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'ABC News Reporter Has Logged F-15E Combat Hours'

I'll add to the chorus: good reporting, and a genuine message.
Great stuff.
Oh, and also one of the best-sorted combat aircraft of all time ;)
 
The only way people will ever get an understanding of what really happens is if journalists are allowed a very close look. You just hope the journalist tells the truth and the whole truth.

In this case, it seems both took place.

It's time people understand the risks the ground troops are taking to prevent civilian casualties. Our enemy, on the other hand, has no such concerns! It is important that this message likewise gets out to the public the world over, and moreover that world public takes note of this fact when forumulating their conclusions.

There is nothing new about this restraint. I once had a two-man heavy machine gun team dead in my sights and one Helfire missile strike and 25 seconds from near certain death. The ground commander had his men behind a HUMVEE taking the fire from that position. He decided against giving me clearance to engage that enemy team. He felt the collateral damage risk was too significant.

This took place years ago in Iraq.

Ken
 
Frankly,

I'm surprised to see this response from you guys. Not that it was a bad idea: we could use some reporting showing how we really wage war instead of constantly calling the USAF killers.

I think there was an element of BS there though. I'm no F-15E expert, but this was a reporter going for an incentive ride where they were going to put on a show, nothing more and nothing less, or so it seemed to me. Of course they weren't going to drop bombs or do anything too crazy, she was in the absent WSO's seat! If I heard the voices correctly, then it was the crew of the other jet that made the strafing run.
 
Well you know they don't want the bad press of a civilian reporter captured or killed. Still I agree it was a tentative step in the right direction. I can scarcely imagine the negotiations that took place to allow this to happen.
 
tigisfat said:
Frankly,

I'm surprised to see this response from you guys. Not that it was a bad idea: we could use some reporting showing how we really wage war instead of constantly calling the USAF killers.

I think there was an element of BS there though. I'm no F-15E expert, but this was a reporter going for an incentive ride where they were going to put on a show, nothing more and nothing less, or so it seemed to me. Of course they weren't going to drop bombs or do anything too crazy, she was in the absent WSO's seat! If I heard the voices correctly, then it was the crew of the other jet that made the strafing run.
Click to expand...

PR my friend, not BS. Yes, she was nothing more than an observer and, I am sure, in very little danger. I don't see her any different than the embedded reporter of a ground unit who "tries" to stay out of direct fire from the enemy.

I see her far better light than the high ranking officers who flew the "milk run" missions in Vietnam to build their combat hours and thus qualify for medals. She is a non-combatant. They were fully qualified combat pilots and navigators.
 
tigisfat said:
Frankly,

I'm surprised to see this response from you guys. Not that it was a bad idea: we could use some reporting showing how we really wage war instead of constantly calling the USAF killers.

I think there was an element of BS there though. I'm no F-15E expert, but this was a reporter going for an incentive ride where they were going to put on a show, nothing more and nothing less, or so it seemed to me. Of course they weren't going to drop bombs or do anything too crazy, she was in the absent WSO's seat! If I heard the voices correctly, then it was the crew of the other jet that made the strafing run.
Click to expand...

That reply seems designed to invite negative response. I will not offer it.

On the other hand, based upon my personal experience in Joint CAS missions, unlike in most cases, this particular reporter got the details correct. She seemed to understand what was happening as her description of the commentary from the JTAC to the aircrew was accurate. Perhaps she earned this ride because she convinced the brass that she knew which end was up. Most reporters won't be allowed to do this because it takes a long time to finish the mandatory safety briefings and qualifications needed to even step into the cockpit and strap on. She did this and earned the flight.

It is refreshing frankly to see a journalist imerse into a complicated mission and understand the facts enough to make an accurate report. This allows the laypeople an insight into what their military is doing. That's not BS, but good public relations with the people who ultimately pay the bills through their taxes to pay for all this.

Ken
 
Perhaps in a way we are doing a disservice to the reporter here by even saying it was good PR. It was, but perhaps that is also an inadequate description. As I'm currently watching the World War II in HD series, I was reminded of this flight and realized that this reporter earned the trust and confidence of the fighters in that unit, the same way Earnie Pyle earned the trust and confidence of the Marines and soldiers he served with in World War II. That's why the Marines said they "lost a buddy" on Ie Shima.

Ultimately, a history will be written of this war, just like in past wars. We cannot as a military insulate ourselves as we are a military force of a democracy, and the peoples' views matter a whole lot. Therefore, it is imperative that the people understand what is really happening.

Ken
 
I saw that on CNN when they aired it the other day. Brilliant reporting.

The wildest part was the high altitude pattern entry and steep extreme descent which was in case of ground fire and ground to air attacks. I didnt know you could come in from that steep of a angle, like a dive-landing.


Pretty cool.


Bill
 
Lionheart said:
I saw that on CNN when they aired it the other day. Brilliant reporting.

The wildest part was the high altitude pattern entry and steep extreme descent which was in case of ground fire and ground to air attacks. I didnt know you could come in from that steep of a angle, like a dive-landing.


Pretty cool.


Bill
Click to expand...

Yep, it's called a random steep approach, used when you are confident that the inner sanctum of the airbase is secure and that the surrounding area has only light AAA and MANPADS as threats. Even C-130's do it.

Like all aircraft, you can descend as steep as you desire provided you don't exceed critical speeds and allow yourself enough altitude to safely level off.

It is a pretty fun maneuver in training! :engel016:

Ken
 
Panther_99FS said:
Hey Ken,
Actually, on the first one, I was on the flight deck :) On the second however, I was in back...:d
Click to expand...

Hey, that's a rare coup! It's rare when a passenger is invited on the flight deck, especially for an approach to land. Way to go!

You didn't give the crew a method to bypass the firewall and let them surf Playboy online on their deployment, did you? LOL!!!

Ken
 
Ken Stallings said:
Hey, that's a rare coup! It's rare when a passenger is invited on the flight deck, especially for an approach to land. Way to go!

You didn't give the crew a method to bypass the firewall and let them surf Playboy online on their deployment, did you? LOL!!!

Ken
Click to expand...

:icon_lol: No....but here's the deal....
I had been waiting for about 2 days or so to get a flight out of Udeid to a remote base....Well, I finally got a flight & was the last to get on the aircraft....Well, all the other PAX looked at me and gave me the Forrest Gump "Taken" look as I searched for a place to sit....So, upon seeing that seating was tight, the loadmaster said..."Hey, you wanna go sit up on the flight deck :ques:..."....And I was like "HECK YES!!!!"

(I wanted to give all the other PAX the "one finger salute" as I went up to the flight deck but I resisted..:d)
 
Panther_99FS said:
I've been on two 130/Herc combat descent landings.....:isadizzy: :d
Click to expand...
I had the pleasure of one of those...with a severe head cold.
I was in the back and nobody informed us, next thing the plane tilted, and my Eustachian tubes were pressurizing on the wrong side.
A little before touchdown, I wondered whether my eardrums would blow out before my sinuses exploded like ripe tomatoes.
I considered unscrewing my head and tossing it overboard, as an alternative.

Wonder what the descent rate might be in those maneuvers?
 
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