Comments on: Now Aussie Pilots Can Suck and Still Kill MiGs

By: Pilgrim127

Pilgrim127 — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:20:39 +0000

James,
You don’t seem to understand. A Naval Aviator would never get into that position, not even Ward.
We always leave the dying to the Air Force.
DC2
———————————————–
DC2, with 23+ years in the US Army (AKA Blood ‘N Guts Wholesale)I would point out that the service where only the officers fight don’t rack up a very high percentage of casualties, and it matters not if he takes off from a ship or land.
Also, the remark about armoring trucks etc. displays a total ignorance of the ground-fighter’s role. Unless you are wading in with a gun and knife and watching for a chance to kick the other guy in the jewels you are like someone circling a street brawl looking for a chance to throw a brick and run. Chances of those actually in there swinging becoming statistics are ‘way higher.
That said, I knew some Aussies and Kiwis in VietNam–none of them were either stupid, incompetent nor cowardly.

By: martin

martin — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:34:33 +0000

The Python 5 does all that and came out in 2003. The USAF ordered some in 2006.
Nothing more to see here…move on

By: gjp

gjp — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:02:01 +0000

Aviators are too adults!
So there!
(former private pilot)

By: AMMO

AMMO — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:02:42 +0000

Hasn’t anybody thought of designing a pivoting missile hardpoint so the missile can be fired backwards or in any direction? Must be effective as hell.
d-fens,
One of the several reasons for the shape of a missile is aerodynamics. Actually that’s pretty much the main reason. With the possibility for any jet we own to go supersonic, a missile facing any direction other than forward is just going to shear off from that much surface area being exposed to that kind of velocity. As far as the LOAL ability in the ASRAAM, I don’t see how saving your own ass is a bad thing. Just because the dude isn’t in front of you doesn’t mean he’s not still your enemy. Plus, because of the short range of the ASRAAM, there is a way to escape the lock, if you airbrake, and drop target when you see it fire. Since it only goes a max of 18 km, if you get scared enough to leave, by the time that missle comes around to get you, you’ll be long gone.

By: Jock Williams

Jock Williams — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:39:20 +0000

Anyone who doesn’t think it would be great to be able to terminate a bogey in your six o’clock hasn’t ever flown a fighter.
Of course you should never let anyone get there in the first place…but stuff happens!
The tone of the article was designed to be amusing –and it was successful. I have never met an Aussie who couldn’t take a joke –and this was just good natured ribbing.
I always thought a rear and slightly upward-facing minigun would be a worthwhile addition to F18 (or any other fighter) weapons suite. It would sure as hell get a pursuers attention!
The close-in fight is suicide –but an ace in the hole is always a good plan!
Jock Williams

By: Wembley

Wembley — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 07:42:00 +0000

@DC2: If Ward can’t be informative and entertaining at the same time, he’s in the wrong job. The article should at least have told us a bit about the hardware and how it compares to the AIM-9X.
And if parading your prejudices is supposed to be witty — well, I hope someone stops him before he starts trotting out ‘amusing’ and ‘ironic’ digs at African-American pilots, female pilots, Jewish pilots etc. Being an aviator doesn’t excuse you from acting like an adult.

By: dan

dan — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:49:47 +0000

I wonder if the drone tried to evade the shot or dropped flares? Probably not, then the missile might have missed and it wouldn’t be reported.

By: kaltes

kaltes — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:45:53 +0000

Serious question for Ward:
If this missile is so good and capable, why don’t we ditch fighters entirely, load up a C-130 or B-52 with an AWACS-like radar, long range BVR all-aspect missiles, and phenomenal ECM, then just stick them on patrol at high altitude over enemy airspace so they can shoot down everything that flies.
Hell, we could even give them interceptor missiles and anti-radiation missiles to deal with SAMs, on top of the ECM.
With all that altitude and range, you wouldn’t need speed and maneuverability at all anymore.

By: mark

mark — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:32:42 +0000

i just recentley read a report that said the aussie soldier is the best trained soldier in the world so i cant imagine them doing a bad job with there pilots .im not an aussie by the way im from florida

By: DC2 Jennings

DC2 Jennings — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:40:28 +0000

Wembley,
Ward is a Naval Aviator. Hence his little dig at how a crappy Aussie pilot can now kill the other guy even though he is a crappy pilot.
Sibling rivalry man. Get over it. The post was funny and informative at the same time.
DC2