cockpit. Now it's the box office."
Pilot Recruitment
The chief of staff of the US Air Force decided that he would personally intervene in the recruiting crisis affecting all of our armed services. He directed a nearby Air Force base that will be opened and that all eligible young men and women be invited. As he and his staff were standing near a brand new F- 15 Fighter, a pair of twin brothers who looked like they had just stepped off a Marine Corps recruiting poster walked up to them.
The chief of staff walked up to them, stuck out his hand and introduced himself. He looked at the first young man and asked, "Son, what skills can you bring to the Air Force?" The young man looks at him and says, "I'm a pilot!" The general gets all excited, turns to his aide and says, "Get him in today, all the paper work done, everything, do it!" The aide hustles the young man off.
The general looks at the second young man and asked, "What skills to you bring to the Air Force?" The young man says, "I chop wood!" "Son," the general replies, "we don't need wood choppers in the Air Force, what do you know how to do?" "I chop wood!"
"Young man," huffs the general, "you are not listening to me, we don't need wood choppers, this is the 20th century!" "Well," the young man says, "you hired my brother!" "Of course we did," says the general, "he's a pilot!" The young man rolls his eyes and says, "Dang it, I have to chop it before he can pile it!"
The ROKAF at Fifty
Fifty years ago this June, North Korean troops stormed south of the 38th parallel, the dividing line between North and South Korea established at the end of World War II.
The invasion marks the beginning of the Korean War and the earliest days of the Republic of Korea Air Force. Today, the Republic of Korea defends that same parallel with a modern military that includes Korean-built KF-16s.
The Peoples Army of North Korea captured Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea, three days after the invasion in 1950. By early August, ROK forces held only a small portion of southeastern Korea from the Korean Strait in the west to just north of Pusan on the east coast. North Korea’s overwhelming strength at the beginning of the war fueled the quick advance. Its 135,000 troops outnumbered South Korean forces by more than 40,000. Its army was seasoned from fighting alongside Soviet and Chinese forces against the Japanese during World War II. North Korea had 120 tanks; South Korea had none. The north also had 180 aircraft (mostly Soviet-built YAK fighters and attack bombers). South Korea had only twenty liaison aircraft (L-4s and L-5s) and ten newly purchased T-6 trainers. 
ROKAF F-51 pilots flew over
8,000 missions during the Korean War.
As a result of a United Nations resolution on 27 June 1950, twenty-one countries came to the aid of South Korea. By late summer, the UN troop strength exceeded that of North Korea. UN and ROK forces began counterattacks from Pusan in September. In mid-September, Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s bold landing of UN forces at Inchon, a port city halfway up the west coast on the Yellow Sea, turned the tide of the war. The North Koreans were forced out of Seoul by the end of September and soon after were pushed all the way back to the Yalu River, Korea’s northern border with China.
The momentum shifted back to the north in late 1950 when China entered the conflict. By early January 1951, Chinese and reconstituted North Korean forces captured Seoul. UN forces retook Seoul in March and pushed farther north. The battle line shifted north and south until late summer when it consolidated near the original starting point at the 38th parallel. A relative stalemate — marked by a series of peace talks, major offensives, and hill battles — continued for almost two years. A cease-fire signed on 27 July 1953 effectively ended the war.
The precise number of casualties during the Korean War is not known. Estimates of the total losses range between 1.5 and 2 million. Total casualties for the UN forces (killed, wounded, or missing) were almost 500,000, including 300,000 South Koreans. Civilian casualties incurred in South Korea totaled one million. Over forty percent of the industry and more than thirty percent of the homes in South Korea were destroyed.
The Korean War is often termed “the forgotten war” in the United States, where most Americans derive their knowledge of the conflict from warmed-over episodes of M*A*S*H. Koreans, however, have clearer memories and a more distinct understanding. Their country remains divided by a four-kilometer buffer zone that stretches the width of the peninsula. The armistice that ended the fighting, still in place today, amounts to a cease-fire — not a formal peace treaty. North Korea maintains a sizable force near the buffer zone, which is a thirty-minute drive from Seoul. North Korean forces have a variety of chemical and biological weapons at their disposal as well as missiles and heavy artillery that can deliver these and other weapons at long ranges. The North test-launched a multi-stage rocket in August 1998, sending it over Japan and into the Pacific.
