F-16 strafes, kills terrorist

Multi-National Force, Iraq ^ | Thursday, 20 July 2006 | American Forces Press Service

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

BAQUBAH – A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter, providing nontraditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support to Coalition ground forces, killed a member of an improvised explosive device cell and identified an IED emplacement Wednesday near Baqubah, U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials reported.

The F-16 identified three possible IED emplacers and passed the information to ground forces. Ground unit personnel positively identified the terrorists and requested the F-16 engage the hostile forces. The F-16 strafed the terrorists, killing one and ending the engagement.

Coalition aircraft, operationally controlled by U.S. Central Command Air Forces from Southwest Asia bases, provide a constant air umbrella over Iraq, providing for the safety and security of the Iraqi people and coalition ground forces, officials said.

"Our message is clear to those who continue to harm innocent civilians and attack coalition forces: if terrorists continue their activities, we will identify, track and take appropriate action to stop them," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Anthony Haynes, Combined Air Operations Center director. "More than 30,000 deployed airmen are hard at work, in the air and on the ground, in both Iraq and Afghanistan, striving to improve the safety and quality of life for local citizens," he said.

(From a U.S. Central Command Air Forces Forward news release.)

Last Updated ( Thursday, 20 July 2006 )

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Sounds like he got a guns kill although the article isn't real clear. I hope he gunned them, that'd be awesome! I'd pay money for that footage.

[gotribe]

Wish israel had that technology.

[rmlew]

A 20mm gatling can ruin your bombing attempt.
No virgins for them.

[1rudeboy]

Silly question, but does the F-16 have guns? Would they be mounted in a pod under the wing?

[zarf]

Shoulder gun

[Northern Yankee]

Aim High... so to speak!

[operation clinton cleanup]

The F-16 strafed the terrorists, killing one and ending the engagement.

I love happy endings! Wish we could see the gun camera footage.

[Mr. Jazzy]

Light 'em up, flyboys!!!


You are angels on our shoulders!

[rmlew]

Wish israel had that technology.
They do. Israel has F-16s and it was the Israeli company Rafael, which developed the litening pod.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Silly question, but does the F-16 have guns?

Yes it does, of the 20mm type.

[ansel12]

Hope the pilots will describe what it is like to do a strafing run, and how often does this come up in the last few decades?

[demlosers]

Silly question, but does the F-16 have guns?

This:

[Walkingfeather]

pink mist

[Natural Law]

Way to go Big Blue Wrecking Crew!

[Calusa]

Surgical strike bump.

Off we go into the wild blue yonder,

Climbing high into the sun;

Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,

At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun! (Give 'er the gun now!)

Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,

Off with one helluva roar!

We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!

Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

[1rudeboy]

Praise be.

[andyk]

You know the rules - gun camera footage ;)

[operation clinton cleanup]

[WorkingClassFilth]

There was footage filmed with night vision equipment of a helicopter crew creaming 3-4 Hajis. About a year or so back there were several links here on FR.

[Northern Yankee]

You're playing my song!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Military.com still has it. I've seen it come up again in the last couple of weeks.

[arasina]

Kewl! Good job there, pal. LOL

[Mogger]

It's a 20mm gatling gun. Can fire 6000 rounds per minute. WHen they are fired at that speed, it sounds like a fog horn from 5 miles away.

I grew up 5 miles from where they were test fired by the manufacturer during the 'Nam war.

The target was about 3 miles away.

I actual use, they are fired in very short bursts to conserve ammo.

Of course a sweeping yurn in an F-16 spreads bullets pretty thin at a distance even at 6000 per second.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I've heard of fixed-wing planes doing this in World War II but not in any modern times. Maybe the pilot had only Sidewinders hanging but really wanted to get the SOB. I love it!!

[Number57]

[rahbert]

Israel has a choice of vendors for such stuff.

'Nuff said.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

How's this for a jihadi-stopper?

[Onelifetogive]

The F-16 strafed the terrorists, killing one and ending the engagement.

