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This is a video from a F16 doing CAS during the recent fighting in Fallujah. We have been bombing insurgent "safe houses" with some success recently. This F16 was on such a mission, to hit a building with an LGB.
After the weapon had been launched 30+ insurgents left the building en masse to hurry to a nearby engagement with US Marines. The fighting had been going on for hours.
The pilot communicates with the FAC either in the air or on the ground, and changes the flight path of the bomb while it is en route the target. You can! clearly see the "L" flashing in the MFD, and TGP is selected.
The high pitched "Darth Vader" sounds you hear is the pilot breathing. It is the pilot who says "I got numerous individuals on the road, do you want me to take those out?" The FAC says "Take em out!"
Now I must put this in focus for you so you can get a glimpse into the complexities of the modern battlefield and the flexibility's of the modern U.S. war fighter.
You have a super-sonic high performance aircraft being driven by a single pilot who, under the tactical! control of a FAC, launches a precision guided munition (PGM) at a designated structure (building). The pilot uses the aircraft's laser guidance video display to guide the weapon to the target (precision). Remember, he is also flying the aircraft. The pilot sees the video on his heads-up display and notices a bunch of combatants leaving the targeted building, turning the corner and heading down the street towards an active firefight. The pilot advises the FAC of the change in the status of the target requesting to target the combatants en route the fire fight rather than hitting an empty building. Permission is granted.
Just in case the abbreviations are not part of your every day vernacular I have expanded them below:
CAS = Close Air Support
LGB = Laser Guided Bomb
FAC = Forward Air Controller
MFD = Multi Function Display
TGP = Terminally Guided Projectile
This is a video from a F16 doing CAS during the recent fighting in Fallujah. We have been bombing insurgent "safe houses" with some success recently. This F16 was on such a mission, to hit a building with an LGB.
After the weapon had been launched 30+ insurgents left the building en masse to hurry to a nearby engagement with US Marines. The fighting had been going on for hours.
The pilot communicates with the FAC either in the air or on the ground, and changes the flight path of the bomb while it is en route the target. You can! clearly see the "L" flashing in the MFD, and TGP is selected.
The high pitched "Darth Vader" sounds you hear is the pilot breathing. It is the pilot who says "I got numerous individuals on the road, do you want me to take those out?" The FAC says "Take em out!"
Now I must put this in focus for you so you can get a glimpse into the complexities of the modern battlefield and the flexibility's of the modern U.S. war fighter.
You have a super-sonic high performance aircraft being driven by a single pilot who, under the tactical! control of a FAC, launches a precision guided munition (PGM) at a designated structure (building). The pilot uses the aircraft's laser guidance video display to guide the weapon to the target (precision). Remember, he is also flying the aircraft. The pilot sees the video on his heads-up display and notices a bunch of combatants leaving the targeted building, turning the corner and heading down the street towards an active firefight. The pilot advises the FAC of the change in the status of the target requesting to target the combatants en route the fire fight rather than hitting an empty building. Permission is granted.
Just in case the abbreviations are not part of your every day vernacular I have expanded them below:
CAS = Close Air Support
LGB = Laser Guided Bomb
FAC = Forward Air Controller
MFD = Multi Function Display
TGP = Terminally Guided Projectile
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