Today’s North Korean army consists of twenty corps with 4,000 tanks, 2,300 armored vehicles, and 12,000 artillery pieces. Their navy operates ten battle groups and some 570 vessels, including ninety submarines and 260 amphibious landing craft. Their air force includes almost 800 fighters, 80 bombers, over 500 support aircraft, and 320 helicopters. Four long tunnels built by North Korea under the demilitarized zone have been uncovered since 1974. The tunnels are large enough to allow the passage of 30,000 armed troops in one hour. North Korean patrol boats and ROK navy vessels have exchanged gunfire as recently as June 1999.
Unsurprisingly, South Korea places a priority on national defense. The country’s military counters the numerical superiority of the North Korean threat with more modern equipment and a well-trained fighting force. The army consists of eleven corps that operate about 2,000 tanks, 2,300 armored vehicles, 5,000 pieces of field artillery, and 600 helicopters. The ROK Navy operates three fleets and some 200 vessels including ten submarines and sixty aircraft. The ROK Air Force consists of about 800 aircraft organized into eleven wings, which includes one composite wing, one tactical airlift wing, and nine tactical fighter wings. About 130 F-16s constitute the core of the ROK fighter force.
A good portion of ROKAF’s F-16 fleet is located at Sosan Air Base, southeast of Taejon in the central part of the country. Sosan, the newest base in Korea, is home to four F-16 squadrons that comprise the 20th Fighter Wing, which was formed in December 1996. The F-16s at Sosan are referred to as KF-16s to indicate their Korean origin at the F-16 production facilities at Sachon in the southern part of the country.
“This wing is the most modern F-16 unit in Korea and probably the most modern F-16 unit in the world,” notes Gen. Chang, the wing commander. “All of our aircraft here are Block 52 KF-16s. The differences between our air force’s Block 32 and Block 52 F-16s in terms of capability are almost revolutionary. The KF-16 performs flawlessly in both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Its friend-or-foe interrogator system combined with AMRAAM allows us to intercept enemy aircraft in beyond-visual-range conditions. Improved avionics make it possible to target several aircraft at a time. Also provisions for close-in fighting have been expanded. The KF-16’s LANTIRN has remarkably boosted its capability for night fighting. The precision guidance system works well with laser-guided munitions and Maverick air-to-ground missiles. Additionally, the Block 52’s HARM capability allows us to dominate the air space. The KF-16 successfully performs a variety of missions and it improves on the excellent repair and maintenance reputation set by our Block 32 aircraft. Our mission capable rate hovers around ninety percent.”
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| Gen. Chang commands the KF-16 wing at Sosan AB. |
“The KF-16 is the cutting-edge, the latest aircraft in the Korean Air Force,” says Gen. Chang. “It’s also one of the main pillars in the Korean armed forces. We have the best aircraft, pilots, and excellent maintenance crew. The KF-16 serves as a powerful deterrent against North Korea in times of peace and a formidable weapon in times of war.”
The four squadrons at Sosan fly with precision-guided bombs and LANTIRN navigation and targeting pods. Unlike current USAF F-16s, the KF-16 can handle both HARM and LANTIRN missions.
(An avionics program in work for USAF Block 50 and Block 40 F-16 fleets will provide a common capability in the near future.)
The advanced capabilities of the KF-16 are complemented by the modern facilities of Sosan Air Base, which sets a high standard for other ROKAF bases. Maintenance hangars are well lit, spotless, and extremely organized. Squadron buildings match some of the best in the United States. Well fortified NATO-style aircraft hangars flank long twin runways. The base has new living quarters, churches, athletic fields, and many other facilities to improve the living conditions for ROKAF personnel.
“Quality of life issues are as important in our air force as they are in yours,” notes Gen. Chang. “Even though
military service is required in our country, conscripts are allowed to choose which branch they want to serve for periods up to thirty months. So, the ROKAF must try to attract conscripts. The service must also improve living conditions to retain its best and brightest officers. Korea’s thriving economy adds to the challenge.”
