Posted on 05/29/2015 6:15:15 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
A pair of RAF Lakenheath based USAF F-15E Strike Eagles that were bristling with live bombs and air-to-air missiles, along five KC-135R tankers, flew on a secretive and grueling 12 hour mission over the Southern Mediterranean on Monday, May 25th, Memorial Day.
Multiple radio interceptors and plane spotters state that four F-15E’s, callsigns ABLE 01 through 04, took off from their home base at RAF Lakenheath laden with yellow banded (live) AIM-9M sidewinders, AIM-120 AMRAAMS and no less than seven 500lb Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs). These aircraft were accompanied by five KC-135Rs tankers, callsign QUID 91 through 95, that launched out of their base at RAF Mildenhall, just as the Lakenheath based F-15Es were departing.
After forming up over the UK, ABLE 01 and 02 and QUID 91 through 95 headed south, while ABLE 03 and ABLE 04 turned around and landed back at Lakenheath, their pylons still full of weapons. These two aircraft were clearly air spares, a common technique used for ensuring success during critical missions. Complex combat aircraft are notoriously prone to technical issues that may allow them to continue flying just fine but will greatly limit their effectiveness in combat. These issues can be as simple as a defective radio or targeting pod, or a serious as a malfunctioning engine or environmental system. They also often manifest themselves once the aircraft has ‘warmed up’ and is underway. By adding airborne spare aircraft to a mission plan the chances of mission completion greatly increase. Because of America’s aging and ever more complex air combat fleet, this is a common practice for everything from long-distance re-deployments to critical missions aimed at taking out high-value targets.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com ...
It would be nice if they were practicing to bomb Iran.
And by September, Obama has promised a decision on the authority to use them.
Israel, watch your back, with this CIC.
Well written and sourced piece. So we have proof that US strike aircraft could of been in Benghazi in 6 hours. Italian based ones even sooner.
“” So we have proof that US strike aircraft could of been in Benghazi in 6 hours. Italian based ones even sooner.””
There were armed drones overhead live as it happened. The CIC refused to lift a finger, he went to bed early IIRC.
Yup. At the very least one of the drones could of crashed into the mortar position.
12 hours in that cramped cockpit. Can they stand up to stretch their legs, take a walk aft to the loo, chat up the stews?
There's that SECRET word again. I don't think it means what they think it means.
After 12 hours they would have to extract me with a crane or tip the fighter upside down and shake me out. Bravo eagle drivers!
LOL. know just what you mean. My joints would have all set up. They’d have to disassemble the aircraft to extract me! Bravo, indeed.
Roger that! :>))
Well done US.
We have your back always.
This was RAF.
They likely *did* take out a high value target.
Obama will read about it in the news. (He never goes to his daily intelligence briefing.)
Wars and rumors of wars.
Thanks sukhoi-30mki.
I was thinking the same thing. It's not real secret if I'm reading about it OSINT.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.