8th Nov 2012, 22:35
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: UK
Age: 54
Posts: 503
Phalconfixer
The pilot of the Predator A will be watching the marshalling signals through the camera on the nose and also via the turret. They also follow the taxy marks on the concrete through the same camera until they get signals from the marshaller. Finally, there is usually a marshaller on the radio speaking to the Launch Recovery Element ground control cabin that is probably only 200-300m away from the marshaller. Make sense now?
Lonewolf/tartare
The warning of the Frogfoot coming would be from a correlated Link 16/JTIDS picture probably tieing in the RADAR pictures from AWACS, ASACS, other Link 16 tactical aircraft (like F15 or F18) and a shed load of Coalition warships! Also the sensor ball is incredibly good at slewing to this Link 16 picture - I once watched a C17 flying at over 20 miles doing some stuff and I could make out its nationality markings quite clearly.
There was an attempt to trade shots between a MiG 25 and a Predator A over Iraq over 10 years ago - sadly the Stinger didn't guide to the MiG but guided to the contrail instead (if it had had a decent air-air missile the result would have been different).
Here's the video
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Even so, military officials and analysts say the $2.5 million Predator's first dogfight in December heralds a new role.
Maj. Mark Lilly of the Air Force 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron.
Lilly said the Air Force was "baiting" the Iraqi air force by flying Predators over southern Iraq and fleeing when Iraqis scrambled their jets.
"Then they put Stinger missiles on a Predator. They took it up and the Predator didn't run away," he said.
The Predator and an Iraqi MiG 25 fired air-to-air missiles at each other. Lilly said the Stinger missed when its heat-seeker got diverted by the MiG's missile. The Iraqi missile downed the Predator.
"If it happens again, the Predator will come out on top," Lilly predicted.
The first thing that most people (manned or unmanned) know when they are being engaged is either seeing a muzzle flash (shortly followed by either static for a UAV pilot or a smiling St Peter for a manned aircraft pilot) or a missile smoke plume (depending on the age of the missile) - so what's the difference? I've done unseen kills on F14, F15, F16 and F18 on Red Flag - having a person in the plane made no difference.
Now what would be interesting would be if the Predator A Pilot had done a 'Guns Jink' and also 'min ranged' the Frogfoot's missiles and held the Iranian Pilot off until he ran out of fuel and then RTB'd. Now that would be a story...
Otherwise, all I have read is just the normal Luddite 'drone bashing' drivel - move along please...nothing to see here.
iRaven