[Gunrunner2]

Perhaps. . .but the front-seater has 51% of the vote. (Notwithstanding the over-all veto--command ejection--of the back-seater).
;-)

[Check6]

Maybe if the units were adequately manned they wouldn't have been in the cockpit for 10 straight hours and they would have been able to think straight. After 10 hours in an F-16 cockpit, on dexadrine, they are beginning to lose responsibility for some judgement errors.

[catpuppy]

Cannot disagree entirely although that 51% vote had better be backed up by ROE and common sense. As for the ejection thing, have you forgotten the command selector valve (controlled by the backseater) whereby the backseater could ensure that the guy in front went along for the parachute ride?

[catpuppy]

Sorry Gr, I did not read very carefully your comments regarding the "veto." My bad.

[Mr Rogers]

Actually, that depends. The pilot is always the aircraft commander, and responsible for safety of flight. However, the WSO can be the mission commander, responsible for tactical decisions like dropping. However, the F-16 is very much a single seat fighter. A WSO might have made a difference, but there is no guarantee - some WSOs are as undisciplined as some pilots.