US military jets very busy lately

[Todd Beck]

For the past month or so, the USAF(?) has been flying their jets over the southwestern US on an almost daily basis. Usually I only see them training over this area once every three or four months. The training was more frequent immediately before the bombing of Yugoslavia started, but even then it wasn't as frequent as it's been the last few days. Every time I walked out of my office Friday there were 12-16 jet trails in the sky and 3-4 other jets making new ones. They've been both bombers and fighters (binoculars are great). Anybody know what's going on? Is this some inconsequential training exercise, or is this in anticipation of something like, say, civil unrest resulting from Y2K failures. I don't want to be alarmist, and this could be nothing, but it is peculiar.

[NavyDood_ F/A18_Mech]

Could be for the whole Y2K scare. The big worry about terrorizm you know. Then again good ol Saddam is back to his tricks with the UN stuff. Who knows. Maybe there is a Training Mission (war games) going on in the area causing more flights more than normal.

Jim

[This message has been edited by NavyDood_ F/A18_Mech (edited 12-21-1999).]

[Wiz]

i've notcied 'em to at selfridge air force base in michigan. i live about 25 miles away from it, and every day i hear helicopters going over head, and not normal helicopters, hueys and gunships. i'm willing to bet it is due to terrorism though. They just caught taht guy in seattle with enough explosives to destroy a city block.
Things will be happening on new years, big, bad things. Not even by computers, but by people, looters, terorists, and masses of asses. i dont think i am paranoid, rather, i am just cautious. take care everyone

[bulb]

There is lots of military activity around here in San Diego, but nothing that seems out of the ordinary to me. You know the government, there gonna do everything they can to keep things running smooth.

-m@

[seti]

I was in St. Louis over the weekend (****, that's on big **** arch) and saw about 10 military aircraft at the FBO we parked the citation at alone. Mind you most of them were F-18's (no e's, doh!) and they build them in St. Louis if I'm not mistaken. Some fully loaded f-16's too though. That's a beautiful aircraft.

[NavyDood_ F/A18_Mech]

Yeah the F/A-18's are built in St. Louis.

The f-16 is actually easy prey for the F/A 18. All we have to do is get them in a climb, and they are done for. The f-16 has no rudder control. They could remove it and it wouldn't fly any different. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Jim

[Toadman]

There HAS been a noticeable increase in military activity lately, at least in SoCal.
Exercises at Camp Pendleton, more than usual number of Nat'l Guard helos in Barstow. I hear the sub pen and active Fleet vessels will be underway or on alert at North Island, bulb. UH1-B's and blackhawks tied down at a nearby civilian airport. FEMA is broadcast testing. My Marine/Navy friends are zip-lipped(at least more than usual). No one's talking. Care to comment Navydood?

[pickel]

A naval vessle in port is a dead duck. Out at sea with more maneuverability a task force can be utilised for attack or take a defensive posture. More targets more resources the ememy has to deploy. With Y2K coming the increase in activity is either preparedness for whatever OR a display for the public to to show that the armed forces
are, willing and able to forge ahead into the next mileniun. Or they trying to use up whatever resouces they see fit in order to
appropriate more funds from Congress.

[Ed_S]

I'm in St Louis, not far from where they build 'em. Haven't noticed any increase, but then I'm not sure if I would notice since they're always testing the things anyway & it becomes part of normal background noise. Probably notice more if they went quiet!

seti - Yeah, that's one h#ll of a McDonalds down by the river. We're proud of it!
(There really IS a McD near the Gateway Arch, it's on a riverboat)

[Wiz]

acutally the F-22's are also stealth, aren't they? wasn't that the big to-do as to why it costs so much?

[Toadman]

The F-22 Raptor is stealthy, but it uses classified radar spoofs other than radar-absorbing paint and faceted angles. The avionics are incredible,and what's really cool is it's vectored thrust, so the exhaust nozzles can be adjusted up or down for incredible angles of attack and turning radius, plus it can cruise supersonic without using the fuel-sucking afterburners.
Nice plane, but funding has been cut back so not many will be produced.

[seti]

Ha, yeah I saw that McD's....got a good kick out of that! http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

The avionics on the raptor are indeed supposed to be amazing. I'm heard from a resource of which I'm not yet sure is reliable that it actully tracts eye movement....so if the computer notices the pilot checks turbine rpm, or something everytime he changes throttle setting....It will automaticly pull up that display on the center mfd for a moment. It teaches the pilot to be more effecent. Pretty cool I think...if it's true.

[NavyDood_ F/A18_Mech]

Here's my .02 cents.

F = Fighter
FA = Strike/Fighter
Strike = Bombing
Fighter/Attack = Air to Air

F-4's - Very few left. They were a Strike/Fighter in their prime. Living proof that if you put big enough engines in something it will fly. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

F-14's - Main mission is Interceptor (Attack). Can track 15 targets at once and fire at each one. Fire and forget technology. (Although it can't carry that many Sparrow missles) Secondary is bombing and recon.

F-15's - Attack. But with updates makes a decent Strike bird too.

F-16's - Strike/Fighter. Good all around plane. Just has rudder weakness.

F/A-18's - Strike/Fighter. All weather capabilities. The work horse of the Navy now. The new F/A-18E/F is going to be taking over though. The F/A-18 E/F model is stealthy also. They made a lot of changes to the Airframe.

I don't know a lot about the F-22. It has gotten so costly for the Government it's rediculous. The Navy wont be getting any. And the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) is still being developed. The grapevine says that the JSF may take over the F-22 all together.

The Navy went the route with the F/A-18 E/F to replace the ageing F-14's.

