The Greatest Fighter Jet of All Time.

[Fighterguy]

Wasn't that an Israeli F-15 that lost its wing? If so, was it still due to training or was there yet another F-15 (Israeli) that lost its wing in combat?

Yes, it was an Israeli F-15B on a training exercise. The only F-15's lost in combat were "E" models shot down by SAM's. Also, there was an F-15C damaged by a Sidewinder (pictured). I was in this unit (54th Fighter Squadron) when this mishap occurred.

 

[Skyediamonds]

Fighterguy,
Thank you for pointing out that it was an Israeli F-15 & on a training mission. I didn't know the circumstances how the -15 lost its wing, but now I do. Don't blame you for your nod to the F-15 either.

 

[Zipper730]

The ELINT birds were full spectrum snoopers. They could monitor and record just about every form of electromagnetic emision generated in their assigned area. Everything from broadcast radio and TV, all kinds of communications, microwave, navigation, radar, IFF, remote control signals, missile steering signals, you name it, they got it on tape. They carried linguists, cryptographers, communications specialists, intelligence analysts and spooks of all stripes onboard, and could record just about any event in real time. Needless to say, they could track and record MiGs as they intercepted strike forces, and by listening on aircraft frequencies, could hear them being vectored for attack runs. They knew which bases the MiGs were coming from by their communications long before they could see them on radar.

Impressive

BUT, being on the intelligence side, not the operations side, they were reduced to spectator status. Part of their effectiveness stemmed from most of their "targets" being unaware they were being watched. Needless to say, coming on the air to play fighter director would compromise their effectiveness and make them a target.

I'm not sure I said this before, but didn't the E-3's end up doing exactly this later on?

BTW: I was looking through some information on the F-8J which used a BLC system and it trimmed 15 knots off the landing speed. The thing is, I'm not sure if it covered the flaps only, or the flaperons as well. The -J might have used a different flap deflection angle (lower). The XF8U-3 used a higher flaperon deflection angle, what appears to be, similar flap angles to the F-8C's. I'm not sure how much BLC they used, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could squeak 20 knots out of such an arrangement.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

I'm not sure I said this before, but didn't the E-3's end up doing exactly this later on?

Yup, those EC121s were the original surveillance AWACS bird. Now if they had just had a digital data link with which to alert the airborne strike controllers in the "talking" EC121s without going audible, they might have saved a lot of losses.

 

[Skyediamonds]

Gentlemen,
Ironic it was mentioned if "only the EC-121's had data links without going audible, they might've saved a lot of losses...". I just read in one of the latest issues of Aviation Weekly that Israel has taken this data link one or two steps further. They've developed an incredible system "in-house" & therefore free from any restrictions that might be imposed from OEM of say the U.S. or EU from maximizing the full potential of what has been recently declassified as BNET.

The article basically describes the following scenario: A soldier identifies a target hundreds, maybe thousands of yards away using his high-powered telescopic gunsight. ThIs target may be on the fourth floor & third window from the right. The target may be out of range of his rifle or even not in direct line of sight for his bullet. The soldier needs help from one of his support groups.

So instead of verbally announcing his need for support he presses a button in his "smart sight" of his say, M-16. The rest of his battle group has already been logged into his datalink & by use of a computer system, within seconds determines the best source for engaging the target by picking out & connecting the other source for active engagement. These other sources may be a tank, another soldier or even an UAS that's been loitering around. The computer determines the best means of utilizing this support group's weapons to ensure minimal collateral damage.

Even if the target is not easily seen by the other members of his support group, this datalink provides accurate sighting from the original soldier. Once verified by the group & confirmed by the soldier, the target is engaged. All within seconds & without any verbal communication whatsoever.

Sort of like a bullet zipping above rooftops, going around clotheslines & slightly around a corner to ultimately engage the target. Or why we see on television a b+w image of a target from overhead yet a missile or JDAM is coming in from the side.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

Sort of like a bullet zipping above rooftops, going around clotheslines & slightly around a corner to ultimately engage the target. Or why we see on television a b+w image of a target from overhead yet a missile or JDAM is coming in from the side.

Sounds like some sort of GPS network enhanced laser designator targeting. Laser designators have been around since Vietnam, GPS since Gulf War I. Their marriage was predictable. It's about time their offspring showed up.

 

[Skyediamonds]

Sounds like some sort of GPS network enhanced laser designator targeting. Laser designators have been around since Vietnam, GPS since Gulf War I. Their marriage was predictable. It's about time their offspring showed up.

 

[Skyediamonds]

XBe: agreed. It would seem their offspring have been genetically manipulated to near perfection for this time period.