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  • #31
    Originally posted by bigross86
    So the A-6's were used as backup if too many F-111's aborted?
    Come on now my friend, you arent going to pass any more IAF tests until your reading comprehension improves

    Let's look at the article again.

    Mission planners decided, as part of the effort to attain tactical surprise, to hit all five targets simultaneously.

    OK, so we have here 5 separate targets in Libya to attack, at night, with PGMs.

    ...it meant that the available US Navy resources could not perform the mission unilaterally.

    I would take this to mean that the mission planners were intending (initially) to use only the USN carriers in the area and not use USAF strike aircraft but circumstances dictated otherwise.

    The only two types of aircraft in the US inventory capable of conducting a precision night attack were the Navy’s A-6s and the Air Force’s F-111s.

    So we now have a list of available aircraft types that can be used. We have precisely 2 aircraft types we can use, but unfortunately, one of those types is not only land-based, but land-based in Britain and we need to hit Libya, roughly 1400 miles (2300 km) away.


    The Navy had two aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean at the time planning for the raid: The America and The Coral Sea. Each had ten A-6 aircraft, but these were not the total of 32 aircraft estimated as required to successfully hit all five targets with one raid.

    Here we have our carrier assets and exact number of all-weather strike aircraft. We need to hold a few back in reserve for ASuW among other things and since we only have 20 total and we want to use at least 32 aircraft for the raid, we have a serious shortfall of aircraft. So, we have to use land-based aircraft to complete the strike package. Fortunately, those aircraft are based on a loyal ally (Britain) but the best route takes them over a rather reluctant ally (France). Nothing that can be done about that except fly a circuitous route and provide enough aerial tankers to fuel every car in Los Angeles.
    Sooooo....do you see now? :LOL
    Last edited by TopHatter; 15 Sep 03,, 16:31.
    “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

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    • #32
      Yeah, but my question was, that if some F-111's aborted the mission, could A-6E's take their place as part of an integrated USN/USAF mission and still strike all five targets simultaniously
      Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

      Abusing Yellow is meant to be a labor of love, not something you sell to the highest bidder.

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      • #33
        Your first question was a bit confusing :)
        I suppose the A-6's could have taken over, but I kinda doubt it. The USN would have been briefed on their targets only (I think) and anyway the USAF had their own airborne spares.
        “He was the most prodigious personification of all human inferiorities. He was an utterly incapable, unadapted, irresponsible, psychopathic personality, full of empty, infantile fantasies, but cursed with the keen intuition of a rat or a guttersnipe. He represented the shadow, the inferior part of everybody’s personality, in an overwhelming degree, and this was another reason why they fell for him.”

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