...with an exclamation point.

[StormEye]

What a way to die, getting strafed by an F-16! Wonder if there was anything left?

[Calusa]

I {We} appreciate your Honorable Service to the Homeland. Thanks.

[george76]

To reach out and touch somebody...

8-))

[verum ago]

So do I. That's at least two of us.
MAKE IT A 'WE" !

[Dumpster Baby]

In Viet Nam the Phantoms and F105's used to dive vertically on SAM sites from high altitude, firing the 20mm Gatling gun on high rate, 100 rounds per second, and saturate the site with explosive rain.

[skimask]

From the halls of Montezuma

To the shores of Tripoli

We will fight our country's battles

In the air, on land and sea;

Fight for right and freedon,

And to keep our honor clean

We are proud to claim the title

Of United States Marines

[Burma Jones]

Bad way to go. Well, messy way to go, anyway. (Soup Nazi voice) No Gitmo for you!

[Cribb]

Re: "Of course a sweeping turn in an F-16 spreads bullets pretty thin at a distance even at 6000 per second."

You yaw back and forth using rudders.
Or as the blokes would say - you wobble it around a bit.

[Calusa]

If I might be so bold: Semper Fi! Thanks for your Honorable Service.

[kenboy]

I know the beast of a gun in the A-10 can do all sorts of cool stuff...

[brazzaville]

Good evning.

The IAF used to be one of the few Air Forces in the world that taught their fighter pilot to use guns as well as missiles. I think Vietnam showed us the need.

I believe the gun on an F-16 is a 20 or 2mm rapid fire cannon mounted somewhere forward, but I'm not sure. Someone here will know.

Michael Frazier

[FrPR]

Remember, gentlemen Freepers off on a spree, that there was a time - not so long ago - when combined forces felt there was no particular need to arm fighters with guns. "The age of the gun is over", they said. "The age of the dogfight is over."

Do you remember our rude awakening?

It was just before TOPGUN.

[brazzaville]

Good evening.
The 7.62 versions in Spooky were downright beautiful at night and they would work an area for a long time. The show was almost hypnotic.

With the Net being what it is, we will almost certainly see gun camera footage here eventually. The MSM loves visuals, but I don't know if they'll run it on the Evening News.

Michael Frazier

[LasVegasMac]

You yaw back and forth using rudders.

This ain't the Navy, this would be an Air Force F-16.

Single engine.

Single tail.

Single "vertical stabilzer"......

that contains ONE - single....rudder.

I fully realize the Navy needs more of everything.

But that would be a Navy issue, wouldn't it?

:-)

[LasVegasMac]

or 2mm rapid fire cannon mounted somewhere forward

LOL

Rapid fire BB gun.

[brazzaville]

Good evening.
"Rapid fire BB gun."

LOL Goes to show why proofreading is important, eh.

Hey, at least there wouldn't be much recoil.

Michael Frazier

[LaineyDee]

The F-16 identified three possible IED emplacers and passed the information to ground forces.

Gosh....I didn't know the F-16 could do that all by itself!? The way this article reads...the jet did this without a pilot. I guess the writer assumes that guns shoot without human assistance, as well. :)

[donmeaker]

I like the Original Army Air Corps version better.

A copy may be nice, but it is still a copy.

[OneWingedShark]

"In Viet Nam the Phantoms and F105's used to dive vertically on SAM sites from high altitude, firing the 20mm Gatling gun on high rate, 100 rounds per second, and saturate the site with explosive rain."

*grin* - It's our job to break stuff and blow shit up.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"I didn't know the F-16 could do that all by itself!?"

Maybe it was made out of a recycled SUV!!!

SUVs--- mechanical pitbulls for the new moelinium!

[jiggyboy]

There was footage filmed with night vision equipment of a helicopter crew creaming 3-4 Hajis.

Barely enough to be able to see. Here's a good one: "I got numerous individuals on the road...Do you want me to take those out?"

[LaineyDee]

Could be! lol