F-15 Rescue Mission.

[Ed Haywood]

Sorry but I gotta ask.

Is the WSO responsible for operating all the various defensive countermeasures that detect and respond to missile threats? If the WSO was a rusty O-6, could that have contributed to getting shot down?

I had to ask. Sorry.

 

[kyleb]

Sorry but I gotta ask.

Is the WSO responsible for operating all the various defensive countermeasures that detect and respond to missile threats? If the WSO was a rusty O-6, could that have contributed to getting shot down?

I had to ask. Sorry.

The Brits and Swedes have developed laser guided MANPADS. I don't know if those are manually aimed or if there some sort of stabilization/automation, but I assume they are un-jammable. Maybe the Iranians have built/stolen/bought that capability in some quantity, rendering IR defenses useless.

 

[Matthew]

Years ago, when AOPA used to have in-person safety seminars, one of the presenters was a former F-15 pilot. During a break we were standing together and somehow the topic went to night flights. He said, “I like flying at night, <shrugged his shoulders> tracers are easier to see.”

 

[Flymy47]

My first missions in early OEF I was really concerned with MANPADS despite what was briefed in the threat portion of the Air Mission Brief. Knowing the possibility that they were possibly out there made me very conscious, and I made it a point that I could identify, and actuate the manual flare dispense button at my crew station by feel in the dark without looking at it. I couldn't fathom then that the aircraft systems could detect and employ countermeasures better than I, although it probably/maybe/hopefully could. It took quite a while for me to relax during the hours long transits to and from the target. What's the saying, hours of boredom supplanted by seconds of terror?

 

[Velocity173]

Sorry but I gotta ask.

Is the WSO responsible for operating all the various defensive countermeasures that detect and respond to missile threats? If the WSO was a rusty O-6, could that have contributed to getting shot down?

I had to ask. Sorry.

I’d think most of their stuff is automatic. Our IRCM (ALQ / CMWS) was dumbed down so all you had to have was the power on. Chaff was manual though.