U-2 Down (merged)
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Breaking News on the BBC Web site (1154Z).
US spy plane crashes in SW Asia
A US Air Force U-2 spy plane has crashed in south-west Asia, the US military has said.
The crash occurred at 2330 GMT on Tuesday, according to a short written statement from US Central Command.
It gave no further details of the plane's mission and said the cause of the crash and the condition of the pilot were currently unknown.
The U-2 is a high-altitude surveillance aircraft first developed in the Cold War and manned by a single pilot.
[Edited to apologise to SSS for posting the same thing 1 min later - you must be using 2 fingers to type!!]
US spy plane crashes in SW Asia
A US Air Force U-2 spy plane has crashed in south-west Asia, the US military has said.
The crash occurred at 2330 GMT on Tuesday, according to a short written statement from US Central Command.
It gave no further details of the plane's mission and said the cause of the crash and the condition of the pilot were currently unknown.
The U-2 is a high-altitude surveillance aircraft first developed in the Cold War and manned by a single pilot.
[Edited to apologise to SSS for posting the same thing 1 min later - you must be using 2 fingers to type!!]
Join Date: Aug 2000
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A very broad area "South West Asia" could cover as their ops from their main base covers both theatres...and some to the south too I might add! We have had a few with emergencies force land nearby, thankfully safely.
Speaking to them on the odd occassions and I really hope he/she is ok....yup she, asked her how the view was a while back and she said "dark!".
Lets hope for the best.....
Speaking to them on the odd occassions and I really hope he/she is ok....yup she, asked her how the view was a while back and she said "dark!".
Lets hope for the best.....
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Unfortunately it seems the pilot did not survive 
US spy plane crashes in SW Asia
A US Air Force U-2 spy plane has crashed in south-west Asia killing the pilot, the US military has said. The crash occurred at 2330 GMT on Tuesday, when the pilot was returning to base after completing a mission. Its cause is not known.
A military spokesman said the location of the crash would not be released because of "host nation sensitivity".
The U-2 is a high-altitude surveillance aircraft first developed in the Cold War and manned by a single pilot.
Central Command gave no details of the plane's mission, but said a full investigation would be convened to established the causes of the crash.
"The specific location is not releasable due to host nation sensitivities," US Air Force Capt David W Small, a Central Command spokesman, said.
Correspondents say south-west Asia is a phrase often used by the US military to refer to the Middle East.
The site of the crash has been secured to ensure the safety of local citizens and the integrity of the site for the investigation team, the statement said.
The name of the pilot will not be released until next of kin are informed, but a statement by the military said he was flying a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the name given to US operations in Afghanistan.
"The airmen of the 380th Expeditionary Wing mourn the loss of a true American hero in the service of his country," Col Darryl Burke, the wing's commander, said in a statement.
The long, thin plane, with a wing-span of 100 feet (30.5m) is able to cruise at 90,000ft (27,430m) - more than 17 miles (27km) up - so high that the pilot has to wear a spacesuit.
The U-2 was an invaluable US surveillance tool during the Cold War, able to photograph Soviet military facilities and operating in great secrecy out of Adana in Turkey - later renamed the Incirlik airbase.
In 1960 a U-2 was shot down by a volley of Soviet surface-to-air missiles. The pilot, Gary Powers, ejected but was captured and held for two years on spying charges.
It was also a U-2 that took the photographs of Soviet missiles being put into Cuba in October 1962.
A US Air Force U-2 spy plane has crashed in south-west Asia killing the pilot, the US military has said. The crash occurred at 2330 GMT on Tuesday, when the pilot was returning to base after completing a mission. Its cause is not known.
A military spokesman said the location of the crash would not be released because of "host nation sensitivity".
The U-2 is a high-altitude surveillance aircraft first developed in the Cold War and manned by a single pilot.
Central Command gave no details of the plane's mission, but said a full investigation would be convened to established the causes of the crash.
"The specific location is not releasable due to host nation sensitivities," US Air Force Capt David W Small, a Central Command spokesman, said.
Correspondents say south-west Asia is a phrase often used by the US military to refer to the Middle East.
The site of the crash has been secured to ensure the safety of local citizens and the integrity of the site for the investigation team, the statement said.
The name of the pilot will not be released until next of kin are informed, but a statement by the military said he was flying a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the name given to US operations in Afghanistan.
"The airmen of the 380th Expeditionary Wing mourn the loss of a true American hero in the service of his country," Col Darryl Burke, the wing's commander, said in a statement.
The long, thin plane, with a wing-span of 100 feet (30.5m) is able to cruise at 90,000ft (27,430m) - more than 17 miles (27km) up - so high that the pilot has to wear a spacesuit.
The U-2 was an invaluable US surveillance tool during the Cold War, able to photograph Soviet military facilities and operating in great secrecy out of Adana in Turkey - later renamed the Incirlik airbase.
In 1960 a U-2 was shot down by a volley of Soviet surface-to-air missiles. The pilot, Gary Powers, ejected but was captured and held for two years on spying charges.
It was also a U-2 that took the photographs of Soviet missiles being put into Cuba in October 1962.
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We are enjoying??? brownout conditions in the region with the "Shamal" winds (from the desert) and high humidity in the coastal regions which compounds in-flight viz problems and general aircraft handling issues. The recoveries are obviously through night and day and even day arrivals are hazerdous with poor viz, high winds, high temps and high humidity...this in an areroplane that has a 5kt crosswind limit give or take.
Rivetjoint Sorry, did you interpret from comments made that it was Iraq based?? Your assessment is correct, they are about 3.5 hours flying time to the main theatres and 5 to the southern theatres.
Rivetjoint Sorry, did you interpret from comments made that it was Iraq based?? Your assessment is correct, they are about 3.5 hours flying time to the main theatres and 5 to the southern theatres.
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IC
To the ice cream lickers, or to those that go out of their road to find out???? Trust me in this part of the world, even for those in operations civil and military it is not common knowledge of the exact location of all the coalition assets ....but I guess you would know that as well 
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Thank God the Cold War is over....all this good gen would have cost lives.....come to think of it down at the local 308th AEW shopping center it still could! Well done lads....