Future KF-16 pilots may also be attracted to ROKAF by its proud history, which has been popularized in Korean-produced movies and television shows. These entertainment venues can draw on more than fifty years of aerial accomplishments that officially began in December 1949 when the ROKAF was established. But Korea can trace its aviation heritage back to 1922 when An Chang-nam became the first Korean pilot to fly in his country’s air space. Military aviation started about the same time. Korean expatriates desiring to support the independence movement in their homeland went through flight training at aviation schools in other countries. Korea’s first six military pilots received their training in Curtiss JN-4s in 1920 at the Redwood flight school in northern California.
Choi Yong-duk, who later played a leading role in establishing ROKAF, set up an organization called the Air Force Foundation Committee in 1943 to train Korean pilots in China to fight in the independence war against Japan. When World War II ended, thousands of other Koreans involved in the independence war returned home. Yong-duk and several others set up several private organizations that promoted aviation. Yong-duk, Lee Young-Moo, and Chung Jin-Il integrated these organizations in August 1946 to form the Korean Aviation Establishment Committee. As relations between the north and south became more confrontational in the late 1940s, the committee began negotiations with US forces in Korea to establish an aviation unit under the control of the ministry of national defense. The unit, equipped with L-4 and L-5 liaison aircraft, was acti-vated in May 1948. An air force academy was established at Kimpo Air Base eight months later.
As the communist forces of North Korea strengthened their airpower with Soviet equipment and as US forces withdrew from the peninsula in June 1949, South Korea asked for more military aid, including fighter aircraft. The United States denied the request to avoid increasing tensions in the region. Republic of Korea President Lee Seung-Man went about finding other avenues for procuring military hardware to respond to the North Korean military build up. A nationwide donation campaign called “National Flag” collected money for aircraft. The funds raised were used to buy ten T-6 trainers. The aircraft were rolled out in ceremonies at Yoido Air Base in May 1950 and named “National Foundation Aircraft” to commemorate the public’s part in providing them for the country’s defense. The timing could not have been more portentous — the war began less than six weeks later.
In the first days of the war, ROKAF pilots made heroic but vain attempts to turn back North Korean forces by dropping hand grenades on enemy tanks from their liaison aircraft. The day after the initial invasion, ten ROKAF pilots were rushed to Idasuke Air Base in Japan to receive conversion training for the F-51 Mustang. They returned to Taegu Air Base in South Korea less than two weeks later to take part in the war. ROKAF operations were soon moved to Jinhae Air Base near Pusan as ROKAF pilots sup-ported the Naktong River defense line around that city after the initial retreat.
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| Col. Lee commands the 123rd FS. |
From its first mission in July 1950 to the armistice in July 1953, ROKAF F-51 pilots completed about 8,500 combat missions. Thirty-nine out of a total of 115 ROKAF combat pilots flew 100 combat missions or more. Seventeen ROKAF pilots lost their lives during the war. The service grew from a meager force of twenty-two liaison aircraft and 1,100 troops at the beginning of the war to 118 aircraft and about 11,500 troops at war’s end.
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| ROKAF and PACAF F-16 pilots regularly fly joint missions. |
The close ties established between South Korea and the United States during the Korean War con-tinue in the form of economic trade and national defense. The longtime US security commitment to the ROK has both legal and moral sanctions. US legal obligations fall under UN Security Council resolutions of 1950, by which the United States leads the United Nations Command in Korea. The ROK/US Mutual Security Agreement of 1954 commits both nations to assist each other in case of outside attack. The United States is also a partner in the operations of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command, an integrated headquarters established by the two governments in 1978, and is responsible for planning the defense of South Korea and, if necessary, directing the ROK/US combat forces to defeat enemy aggression.
Major elements of US forces in Korea include the Eighth US Army, the Seventh Air Force, and US Naval Forces Korea. Together with ROK forces, these US forces share the rigors of maintaining a deterrent to another North Korean attack.
Cooperation with United States forces comes in two primary forms for ROKAF— large-scale exercises and pilot exchanges. Large-scale exercises, such as Ulchi Focus Lens, Foal Eagle, Cope Jade, and Hokuk Training, improve the mutual understanding of unit operations, unit structures, weapon systems, and strategies and tactics of each service from both countries. Pilot exchanges include a buddy wing program in which several PACAF pilots fly with ROKAF units for a few days, and maintenance crews get to service PACAF aircraft. These exchanges improve communication and understanding between ROKAF and PACAF personnel. ROKAF also sends exchange pilots to PACAF units for longer terms.
