Dutch F-16 flies into its own bullets, scores self-inflicted hits. Fighter lands OK.
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The classic ground target ricochet
And pressing home the attack past the safety height / distance.... One would say, this time a Dutch F-16, had similar on one of our Jags.
https://www.rt.com/news/455756-dutch...aign=Miximedia
https://www.rt.com/news/455756-dutch...aign=Miximedia
Winched the pilot of Mirage A3-75 out of a swamp after total loss of thrust following the drop of a Mk. 82 Snakeye on the range, possible ingestion of a bomb fragment. Wreckage not recoverable due nature of swamp.
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Nutty
I’m with RP on this one. Can you substantiate your claim that ricochets are directly related to late firing?
It’s an easy statement to make but I’m not sure it’s one you can prove.
All the ricochets that I’ve heard of were just bad luck. With the Aden cannon in particular you have to get in pretty close to be accurate so it’s just a hazard of the job. I can’t quote ranges for a Vulcan cannon.
BV
It’s an easy statement to make but I’m not sure it’s one you can prove.
All the ricochets that I’ve heard of were just bad luck. With the Aden cannon in particular you have to get in pretty close to be accurate so it’s just a hazard of the job. I can’t quote ranges for a Vulcan cannon.
BV
Last edited by Bob Viking; 8th Apr 2019 at 05:34.
There was an Aermacchi in NZ that suffered similar. Turns out the range sandpit had lots of lead bullets sitting in the target region, and ricochet occurred.
Range Ops were suspended until it was dug up and filtered.
Range Ops were suspended until it was dug up and filtered.
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I can. Cease fire at 2200' slant range on low angle strafe (5-15 degrees). This will give you a minimum ground clearance of 75' if shallow and fast (worst case: 5 degrees and 500KTS).
By the way, the marks on the Dutch F-16 looks more like marks from either a faulty gun system (misaligned) or faulty ammo (slow burner that is hit from behind by next round). We have seen those marks quite some time after we started to use hi velocity rounds in our F-16's.
Look at the position of the damage the pictures in this article:
https://defence-blog.com/news/nether...rcise.html/amp
Perfectly aligned with the gun....
So yes, it shot itself, but it was not due to pilot error or some type of warp speed dive.
PS. In our fleet at least, you will be able to find more 3 jets with patches in this region due to similar incidents. I only recall on where the projectile or some of it made it all the way into the cockpit. To out some electrical panels next to the throttle.
By the way, the marks on the Dutch F-16 looks more like marks from either a faulty gun system (misaligned) or faulty ammo (slow burner that is hit from behind by next round). We have seen those marks quite some time after we started to use hi velocity rounds in our F-16's.
Look at the position of the damage the pictures in this article:
https://defence-blog.com/news/nether...rcise.html/amp
Perfectly aligned with the gun....
So yes, it shot itself, but it was not due to pilot error or some type of warp speed dive.
PS. In our fleet at least, you will be able to find more 3 jets with patches in this region due to similar incidents. I only recall on where the projectile or some of it made it all the way into the cockpit. To out some electrical panels next to the throttle.
F16 Guy
I had no idea you would need to get so close with the Vulcan. I assumed that, with a much higher muzzle velocity, you would have increased stand-off.
That cease is actually closer than we use currently in the Hawk. Although we used to get closer on the T1. Not by much though.
Interesting points about the possible malfunction as well. Scary!
BV
That cease is actually closer than we use currently in the Hawk. Although we used to get closer on the T1. Not by much though.
Interesting points about the possible malfunction as well. Scary!
BV
Does anyone else notice the sensational dumbed-down way that those "defence news" articles treat an interesting military weapon problem? Thanks for the info F-16 Guy, the impact damage does look to be from a tumbling type object. Thanks
OAP
OAP
"Close" is a term of variable definition.
In the day of the Huey Gunship....mud on the windscreen was our definition of "close".
"Close" in those days was common.
In the day of the Huey Gunship....mud on the windscreen was our definition of "close".
"Close" in those days was common.
