Did you know that during the 2003 Iraq War, USAF and USN pilots feared USArmy Patriot missiles more than Iraqi SAMs? Why? During the conflict, Patriot missiles gained a notorious reputation for misidentifying friendly aircraft and shooting them down. 1/4
As the ground war intensified, Patriot missiles tragically shot down an RAF Tornado and a Navy F/A-18, killing their crews. The reason? Faulty IFF technology and system automation, which struggled to distinguish allies from enemies in the fast-paced, chaotic battlefield environment. 2/4
Mar 14, 2022 • 10 tweets • 11 min read
A 10 tweet thread on the indomitable Fairchild Republic A-10 Warthog, the "flying tank". Enjoy! 1/10 #avgeeks#aviation#aviationdaily#USAF#Warthog
A Warthog pilot sits in a "bathtub" of titanium armour, at places up to 38 mm thick and weighing 544 kg. This is proof against direct hits from 23-mm cannon. 2/10 #avgeeks#aviation#USAF#Warthog
Mar 7, 2022 • 6 tweets • 8 min read
Tomcat musing: a short thread on the "dowdy" parts of one of the most glamours interceptors of the world. 1/6 #avgeeks#aviation#aviationdaily#Tomcat#TopGun#USNavy
Did you know that when the F-14 stretches its wings fully forward, the fuselage slots into which the wings retracted are sealed with inflatable airbags? The airbags use bleed air from the TF30s to inflation! 2/6 #avgeeks#aviation#TopGun#Tomcat