“Both of these forms of cooperation are critical to our national defense,” notes Col. Lee, who commands the 123rd Fighter Squadron at Sosan. “These exercises and exchanges improve the ability of our joint operations in wartime. They also increase understanding between Korean and American forces and help us detect and solve problems. We are always looking for better ways to work with our American counterparts to ensure our nation’s defense.”
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| These KF-16s from Sosan AB form the first line of defense for South Korea. |
US Air Force operations in Korea fall under the command of the 7th Air Force, which is headquartered at Osan Air Base, just south of Seoul. The 7th Air Force plans and directs air component operations in the Republic of Korea and in the Northwest Pacific in support of US Pacific Command, United Nations Command, US/ROK Combined Forces Command, and US Forces Korea. The 7th develops the total air campaign and reinforcement plans for ROK defense and sustains mission readiness of 117 operational units and 8,300 US Air Force personnel.
“We have a great ally with ROKAF, which I would match with any air force in the world,” says Lt. Gen. Charles Heflebower, who commands the 7th Air Force. “They are very capable. ROKAF officers and leadership are professional, and they take their job very seriously. ROKAF pilots fly a lot and train a lot. They are scrambling almost every day, reacting to potential threats. Many of these units are located a minute or two from the front, so they have no margin for error.”
Korea is an intense assignment for US military personnel. Over ninety percent deploy to Korea without their families. “Few airmen volunteer to come to Korea,” notes Heflebower. “Who wants to tell their spouse and children that they want to be away from them for a year? We try to make the assignment more attractive by giving people more weight in choosing their next assignments. Still, most soldiers come to Korea with heavy feet.
“Once they get here, though, that attitude changes,” Heflebower continues. “Serving in Korea is unlike any other assignment in the Air Force. Everyone here is focused on the mission. We have very few distractions. We constantly remind our people that we are not at peace. The situation is a formal cease-fire, a pause in a war. Less than fifty miles from here, the North Koreans have arrayed a huge capability in artillery, infantry divisions, and a good size air force. People have to be ready to fight as soon as they arrive in Korea.”
As a required part of their orientation, newcomers to Osan are sent for a guided tour to the demilitarized zone at Panmunjom. “That tour provides a good reminder of why we serve here,” says Heflebower. “The north and south were the same country for almost 5,000 years. They have been separated for about fifty years, and the difference between the two countries today is huge. The south is bright, colorful, and self-sufficient with a well-educated and industrious population. The north is a wasteland. Every American should come here and take a tour of the DMZ. They will feel grateful for the freedoms they enjoy in the United States.
“We are here to help a nation that shares our values against a nation that has no values,” Heflebower sums up. “We value the human spirit and rights of the individual. I won’t even say that the north values the state—it values a regime. The soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines that serve here understand the situation. When people return home, they are better from the experience. They get a lot of real-world training in that one year. They also gain a better appreciation for what we are protecting in this region and for what they have in America.”
Many Americans and most Koreans will certainly reflect this June on the war that began fifty years ago. With reflection comes hope. And the next fifty years will certainly see renewed efforts — if not true success — at reuniting the two Koreas through peaceful interchanges and cooperative programs that have begun recently by South Korea under its “Sunshine Policy.” A strong defense is a key to this policy of engagement and critical to South Korea’s larger geopolitical role in Southeast Asia. So, the coming years will also bring improvements in South Korea’s military as it becomes more technologically advanced and self-sufficient. The country’s aviation industry is taking part in these efforts. With experience gained from licensed production programs like the KF-16, South Koreans are developing their own military aircraft in the form of the KTX-2, recently named the T-50.
“With a sense of pride and mission as a major fighting force,” reflects Gen. Chang, “the ROKAF is here to deter any possible provocation of the enemy and to defend our country’s air space. Our air force will grow stronger strategically to ensure the security of the country in the twenty-first century and to prepare for the time when Korea will be reunited into one country.”Oleh:Eric Hehs
Schlemming with the Fulcrum
Pilots of the 510th Fighter Squadron and Germany's Jagdgeschwader 73 train as adversaries but relax as friends. This deployment was the first large-scale encounter with the MiG-29 Fulcrum for the US Air Force.