These are my words and my words only. I'm speaking for no one else. What i know is from what i have read and studying up on from UN-Classified materials. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Jim




[This message has been edited by NavyDood_ F/A18_Mech (edited 12-22-1999).]

[jad1097]

That's funny there seems to be less activity here. We used to have all kinds of military aircraft around. Now I know were they went!
Murfreesboro, Tennesse

[MrEd]

I had a Huey full of troops fly over my work, and hover around 25 feet off the ground no more than a hundred yards away, then turn around and went the way it came. Freaked the heck out of me considering I work in a "City". With lots of buildings. I'm thinking "urban warfare".

-MrEd
http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[chuckiechan]

Prior to Desert Storm, my two bases were very busy. Right before strike time, nothing was flying! It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop. Then we went after them.

I expect terriorism. My only hope is that if it happens, we find those responsible and hunt them down and kill them! We are not playing tiddily-winks here. You play, you pay. Our turf, our rules..Your turf, our rules.!! Nuf said!

[chipbgt]

I live right now Dobbins and Lockheed in Georgia and have noticed a slight uptick in activity...even though they run those bad-boy f-22's all the time....sweeeeet.

[Todd Beck]

Gee, including a part that doesn't work right. That sounds like some of the "features" included with WinDOH!s.

What's the story behind that brilliant design idea?

[mattheadfat]

what are the exact purposes (and differences) between the f-4, f-14, f-15, f-16, f-18, f-22??
i always thought one replaced the other as each one got older and outdated?
thanks

[seti]

Ha, this info is all from my days (after watching top gun) that I wanted to be an air force pilot...so it might be wrong.

F-4's are mainly used in a radar suppresion role these days

F-14's are used as interceptors.

F-15's are used in air supperiority, but found useful air to ground work in latter revisions

F-16's are cheap do it all aircraft

F-18's are the navy's cheap, do it all aircraft.

F-22's are basicly the F-15's replacement. They use internal bays rather than pylons so they're more likely to be used as strategic bombers than mud movers in any air to ground role. In they're air to air role...ha, I pitty the foo' that goes up against one.

I'm sure NavyDood would be able to tell you a lot more, and go into greater detail.

[This message has been edited by seti (edited 12-22-1999).]

[mattheadfat]

I live in Canada and we have lots of F-18's, there supposed to be good for cold weather or something.

[daveleau]

I live in Charleston SC where we have a dead Naval base and a AF base that deals mainly in cargo planes and A10 Warthogs (the Cobra Rattler for those GIJoe guys http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif) and I have seen quite a few fighters that I haven't seen alot of before. Our port is on alert so... It is very interesting to hear that it is going on elsewhere.
Dave

[skywalker[TSG]]

this is happening in sweden too
the fleet has been send to only to major bases covering our two major cities
and also the airforce has been wery busy

ive seen well over 100 fighter planes in just this week and extencive ground movement also

[orkboss]

Yes, I have noticed my local militia sharping the points on their sticks!

[Andy_L]

The Federal fiscal year starts in October, they are just spending their newly aquired wealth on training before it is requesitioned for Bosnia/Kosovo/Macadonia/Kuwait/Korea

[Wiz]

Navydood,
doesn't the navy only use planes with 2 engines so that even if there is an engine failure, the plane wont take a dive in the water because of the 2nd one?

[KillerBug]

Maybee Nuclear war!

[seti]

On the news last night I caught the end of story about americans safty around y2k. Mostly dealing with american internation travelers. I heard "...it has caused the air force to step up security" I don't know if that ment internal or what, but it's somewhat related.

[SysOpt]

I haven't noticed an increase in activity in the Bay Area or at least north of SF.. I'm very keenly aware of the sound of a military aircraft verses civilian and almost always run outside when one flies over http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif, but haven't heard any lately. Maybe they are concentrating elsewhere.

[seti]

Hey Scott, I noticed in the "about us" thing that you fly a 152. I think that's awesome. When I was 17, me and my dad delivered a 182 from Vancouver, Canada to Mozambique (via greenland, iceland of course). I flew a VFR leg through the rockies and have wanted my licence since. Ha, we rigged a system to pump fuel from jerry cans in the back through a vent out onto the wing and into the tank so we would have a safe amount of fuel to make it through some of the longer stretches....like over Zambia, too bad we had a 50 knot head wind and didn't quite make it....it cost 8 grand to get off the runway. Ha, it's so corrupt. Right now the company he's working for is doing a pre-purchace of a falcon 50...those are pretty sweet. Anyway,I don't have my licence, so I'm pretty jelouse obviously. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[SysOpt]

Yeah flying rocks, and as sexy as the jets and higher performance aircraft are, everyone should start out in the tried and true Cessna 152/172/182 or similar aircraft. They are a breeze to fly (once you get the hang of it) and do wonders for teaching flight basics (sometimes it feels like driving a car, only it's much more fun to be flying 2,000-4,000ft over all the fools on the roads down below http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif ).

I haven't been flying lately because the license has to be renewed every two years, but I will one of these days. If you get a chance, give it a shot - and hone your skills in a flight sim like Flight Unlimited III or MSFS 2000.

Scott

[This message has been edited by SysOpt (edited 12-23-1999).]

[NavyDood_ F/A18_Mech]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF...

There aren't any Military planes left in the Bay Area. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif Since Alameda and Moffett are closed down now, not much going on. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif I was stationed at Moffett Last year. I was out in the bay area for 4 1/2 years.

Jim

[SysOpt]

Makes sense http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif.. I just moved there in August.