After transiting to the Persian Gulf with the Stennis carrier battle group, VFA-41 was tasked with a show-of-force flight off the coast of Iran. Both Dealer 1 and Dealer 2 flights were intercepted by Iranian warplanes over international waters. The Iranian planes demonstrated clearly hostile intent, locking weapons on the US aircraft and closing to within visual range. All hostile aircraft were dispatched. All VFA-41 aircraft returned to the carrier safely, landing in a thunderstorm (again...).
Dealer 1-1 - Hedgehog: 2x F-14, trapped.
Dealer 1-2 - Ticman: trapped.
Dealer 2-1 - Lion: 1x MiG-25, trapped.
Dealer 2-2 - Cord: 1x MiG-25, trapped.
Dealer 2-3 - Shadow: trapped.
MISSION SUCCESS.
09 JUN 2019 Gulf Introduction
Re: 09 JUN 2019 Gulf Introduction
Pilot records and Greenie Board updated.
Re: 09 JUN 2019 Gulf Introduction
Damn weather! I bet I ground 10 years off my dental crown for that trap. And the underwear just had to be thrown away. Such is the life for a USN combat pilot. I will write the underwear off on my taxes.
Re: 09 JUN 2019 Gulf Introduction
UPDATE:
I just got back from getting my ass chewed in the Admiral's office.
It seems that the Joint Chiefs of Staff have a different interpretation of 'hostile action' than we do. The stated ROE in our mission brief stated, "ROE - Weapons Free if fired upon." I had to admit that we were not actually fired upon by any of the Iranian warplanes, which left me little wiggle room to explain why we downed 4 of their warplanes, substantially escalating tensions with Iran.
Turns out, according to the Iranian complaints to the U.N. Security Council, their planes were unarmed and on routine transit from one airfield to another. The fact they they were over international waters, and on direct intercept courses without our flights, is apparently how they challenge us to a game of 'chicken.' Well, when you play chicken with a US carrier battle group, sometimes you lose.
Unfortunately, the Joint Chiefs of Staff don't see it that way... hence why I am walking funny right now.
Expect Rules of Engagement to be more clearly expressed and more strictly adhered to for future flights, assuming we are allowed to fly any future missions while we are here...
I just got back from getting my ass chewed in the Admiral's office.
It seems that the Joint Chiefs of Staff have a different interpretation of 'hostile action' than we do. The stated ROE in our mission brief stated, "ROE - Weapons Free if fired upon." I had to admit that we were not actually fired upon by any of the Iranian warplanes, which left me little wiggle room to explain why we downed 4 of their warplanes, substantially escalating tensions with Iran.
Turns out, according to the Iranian complaints to the U.N. Security Council, their planes were unarmed and on routine transit from one airfield to another. The fact they they were over international waters, and on direct intercept courses without our flights, is apparently how they challenge us to a game of 'chicken.' Well, when you play chicken with a US carrier battle group, sometimes you lose.
Unfortunately, the Joint Chiefs of Staff don't see it that way... hence why I am walking funny right now.
Expect Rules of Engagement to be more clearly expressed and more strictly adhered to for future flights, assuming we are allowed to fly any future missions while we are here...
Re: 09 JUN 2019 Gulf Introduction
WOW! And I thought I got an ass chewing when I hit the "Admirals Doorbell".