Four Cyrillic letters adorn a toggle switch in the MiG-29 cockpit. The letters spell a word that sounds like schlemm. The switch activates a helmet-mounted sight system used to designate targets for one of the most formidable air-to-air missiles any USAF fighter pilot may ever face, and actually ever face-the AA-11 Archer. The system allows pilots of the MiG-29 to shoot the thrust-vectored Archer where their planes are not pointing. With a turn of the head, they can target opposing aircraft up to forty-five degrees off the nose of the MiG. When MiG-29 pilots of Germany's Jagdgeschwader 73 (Fighter Wing 73) use the helmet-mounted sight system in simulated engagements, they call it a schlemm shot. (Not surprising, schlemm means grand slam in German.)
Only a handful of US Air Force fighter pilots have ever been schlemmed. Those who have, though, consider themselves lucky. They have experienced what others have only read about or encountered in simulations. With experience comes credibility. And as of last May, the most credible squadron with it comes to fighting the MiG-29 is the 510th Fighter Squadron from Aviano Air Base in northern Italy.
Most people associate Aviano with Deny Flight Operations over Bosnia. Many pilots of the 510th Squadron and its sister F-16 squadron, the 555th, have been flying over Bosnia from Aviano for almost three years without much attention. Until recently, that is. These days, the squadrons fly these missions for two-month shifts every six months. The units spend two of the remaining four months training at Aviano and two months deployed. On one. such deployment last year to Decimomannu Air Base on the southern tip of Sardinia, Capt. Will Sparrow of the 510th learned about an upcoming German MiG-29 visit to the island. The Fulcrums, he heard, were looking for aerial adversaries. 'We were on the phone about thirty seconds later getting our name on the books to come back down here," Sparrow said.
A few months after that call, the 510th headed back to Sardinia with ten F16s and an able support team for a four-week MiG-29 Fest. The JG-73 sent ten Fulcrums and fifteen air-to-air German F-4Fs. The pilots flew a variety of setups, from simple one F-16 flying basic fighter maneuvers against one MiG-29, to more complex encounters of four F-16s teamed against four MiG-29s. Two F-16s also flew against two MiG-29s and two F-4Fs. "We called that two v two-plus two," explained Sparrow. "The MiGs practice a lot of tactics with the F-4s to make use of the F-4's radar."
The more complex engagements were simultaneously monitored by ground controllers who used the air combat maneuvering instrumentation facilities at Decimomannu to guide the aerial combatants. The ACMI facilities were also used by the aircrews to review the engagements. "Decimomannu is a fantastic place to train," said Sparrow, who was in charge of the deployment for the 510th. "The base has an ACMI that can't be beat for debriefing. And they have a bombing range nearby at Cappa Frasca."
"I hope this deployment receives a lot of attention because it deserves a lot," Sparrow continued. [Pictured on the left] "Not because we're here, but because we're learning about aircraft very similar to the German MiGs, aircraft that could cause us a lot of problems. As for what we expected before coming down here, we would get ten different answers from ten different pilots. We've heard a lot of things about the MiG-29. We all read the same stuff and get the same information. But we never really know what to believe. We now know they are a great adversary. They were everything I expected and more. Nothing can substitute for training like this. We go out and fight ourselves a lot and we try to make those encounters as realistic as possible. But this is the real thing. And these MiG pilots are really well trained.
"Germany's MiG29 unit is based at Laage Air Base near Rostock on the Baltic coast. Before German reunification in 1990, the aircraft flew for the former East Germany and the Warsaw Pact. After reunification, the Fulcrums became a test wing for the German Air Force. In 1993, the unit became an operational wing. Its twenty-four Fulcrums and twenty-eight pilots officially became a combined wing with an F-4 unit from Pferdsfeld Air Base in 1994. The unit formally maintains an alert role and polices the air over the five republics that comprise the former East Germany. Many of Germany's MiG29 pilots are former F-4 pilots who were trained in the United States. These pilots volunteered to convert to the Fulcrum, which currently represents the most advanced fighter in the German Luftwaffe.
The JG73 has also retained a number of former East German MiG-29 pilots who have had to tailor their knowledge of the airplane to fit western style tactics. Most of the Fulcrum pilots have less than 300 hours in the aircraft. Only a few have over 400 hours. No one in the unit, including former East German pilots, has over 500 hours in the MiG29.
