“The one thing she didn’t have as she roared into the crystalline sky was live ammunition. Or missiles. Or anything at all to throw at a hostile aircraft.”
Good Lord. Talk about a toothless defense. No ammo, missles or any offensive weapons. What’s the point of even having military aircraft, or even the National Guard if they can’t defend us or themselves. We are truly a paper-tiger.
Well, would appear that since every hostile nation or terrorist orgination knows that our guns are not loaded, they might as well just attack us at their convenience. Until then, Homeland Security and TSA will continue to shake-down old women and toddlers at the airport in a half-ass effort to protect us. Meanwhile the bad-guys are being given free-reign to prepare and perpatrate horrors upon us breeders.
This is absolutely insane. But I guess it’s OK as long as our duly, democratic elected leaders have bomb shelters in which to hide until the hostilities are over. We are truly screwed.
All that has changed of course in the post 9.11 world. That squadron has transitioned to F-15s and all the Air Defense Guard units sit strip alerts with live weapons.
Many reasons for this, but heavily armed planes are very dangerous. However, what this story now explains is why the second plane hit the tower. I recall a fighter plane was in route but could not catch it. If the fighter had missiles, maybe it could have locked on and fired at long range? Maybe some FREEPER Air FORCE veterans can add a comment....
I guess they could have loaded her up with bean bag shooters like they did our dead border patrol agents.
Between the end of the Cold War and 9/11 there were few Air Force interceptors on armed alert because of the greatly diminished threat. There were 2 armed F-15As over Manhattan shortly after the second plane went in; they were on alert at Otis AFS in Mass. It’s likely that Penney’s squadron just wasn’t one of the few alert squadrons, so there would be no birds with missiles hung or 20mm on board.
It also needs to be remembered that before 9/11 our air defense was focused outward. Planes at Andrews would have been well inland from our front line of defense, but in a much better position to intercept United 93 coming from inland to the northwest.