Thanks Pyro for the "Cool" EB-58 answer and Steve for defending my oxymoronic suggestion with exactly what i envisaged, ie slip in quietly, flip the switch and it all goes like Doc Brown's amp in Back to the Future before you turn it off and sneak back out! Seriously though, this has been an amazing series of interviews with 2 fantastic guests who have generously dedicated so much time to telling their story and that of their aircraft and mission. Thank you Super and Pyro.
The utility of an ef-117 would be in deployable expendables. There would still be a significant challenge in detecting the targets to program the expendable. Any receiver antenna can be a re radiator. The USMC f-35 has some sort of an EW role in the planned upgrades. Must be heavily based on boost glide close in battery powered expendables.
Worked at Robins AFB for 36 years as EW Tech. I worked mainly on F15 or F16 jammers and RWRs. Never worked on the ALQ-99, it was repaired 1 aisle over from me in the Avionics Complex. Can't remember exactly when 1995-ish, but USAF stood down on the Raven, but we kept repairing 99 for the Aussies for many years later. One thing I will never forget is the greasy cool-anal spills from the transmitters leaking across the tile floors.
Excellent discussions. I think Super may have his wires crossed on the weapon that was developed at Eglin and the one that stopped the oil from being pumped into the gulf. Two GBU-28s (5,000lb laser-guided bomb) were dropped in quick succession in an attempt at digging deep enough to penetrate a bunker that was buried deep. The first one hit the target, the second one missed due to smoke debris had obscured the target. The mission to stop oil being pumped into the gulf, was done with a GBU-15 (2,000lb optically-guided bomb). I was an Avionics Tech with the F-111Fs stationed at Taif along with these great men.
I created a one-off piece of artwork for the 7th Fighter Squadron Bunyaps (F-15’s then F-117’s) that hung in the facility. It disappeared when the squadron was deactivated. Wouldn’t mind having that back, or have it hanging in an appropriate place or museum. Probably in somebody’s man cave. I work in the Plant where the F-111’s (and the B-58) were built. Lot's of history there.
As always, fascinating information relayed in laid-back dialogue, punctuated by some off the cuff humour, I learn so much here, and a wee drop of humour is invaluable, too! Thank you so much Steve, Super and Pyro for giving us all your time. A 'top-drawer' trilogy, surrounding the Raven's abilities and limitations, 'warts and all.'
Another excellent episode on the EF-111 and EW - thank you to all involved for these interviews. The three episodes on the EF-111 are absolutely brilliant.
Awesome series of interviews Steve, loved to hear the guys talk about this fascinating aircraft. My brother and me loved watching EF-111A ops at RAF Upper Heyford back in the day, they always had an air of mystery about them, with their pale colouring and weird bumps. One afternoon one came over our house making the weirdest howling noise - not sure if those high power generators made any kind of sound? I also heard a rumour back in the day about one accidentally shutting down Dutch ATC but it sounds from what they were saying that jamming was a very intentional act, so that was probably the usual 'end of the runway' BS!
@@10percenttrue When you mentioned the stealth ship it reminded me that years ago I have read on internet forum a article about a russian radar system that was designed to find the stealth aircraft. And honestly I can't remember what exactly there was but what I recall is that they didn't look for the aircraft itself but the air turbulence around it. Like a ship that moves and displace water around it a aircraft work's similar. So the technology was designed to find that top of the disturbance where then again surface to air missiles would be send. I have honestly no clue if this stuff really exists or not but I would like to ask you if you ever heard of anything like that?. Best wishes PS sorry for my crappie english.
@@TitusFFM honestly that sounds a lot like the SOKS system the Russians use on their newer submarines. It looks for wake, thermal variations, and trace isotope levels to establish tracks that sonar might not be able to find. Western intelligence dismissed it as useless for decades but the consensus seems to be shifting that it may actually be a viable system/threat. I guess it makes sense though, submarines and VLO aircraft are both fundamentally a “how do I find something hard to find moving through a fluid” problem. Look for the tracks, not the deer.
@@keelhauling I honestly don't remember the name of the system. I remember that there was also another example of a radar system that worked with photonic microwaves or something like that. It was year's ago and I was like if this stuff is real why the hell united state's spend billions or trillions of dollars for something that becomes obsolete. I mean if you not only can track the air movement but also use light it doesn't matter how awesome and invisible your jet is because newer technologies make it visible. And more importantly how would they try to jam those one's if even possible?.
@@TitusFFM We had an office of 10 or more people constantly looking at foreign systems to find out if they had any basis in physics and then if they could be reasonably operated in the field. I like the vortex detector. Airports are routinely now equipped with doppler gust detection equipment. No doubt there is difficulty getting such a high PRF system to function as a long range, large volume , search system.
This was another good one with Super and Pyro. Funny, seems Pyro and I may have trod some similar ground at Mt Home, Upper Heyford, as well as at 5th Air Force! I do not think, however, that we have ever met. Loved the discussion about pen-escort as well as working with Eagles since I did both with the Spark Vark over the years. I can also say that when I got to the 390th in the F-15C I didn't see any EF stuff around, but don't remember any outright negativity toward the heritage of the EF-111. Of course from 1943-1982 the squadron was not an Electronic Combat Squadron - it was a fighter squadron with the likes of the P-47, P-51, F-86, F-84, F-100, and the F-4 before the F-111F and A were part of the squadron. Yes it had a 10 year run as a Spark Vark squadron, but in has almost 50 years as a fighter squadron. As a 111 guy first, I would have grabbed that stuff. As I hate to hear the EF heritage was lost, I don't feel it was the F-15C Boars who did anything with it. That is because in 1990 when I was in the 391st Bold Tigers, as F-111A squadron, it was in the same building as the 390th Wild Boars were in when I got there...may need to check with the 391st who actually took over the old EF squadron building!
@@10percenttrue Absolutely! I just know when I was in the 390th in the C-model, it wasn't there. I know all of the 79th FS stuff from Upper Heyford is now at Shaw AFB, but that is largely because when the unit closed, we flew it over. I wonder what the last EF guys at Mountain Home or Upper Heyford did to preserve it? They could have put it all in a trunk and sent it to the AF Historical Research Center, or it could be in a closet in the Strike Eagle SQ, the 391st, that actually moved into their building. As I said, the two units changed buildings when the Varks left...the C models moved into the old 391st building that was an F-111A squadron...I know because I was in both squadrons and in the same building! The F-15Es moved into the old EF building.
Great interview again. An important question you missed was, was there a contingency if they got shot down - who would be the new snacko? I mean try running a squadron without coffee… 😬