This was not the JG-73's first encounter with advanced western aircraft. The wing flew against Dutch F-16s at Decimomannu last year and against Spanish F18s for two weeks in 1993. The Germans deploy to Sardinia because the ACMI facilities are there and because air-to-air combat training is restricted over the former East Germany, which covers Laage Air Base. The restriction, however, may be dropped later this year.
"The highlight of this deployment for me has been the BFM [basic fighter maneuvering, i.e., modern dog fighting] against a clean F-16C," explained Capt. Oliver Prunk, the operations officer for the JG-73. "The F-16C performs significantly better in terms of power when compared with the F-16A. I was also pleased with the proficiency of the American pilots. They take their jobs very seriously. We try to be the best adversary we can. I think they were surprised with the performance of the MiG-29 and with what we can do with it."
The most impressive aspect of the Fulcrum's performance for the American pilots was its low-speed maneuverability. "In a low-speed fight, fighting the Fulcrum is similar to fighting an F-18 Hornet," explained Capt. Mike McCoy of the 510th. "But the Fulcrum has a thrust advantage over the Hornet. An F-18 can really crank its nose around if you get into a slow-speed fight, but it has to lose altitude to regain the energy, which allows us to get on top of them. The MiG has about the same nose authority at slow speeds, but it can regain energy much faster. Plus the MiG pilots have that fortyfive-degree cone in front of them into which they can fire an Archer and eat you up."
The off-boresight missile, as described in the opening scenario, proved to be a formidable threat, though not an insurmountable one. "Some of their capabilities were more wicked than we originally thought," said McCoy. "We had to respect the helmet-mounted sight, which made our decisions to anchor more difficult. In other words, when I got close in, I had to consider that helmet mounted sight. Every time I got near a Fulcrum's nose, I was releasing flares to defeat an Archer coming off his rail."
"Before coming here, some of our pilots may have thought of the MiG's helmet-mounted sight as an end-all to a BFM fight," explained Lt. Col. Gary West, commander of the 510th. "We have found that it is not as lethal as we had expected. We encountered some positions-particularly in an across-the-circle shot or a high-low shot and in a slow-speed fight-where a Fulcrum pilot can look up forty-five degrees and take a shot while his nose is still off. That capability has changed some of the pilots' ideas on how they should approach a MiG29 in a neutral fight. Below 200 knots, the MiG-29 has incredible nose-pointing capability down to below 100 knots. The F-16, however, enjoys an advantage in the 200knot-plus regime. At higher speeds, we can power above them to go to the vertical. And our turn rate is significantly better. By being patient and by keeping airspeed up around 325 knots, an F-16 can bring the MiG29 to its nose. But the pilot must still be careful of the across-the-circle shot with that helmet-mounted display.
| The MiG-29's avionics are a shortcoming. Its radar-warning and navigational equipment are not up to Western standards. Capt. Mike Raubback, a Fulcrum pilot of the JG-73 |
"We have done very well on neutral BFM engagements," continued West. "We have tried single- and two-circle fights, depending on how much lead turn we had at the merge. Without exception, we have been able to use finesse or power to an advantage after at least a couple of turns. I don't think any F-16 pilot has gotten defensive and stayed there. As always, and this applies to any airplane, success depends on who is flying."
Three pilots from the 510th received backseat rides in one of the JG-73's two-seat MiG-29 trainers. Capt. Sparrow was one of them. "The MiG is harder to fly than the F-16," said Sparrow. "The Soviet airframe is great, but the avionics are not user friendly. After flying in the backseat of the Fulcrum, I got a feel for how spoiled we are in the F-16. I always felt good about the F-16, but I wouldn't trade flying the F-16 for any other aircraft, foreign or domestic.
"The Fulcrum doesn't have the crisp movements of an F-16," Sparrow continued. 'You need to be an octopus in the MiG29 to work the avionics. Those German pilots have it tough. Just to get a simple lock on and fire a missile may take a half dozen hands-off switches or so. We can do the same with a flick of the thumb while we are looking at the HUD. F-16 pilots also have a significant sight advantage. A couple of hundred feet advantage can make a difference in air-to-air combat; the actual difference is more significant than that. MiG29 pilots have a tough time checking their six o'clock. Their canopy rail is higher. They can lose sight of us even when flying BFM."
