Posted on 11/10/2005 9:37:46 PM PST by Arjun
American, Indian Airmen ‘mix it up’
by Capt. John Redfield Cope India Public Affairs
11/10/2005 - KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- For the first time, U.S. pilots faced the Indian Air Force’s most advanced, and newest, fighter -- the Su-30 MKI -- during an exercise Cope India 06 mission here.
F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots Capt. Martin “Gabby” Mentch and 1st Lt. Robert “Pipes” Stimpson were the first to mix it up with the Su-30s Nov. 9.
The Airmen, deployed here with the 13th Fighter Squadron from Misawa Air Base, Japan, flew against the new jets, which have a thrust-vector capability and updated avionics.
The MKI “is an amazing jet that has a lot of maneuverability,” an essential trait when fighters fly within visual range of their enemy during combat missions, Captain Mentch said.
The American fighters are also squaring off against an older version of the Su-30 Flanker during the exercise, which runs through Nov. 19. The Indians are also flying the MiG-21 Fishbed, MiG-27 Flogger, MiG-29 Fulcrum and Mirage 2000 against U.S. Airmen participating in the exercise.
With all these different types of aircraft, the training the pilots are getting here is invaluable, said Lt. Col. Hugh “Hef” Hanlon, the Misawa squadron commander.
“Flying against dissimilar aircraft gives us a different level of training than if we were back home just flying against ourselves,” he said.
Colonel Hanlon also said flying against the Indian aircraft is a thrill.
“In all my 18 years in the Air Force, I’ve dreamed of going up against these aircraft,” he said.
In addition to the initial MKI-F-16 encounter, the exercise has another piece of history to it.
Americans are learning from their Indian counterparts that this is the first time U.S. Airmen have operated from here since World War II. Back then, Army Air Forces pilots flew supply missions from here. Many of those missions were to China, over “the hump” of the Himalaya Mountains.
About 250 U.S. Airmen from throughout the Pacific region are participating in the exercise, which Colonel Hanlon said is “a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
"We’re proud to represent the Air Force and the United States of America,” he said.
Can't wait for the usual crowd to glow over re-worked MiG-21s and other commie-crap. These aircraft have always known defeat at the hands of superior western aircraft, and we're not talking about exercises, either. Air combat is not about stunt planes.
PING for the F-16. Perfect COMBAT record.
Our guys rule!
I notice that the story didn't mention us roughing up any of their planes.
Its not just the aircraft but the pilot that matters as well. Pakistan has always flown western aircraft but it has yet to win a single conflict with India.
Also dont forget that these Russian birds are upgraded with Western/Indian avionics in some cases.
I'm pretty sure that particular photo is actually from a mechanical problem or mid-air collision at an airshow somewhere. I just didn't know how to put the disclaimer in fine print.
Yep.
It's always worried me that Pakistan will be the country to blow the F-16s perfect record.
But the soviet aircraft are still too largely focused around "super maneuverability" for in-close engagements, while western aircraft are designed to solve that problem 10-20km before that. I really like some of the Soviet concepts (the ruggedness of the MiG-29 and it's thermal imaging system, for instance), but I think they've pushed the maneuverability issue too far, even with western avionics packages.
The Russian manufacturers always wait until the Paris Airshow to "crash test" their designs ;)
Wait till the results are out.
I'm told that's a real problem with soviet-era military technology. The problem is that some of it does work really well.
In some circles in the west, everything they build is incredible, and bound to make a mockery of western tanks/airplanes/whatever. When the T-72 came out for example, everyone thought it was just too dangerous for words. Of course it wasn't, and most of the stuff from that era wasn't either. The other extreme is to write off all of their stuff as junk. That's a good way to become dead, as some of it is pretty advanced.
"But the soviet aircraft are still too largely focused around "super maneuverability" for in-close engagements, while western aircraft are designed to solve that problem 10-20km before that. "
Then obviously you havent heard of the AA12 Archer and R27 I take it. Moreover the Indian MKIs are also fitted with the Israeli Pythons.
So, how did the Falcons fare? I bet they got spanked.
I mean the AA11 Archer and AA12 Adder.
AA11 Archer R-73 "solves the problem" from 40 km away and AA12 Archer R-77 missile has an active radar finder and a maximim range of 90-100 kilometers (50 km more than AMRAAM) and flies at four times the speed of sound.
Oh did i forget to mention AA-10 ALAMO Alamo-C R-27T with a range of 130km?
Yes, Gengis, keep looking up posting numerous responses with the results. Also, keep missing the original point, as well as insinuating that not only do 'they' have all those capabilities we have, they may have even more. I've never understood fanboy behavior.
I dont know what got YOU so stirred up, I was merely reacting to some silly comments like
".......while western aircraft are designed to solve that problem 10-20km before that."
So what is YOUR point?
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