Special Ops?

[Tycer]

I was retaking my FEX down south today and started talking to a pilot from Ft. Brag. When it came to asking what equipment he was on he said he couldn't say because he was Special Ops. Was he blowing smoke up my as- or was he being honest?

 

[usmc33]

Probably smoke

Hey, I work in SPECOPS too. Here's my answer...

the 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) flies Little Birds, MH 47s, and may have a varient of an MH-60, although the -60 may be only an Air Force SPECOPS platform along with the MH-53 and Talon (SPECOPS version of C-130, and C-130 SPECTRE gunships.

Now, any of this stuff can be found as public information and of course, Janes. If this guys equipment is so secret that he couldn't tell you what type of equipment he's on, then he also wouldn't be able to tell you that he's SPECOPS. I hate it when guys in the community try to pull this crap.

 

[Goose17]

if my memory serves me correctly...

The 160th SOAR is not at Fort Brag.

Goose17

 

[T1bubba]

Anyone who really can't tell you what they're flying will have a cover story that they can tell you, and that's probably fairly mundane so you won't ask too many questions about it.

It's interesting to talk to the original F-117 guys, they kept their cover story up for years.

 

[usmc33]

Right

Right on,

The 160th is at Ft. Campbell, KY and Hunter Army Army Airfield, GA a point I glossed over, which is more proof that the guy at Bragg was blowing smoke big time.

 

[Delta Po Boy]

He might have been an AF type flying out of Special Ops out of Pope AFB for the Fort Bragg guys. When I was on active duty, we had a few assignments that guys couldn't tell you exactly where they were going or what they were gonna be flying.

 

[dtfl]

Well....

like was posted earlier - most guys who do fly in Special Ops can tell you what they fly....after that......
Also just because an aircraft isn't co-located with a base doesn't mean squat today. There might be a guy who flies and aircraft that is based in.......Miami - yet works out of Bragg. (Just pulling cities out of my &ss to use as an example). I wouldn't say that guy is blowing smoke. There is more out there than most know. Even us Spec Ops guys learn things the longer we are in.


BTW you forgot the MC13OP Shadow in the list of AF Spec Ops planes...and the russian planes and DC3s, etc....

 

[AxisVDP]

Just as a crazy thought: he may not be able to tell you because the type of aircraft would disclose what type of training they're doing at Bragg.

 

[Snoopy58]

The F-117 pilots didn't tell people that they flew "a secret aircraft that I can't tell you about." They said that they flew A-7's.

Nothing draws attention quicker than saying "I've got a secret & I can't tell you. Sorry." Guys who actually do such things avoid drawing attention to themselves & their work.

I'll give you a 95% chance that the guy who said that was utterly blowing smoke. Those who actually do things they can't talk about (a) are almost always far more professional than to advertise the fact, and (b) have a cover story that satisfies casual interest while protecting what needs to be protected.

Oh, you fly A-7's, huh? That's nice. (yawn) Know any good bbq places around here?

 

[AxisVDP]

Point taken.. That story should go in the YGTBSM section.

 

[mudkow60]

What is the squadron name of the 160th? I think they are on det at my field in Florida. If so, those little birds are nice. Folks are nice too!

 

[ShawnC]

What is the squadron name of the 160th? I think they are on det at my field in Florida. If so, those little birds are nice. Folks are nice too!

I believe it's Nightstalkers.

 

[mudkow60]

That's it!! I was talking to those guys the other day. They are on the ramp next to my helo. Cool folks, and nice new birds. Fit like a glove. I wish I could fly my helo with no doors and folks strapped to the sides.

Thanks for the info!

 

[737guy]

They rent and lease anything that get the mission done! They don't have ownership of any aircraft. Are you sure you are talking about the Fort Bragg guys? They are not Special Operations but they are Special! very special!!!!!

 

[BluDevAv8r]

deleted

 

[satpak77]

They rent and lease anything that get the mission done! They don't have ownership of any aircraft. Are you sure you are talking about the Fort Bragg guys? They are not Special Operations but they are Special! very special!!!!!

you just brought a thread from 2004 back alive

 

[JimNtexas]

The F-117 pilots didn't tell people that they flew "a secret aircraft that I can't tell you about." They said that they flew A-7's.

Nothing draws attention quicker than saying "I've got a secret & I can't tell you. Sorry." Guys who actually do such things avoid drawing attention to themselves & their work.

I'll give you a 95% chance that the guy who said that was utterly blowing smoke. Those who actually do things they can't talk about (a) are almost always far more professional than to advertise the fact, and (b) have a cover story that satisfies casual interest while protecting what needs to be protected.

Oh, you fly A-7's, huh? That's nice. (yawn) Know any good bbq places around here?

I can second that. I don't know anything about special ops, but I do know that the original F-117 had cover stories ("I'm working in a FWS test unit, we test night bombing stuff with some old A-7s"), and that the last thing that they would say was that they were in a secret program. I'm sure Special Ops guys are the same.