"Their visibility is not that good," agreed McCoy, one of the other two pilots who enjoyed a spin in the Fulcrum. "Their disadvantage is a real advantage for us. F-16 pilots sit high in the cockpit. All the MiG29 pilots who sat in our cockpit wanted to look around with the canopy closed. They were impressed that they could turn around and look at the tail and even see the engine can."
"Besides visibility, I expected better turning performance," McCoy continued. "The MiG29 is not a continuous nine-g machine like the F-16. I tried to do some things I normally do in an F-16. For example, I tried a high-AOA guns jink. I got the Fulcrum down to about 180 knots and pulled ninety degrees of bank and pulling heavy g's I then went to idle and added a little rudder to get the jet to roll with ailerons. The pilot took control away from me in the middle of these maneuvers because the airplane was about to: snap. I use the F-16's quick roll rate like this all the time with no problem.
"I also tried to do a 250-knot loop," McCoy recalled. "I went to mil power and stabilized. As I went nose high, I asked for afterburner. I had to hamfist the airplane a little as I approached the top of the loop. I was still in afterburner at about 15,000 feet and the jet lost control. The nose started slicing left and right. I let go of the stick and the airplane righted itself and went down. It couldn't finish the loop. In the F-16, we can complete an entire loop at 250 knots."
Like Sparrow, McCoy climbed out of the MiG-29 cockpit feeling better about the F-16, especially its automation. "The biggest instrument in the MiG29 cockpit is the clock," McCoy said. "It took me a while to understand this. But a large clock is needed to keep track of the time after launching a missile. When they launch a missile, they have to consider their shot range and the type of missile they are shooting and estimate how long it will take to impact before firing. When they take a five-mile Alamo shot, for example, they have to calculate mentally the time required for the missile to reach its target so their radar can illuminate it for the duration. They fire and watch until they know when they can turn away. That procedure is a real disadvantage if they're flying against someone who shot a missile at them at about the same time.
"F-16 pilots don't have to think about these things," McCoy continued. "We have great automation. When we launch a missile, the airplane performs all the calculations and displays a countdown on the head-up display for us. When we're within ten miles, we want our eyes out of the cockpit looking for flashes or smoke from an adversary. That's why our head-up display is focused to infinity. We can view information without refocusing our eyes to scan the horizon. Inside of ten miles, Fulcrum pilots are moving their hands around flipping about six switches, some they have to look at. I am moving one, maybe two switches, without taking my hands off the throttle and stick."
Before coming here, some of our pilots may have thought of the MiG's helmet-mounted sight as an end-all to a BFM fight. We have found that it is not as lethal as we had expected. Lt. Col. Gary West, commander of the 510th |  |
German Fulcrum pilots realize the limitations, and advantages, of their aircraft. "If you define an F-16 as a third-generation fighter, it is not fair to speak of the MiG29 as a third-generation aircraft because of its avionics," said Lt. Col. Manfred Skeries, the deputy commander of the JG73. "Aerodynamics, now, are something different." Skeries is the former commander of all East German fighter forces and the first German pilot to fly the MiG-29. His comments came after he received his first flight in the F-16.
"The MiG-29's avionics are a shortcoming," admitted Capt. Michael Raubbach, a Fulcrum pilot of the JG-73. "Its radar-warning and navigational equipment are not up to Western standards. The Russian idea of hands-on throttle and stick is not the same as it is in the West. It is true that we have to look in the cockpit a lot to flip switches. And the way information is provided and the accuracy with which it is provided-in the navigational equipment in particular-doesn't allow full employment in the Western concept.
"Our visibility is not as good as an F-16 or even an F-15," Raubbach continued. "We can't see directly behind us. We have to look out the side slightly to see behind us, which doesn't allow us to maintain a visual contact and an optimum lift vector at the same time. This shortcoming can be a real problem, especially when flying against an aircraft as small as the F-16. But as a German, I can't complain about the MiG's visibility. The aircraft offers the greatest visibility in our air force."
Raubbach is one of many Western-trained pilots who volunteered for the first five MiG29 slots that became available after Germany made the JG-73 an operational wing. He is now an instructor pilot for the unit. "The helmet-mounted sight is a real advantage when it comes to engagements requiring a visual identification," Raubbach said. "It offers no advantage in a BVR engagement, however, unless you enter a short-range fight, which is not very likely against an AMRAAM-equipped opponent like we are facing here."
