Dogfight leads to first air-to-air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

By: Rick

In: High-Res, Military, Navy, Weapons

Jun 19, 2017

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 242 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — This is the F-18 and she’s truly a work-horse that takes the hurt to its enemies.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 232 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Yesterday in Syria, a Russian built fighter jet dropped bombs on U.S. led coalition forces.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 233 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — America’s response was immediate.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 25 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — The Russian made Su-22 that dropped those bombs…

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 235 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — …was quickly engaged by a US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet. That same Su-22 was then shot down by our bad-a** Naval Aviators.

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dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 234 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — It was the first air-to-air battle and kill between two manned aircraft in almost two decades.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 236 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — The last dogfight took place in 1999 during the Kosovo campaign in which a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon shot down a Serbian MiG-29.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 230 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — The older F-18s like the one above and below are also really mean weapons.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 241 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — In fact, the new “Super Hornets” are over 4ft. longer which makes the old Hornets actually more agile.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 244 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

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dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 245 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 224 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Earlier today, U.S. Central Command officials confirmed,
“a Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah”.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 229 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — “In accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet”.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 225 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — But leave it to Russia’s defense ministry to make the following bold claim:
“Russia will treat US-led coalition planes in Syria, west of the Euphrates, as targets.”

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 212 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Russia’s defense ministry then said they will suspending coordination with the United States in Syria over so-called “de-confliction zones”.

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dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 215 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

z6 f 18 07 20 17 9201 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — The newer Super Hornets are bigger but they can hold more fuel.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 221 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — This means that they don’t have to refuel as often.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 220 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Allowing them to stay in the air…

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 216 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — …and when it’s target time, they make that target go to sleep.

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dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 231 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — The F/A-18E/F Super Hornets can pack a vast array of weapons and configurations for armament.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 223 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 243 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Starting with the last case yet close-and-personal weapon; its gun.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 240 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — It carries 412 rounds for a 20mm M61A2 Vulcan (Gatling) rotary cannon that is mounted to the aircraft’s nose.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 210 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Under its wings and fuselage (body of the airframe), there are a total of 11 hardpoints.

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dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 29 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — These are simply points where the aircraft can attache missiles and bombs (along with extra fuel and/or countermeasures such as flares).

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 218 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — -2× wingtips

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 28 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — -6× under-wing

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 238 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — -3× under-fuselage with a capacity of 17,750 lbs. external fuel and ordnance

z5 f 18 07 20 17 9200 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Now let’s simplify it to weapons for an areal dogfight…Air-to-air missiles.

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z5 f 18 07 20 17 9203 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — It can carry four AIM-9 Sidewinder
OR
four AIM-120 AMRAAM

z5 f 18 07 20 17 9201 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

z5 f 18 07 20 17 9204 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

z5 f 18 07 20 17 9202 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 226 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — With either of these configurations, it can also carry an additional two AIM-7 Sparrow or two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.

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dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 219 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — In addition, there are many configurations for both air-to-ground missiles and guided bombs.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 217 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — Such as the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). It’s a great one for taking out our enemy’s air-defense radars, so they don’t see us coming.

z6 f 18 07 20 17 9202 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — And then this aircraft turns back to land on a mobile piece of earth…other-wise known as an aircraft carrier.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 214 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — The pilots land on a f*cking ship in the middle of the ocean.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 211 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 24 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — As for the Su-22, it is an exported version of the Russian Sukhoi Su-17 “Fitter”.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 27 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — It has a variable-sweep wing configuration that helped it set many speed world records back in the early 1970s.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 21 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — The aircraft is designed to be both a fighter and bomber aircraft but as it’s configuration layout shows, its primary roll is to drop bombs.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 246 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — It’s armament has 10 hardpoints but these are used for bombs and air-to-surface missiles (attacking targets on the ground or ships at sea).

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 23 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — In terms of air-to-air battle, the Su-22 has two 30mm cannons and two rails for air-to-air missiles.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 26 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — It’s no surprise that an F-18 would win a dogfight with this old aircraft…but still, don’t test America.
We’re willing to put our adversaries in their place…landing with a parachute.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 22 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — That goes for Russia’s modern Su-27s.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 2 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — And there newest T-50s.

dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades 237 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos) — This is the F-18 and yeah, she’s ready to fight.

z6 f 18 07 20 17 9200 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

z6 f 18 07 20 17 9203 Dogfight leads to first air to air kill in almost 2 decades (44 HQ Photos)

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