Dogfight Video

[garf12]

I ran across the following video. Anyone have any idea what this is? Is it real combat?? I wouldnt think someone would be sitting in the back filming if it was, but I dont see how it could be training cause they are really shooting stuff down. Pretty cool video.

http://www.croqaudile.com/in.php?article_id=7107

 

[Purpledog]

F-4 drones.

 

[Mud Eagle]

That is the Portland ANG's Combat Archer video from a couple of years ago. In the middle of the drone killing, there are some shots of ACM.

 

[AdlerDriver]

garf12,

The USAF conducts a Weapons System Evaluation Program (WSEP) at Tyndall AFB. It is also called “Combat Archer”. Fighter units from around the USAF come to Tyndall for a couple of weeks each and get to shoot live missiles at target drones. The drones are full-scale F-4Qs and sub-scale “firebee” type aircraft. The shot scenario as well as the type of missile being shot determines which kind of drone they use. Sometimes the pilots can design their own shot scenario and other times there are specific areas the USAF is investigating that drive how the shot is set up. Here’s a link with some info on the sub-scales: http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-34.html
The warhead is removed from the missile and replaced with a telemetry pack. This pack allows parameters on the missiles performance to be downlinked during the shot and flyout. Engineers use the data to determine how well the weapons perform in a realistic environment.

Prior to the F-4s, they used F-106 and F-100 aircraft. If you look closely at the video of the F-4, you’ll notice there is no pilot. It’s being flown by remote control from a ground station. There is a special runway at Tyndall in a remote area that allows launch and recovery of the drones. The sub-scales are rail launched and recovered by parachute and boat from the Gulf of Mexico. If they’re shooting heat-seeking missiles at the sub-scales, they will put heat pods on the wingtips. This will hopefully keep the missile away from the engine and allow re-use of the drone. Most times, the drone operators will used last ditch maneuvers to attempt to create a near miss (still within fuzing range). This allows multiple shots against the same drone or even better, a drone recovery for use on another mission. Usually the weapons work very well and as you can tell, not all the drones make it back. The drone operators don’t like this but it makes the fighter pilots very happy. Hope that helps explain it.

 

[2000flyer]

Personally, I'd rather listen to the radio chatter than made into some music video. That being said though, great video!

2000Flyer

 

[AdlerDriver]

One other thing on the drones. I was stationed at Tyndall from 95-98 and they were still using F-106s. The drone squadron maintains a small cadre of pilots qualified in the drone. They fly training missions to stay current. Part of their job is to “ride” along when the remote control system is certified. They sit on their hands while the operator flies from the ground and performs practice landing, etc. On one certification mission the ground operator pranged the jet on during a landing attempt. He (or the pilot on board – I’m not sure which) was able to get the jet airborne and fly away from the ground. Unfortunately, the jet was damaged so badly that it could not be landed. The drone pilot had to eject off the coast. I’ll be he had a little bit to say to the drone operator when he got back.

 

[Xavier]

I too would like to hear the radio chatter on some of these aviation video's.

 

[hawg2hawk]

One other thing on the drones. I was stationed at Tyndall from 95-98 and they were still using F-106s. The drone squadron maintains a small cadre of pilots qualified in the drone. They fly training missions to stay current. Part of their job is to “ride” along when the remote control system is certified. They sit on their hands while the operator flies from the ground and performs practice landing, etc. On one certification mission the ground operator pranged the jet on during a landing attempt. He (or the pilot on board – I’m not sure which) was able to get the jet airborne and fly away from the ground. Unfortunately, the jet was damaged so badly that it could not be landed. The drone pilot had to eject off the coast. I’ll be he had a little bit to say to the drone operator when he got back.

Said it before, and I'll say it again. F*** that S***. I have a hard enough job riding in the car when my wife is driving.

 

[AdlerDriver]

Said it before, and I'll say it again. F*** that S***. I have a hard enough job riding in the car when my wife is driving.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Although, somehow I've gotten used to auto-land. I'm not sure how that happened.

 

[JungleJett]

Deleted