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The 2200' refers to the minimum allowed. Normally guys will pull of around 3000' on low angle strafe (pink body agains ground reflex). 12000' is the max open fire range, but we learn our guys to wait until closer as the dispersion and thereby the effectiveness of the strafe pass is increased the closer you get to the target.
For steeper angles the min range and pull-off distance increase. for 25 degrees high angle strafe the cease fire slant range is around 5500', and 7000' is the number for 45 degrees high angle strafe pass. However, the increased min range does not mean less precision as the bullets tend to disperse less the steeper the angle. 45 degrees is highly effective with good self protection built in against manpads and small arms fire, but at night on NVG's we don't go steeper than 25 degrees as the workload is to high and we might risk target fixation and ground clobber. At night however the darkness works well for us with regards to being spotted.
I am 100% sure that this incident is a gun/ammo malfunction as the marks on the jet looks very familiar.
F16 Guy
So not really a ‘classic ground target ricochet’ at all then?!
Good info thanks. Those ranges are more what I expected to hear.
For comparison the cease fire range in Hawk T1 was 1950’ with a minimum of 1650’ from 10 degrees. With no HUD!
BV
Good info thanks. Those ranges are more what I expected to hear.
For comparison the cease fire range in Hawk T1 was 1950’ with a minimum of 1650’ from 10 degrees. With no HUD!
BV
Way back when I used to do this risky stuff, we experienced quite a few such incidents. A couple of Harrier losses at Holbeach were most likely due to ricochet. One was fatal, suggesting that the pilot took the 30mm ball round. I suffered minor airframe ricochet damage in both Harrier and Jaguar, both only noticed after landing.
A significant factor on the range was the accumulation of dead rounds in the ground around the target. If a fired round hit a lying one, either could jump into the air just before the firing aircraft passed quite low over the target as it recovered. It was very important that the target area was regularly raked clean of old rounds. It was also unfortunate that we often had right-hand range patterns, and the Aden spun the round clockwise, making it possible to collect someone else’s round downwind.
With HE, ricochet was less of a problem, although it was wise to remember if firing at a splash target that the first few rounds cocked in were ball, which skim quite nicely off water. Premature detonation was a risk, and was sometimes visible not far in front of the muzzle. That didn’t feel too bad when you got used to it with the low-mounted guns in the Harrier and Jaguar, but I hope that the F35A’s neat shoulder mounted gun has more reliable ammunition.
A significant factor on the range was the accumulation of dead rounds in the ground around the target. If a fired round hit a lying one, either could jump into the air just before the firing aircraft passed quite low over the target as it recovered. It was very important that the target area was regularly raked clean of old rounds. It was also unfortunate that we often had right-hand range patterns, and the Aden spun the round clockwise, making it possible to collect someone else’s round downwind.
With HE, ricochet was less of a problem, although it was wise to remember if firing at a splash target that the first few rounds cocked in were ball, which skim quite nicely off water. Premature detonation was a risk, and was sometimes visible not far in front of the muzzle. That didn’t feel too bad when you got used to it with the low-mounted guns in the Harrier and Jaguar, but I hope that the F35A’s neat shoulder mounted gun has more reliable ammunition.
Megan, was that Truckie?
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Noprobs covers the dirty target case. Pembrey had large sand backed targets and lots of 30mm and definitely needed regular raking but it only needs a few to cause a ricochet.
Another cause is the soft target that is not as soft as you think.
An aluminum armoured vehicle is termed 'soft' but can still throw rounds off.
Another cause is the soft target that is not as soft as you think.
An aluminum armoured vehicle is termed 'soft' but can still throw rounds off.
Sitting on the OP on the Asahan Range watched a Canberra of another Airforce which after dropping a practice bomb stay straight and level to photo the hit just to see it bounce back and hit the rear of the aircraft.
Not sure what the lasting damage was but I suspect that there were a few words spoken later!
Not sure what the lasting damage was but I suspect that there were a few words spoken later!
Last edited by cliver029; 9th Apr 2019 at 08:42. Reason: Many Words