The Westernization of an Eastern aircraft has presented its own problems. The MiG-29's powerful Isotov RD-33 engines, designed as disposable commodities for a mass force, were designed to run about 400 hours before they had to be replaced. (By comparison, F-16 engines can run about 4,000 hours between overhauls.) The Germans have managed almost to double the RD-33's life span by detuning the engines by ten percent. Besides lowering thrust, the cost-saving fix has reduced range and dirtied the exhaust at lower altitudes. The move from JP-4 to NATO's standard fuel JP-8 has also hurt engine performance.
| "This deployment answered so many questions I had in my mind about the MiG-29. The experience confirmed what I knew about the MiG-29 ability to turn and to fight in the phone booth. It is an awesome airplane in this regime. Capt Mike McCoy, F-16 Pilot with the 510th |
"The engines have been extremely reliable," commented Raubbach. "It goes from afterburner to military power, without problems, at various speeds and under varying g conditions. I can feel the difference detuning makes only at higher speeds. We have many spare engines. We had a shortage at one time, but we now have a big supply. Engines do not represent a shortcoming for us."
Though aerodynamically adept, the MiG-29's performance is constrained by avionics conforming to Soviet tactical doctrine. The aircraft was designed to rely heavily on a centralized system of ground controllers, which could take control of the aircraft's radar. The system could also land the plane if necessary. "Warsaw Pact pilots were not taught to evaluate a situation as it occurs in the air," Prunk explained. "Pilots were used to a system that made many decisions for them. The aircraft's guidance system had room for only six preprogrammed steerpoints, including three targets. The radio had twenty preselected channels at frequencies unknown to the pilot.
"The aircraft was not built for close-in dog fighting, though it is aerodynamically capable of it," Prunk continued. "The East Germans flew it as a point defense interceptor, like a MiG-21. They were not allowed to max perform the airplane, to explore its capabilities or their own capabilities. Sorties lasted about thirty minutes. The airplane was designed to scramble, jettison the tank, go supersonic, shoot its missiles, and go home." This relatively strict operational scenario presents its own limitations. Many of these involve the aircraft's centerline fuel tank. The MiG-29 cannot fly supersonic with the tank attached. Nor can pilots fire the aircraft's 30mm cannon (the tank blocks the shell discharge route) or use its speed brakes. The aircraft is limited to four g's when the tank has fuel remaining. The tank creates some drag and is also difficult to attach and remove. The MiG-29 can carry wing tanks that alleviate many of these shortcomings, but the Luftwaffe has no plans to purchase them from Russia.
Even given its drawbacks, the MiG-29 remains a formidable foe. "This deployment answered so many questions I had in my mind about the MiG-29," said McCoy, who flew in eight sorties against the Fulcrum and in one with it. "The experience confirmed what I knew about the MiG-29's ability to turn and to fight in the phone booth. It is an awesome airplane in this regime. The awe, though, fades away after that first turn in. The biggest adrenaline rush was getting to that point. After that, I started evaluating it as a weapon. The German MiG-29 pilots represent a worst-case threat for us because their skills are so good."
"When Western pilots merge with a MiG for the first time, they tend to stare at it in awe," said West, who flew in three sorties against the Fulcrum. "Instead of flying their jets and fighting, they are enamored by this Soviet-built aircraft that they have spent their lives learning about. Pilots lose this sense of wonder after a first encounter. It is no longer a potential distraction. They are going to know what type of fight to fight and exactly where they may be in trouble. No one can learn these things by reading reports. Air-to-air fighting is a perishable skill. But the lessons we learned here won't be forgotten. These pilots will know at the merge exactly what they are up against. They will have more confidence. And they know they are flying an aircraft that is superior in maneuverability, power, and avionics.
| Pilots of the 510th FS and the JG-73 train as adversaries but debrief and relax as friends. The deployment was the first large-scale encounter with the MiG-29 Fulcrum for the US Air Force. |
"When our pilots first arrived here, they almost tripped over themselves because their eyes were glued to the ramp and those MiG29s," West continued. "After a few days, though, those MiGs became just like any other aircraft. And that's the way it should be."Oleh:510fs.org
