U.S. Air Force's Role Changing in Iraq

[syscom3]

I just read this on Yahoo.

Theres going to be far more integration of the services than we and they suspect.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060102/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_air_war

 

[Delusional]

Just seems like another indication that the U.S. has gotten in over their heads to me, but what do I know. Coming from an Air Force family, my only other comment would be that the USAF kicks arse.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It is true. When I was in Iraq the Airforce had to pull gunner duties on convoys that were coming into and out of our camp.

 

[plan_D]

Britain has been using the RAF Regiment as an army unit for decades. It is better trained than most army regiments and is extremely valuable to the British military system. I don't see the US doing the same as anything new. If you notice it's USAF security and guard personel that have been doing the army duties, so it'll be nothing new for them either.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes most of them are SP's so that is there normal job as well as protecting military posts.

 

[Delusional]

As was evident by the various comments made by high-ranking members of the Air Force in that article. Something new to me, but apparently, with a more global perspective, big deal.

 

[plan_D]

I personally don't know why they've wasted a news article on it. I'm sure the USAF has been using their ground crew for guard duty in the past decades, just as Britain has. I don't know about the U.S, but all military personel are trained to fire their rifle here. And if you're trained to fire a rifle, you can do any job asked of you that involves the use of that rifle. My dad was an aircraft technician and he had to do guard duty, just like everyone else. I don't see people wasting a news article on that fact.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

For the most part you are correct, but the Airforces job is not to provide convoy security and to watch POW's. It has happened I am sure all the way back to WW2 times and it is an every day event in Iraq.

 

[plan_D]

My dad drove in supply convoys, as well as providing security for other convoys in the Gulf War. I imagine the media is running out of stories. In fact, my dad had to drive a two-ton truck with off-set tracking in the Gulf War. Apparently it kept veering to the left and it had no power steering, so imagine how tiring that would have been.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Would not know, I fly everywhere I go.

 

[plan_D]

He flew most places during the war in the back of a Chinook.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Aghh I hate flying in them.

 

[plan_D]

I know you do. You never flew on one my dad fixed though. They didn't leak on you!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

All Chinooks leak. As a matter of fact all Helicopters leak. They are designed to do so at certain points in the system.

 

[plan_D]

They drip in some parts of the system, yes. My dad went through this with me but when I informed him of you saying they leak on you. He told me that someone was obviously over-tightening something. Because they shouldn't be leaking, only in certain places they should be dripping to keep it lubricated.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Okay let me elaborate, this is what I mean by leaking and it actually just is a static leak and all helicopters do them.

In the desert when it is hot during the day, the seals expand later when the temperature drops and believe it does in the desert the seals shrink and they begin to "leak" this actually just static leak and normally just a drop. There are limits to these drops such as 1 per hour or what not. However sometimes this limit is exceeded and it is acceptable becauase of the temperature change.

So basically you come out to the aircraft to preflight and you see a puddle of hydraulic fluid because of the static leak due to the temp change and you clean it up and fly because it does not leak when at operating temperatures. Sometimes you have to service the pumps before you fly. Sometimes you do not get to clean up all the puddle because of time restraints and this hydraulic fluid leaks down into the cabin.

I hate flying Chinooks because of how they feel in flight and because they are fricken hot.

 

[plan_D]

When you said leak I thought you meant actually leaking, which wouldn't be too good. Most aircraft drip as well, as you will know. Apparently the SR-71 actually leaks when it comes to rest.

And I bet Chinooks aren't hot if you're sat on the back ramp, when it's open of course.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes the SR-71 leaks after flights because it heats up so much in flight that it actually stretches. It was actually designed to do so though. Better to leak on the ground then at Mach 3.5+

The Chinook was hot because the heat from the exhaust was coming in from the back and then to go with the 120 degree heat did not help. When I first got to Iraq I thought I would be pretty cool sitting in my Crew Chiefs seat with the door gunners window open but the 120 degree heat hitting you at 150 knots just made you hotter.

 

[plan_D]

How odd, that's hard to imagine. But then I've never tried to imagine sitting in a helicopter that's wide open.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I actually think it would be pretty cool to sit on the ramp and be the rear gunner.