Thread: Russian aircraft buzz USS Kitty Hawk

Originally Posted by highsea

Oh, no doubt there was a fly-by, I don't recall the incident, and don't really feel like trying to dig up the real details.

I was just a little put-off by the corny depiction of a naval aviator and the crew of the Kitty Hawk, and the absence of scepticism in the replies on this thread....

To me that the particular story/Poster was full of shiit was pretty much a given.

Originally Posted by gunnut

What good is a long range interceptor if it's sitting on deck or in the hanger? Would this have happened if the Hornets were in the air flying CAP?

Well, LR interceptors(as epitomized by the F-14D and all models of the F-15) do two things EXTREMELY well.

Climb like mad and accelerate like crazy.

You don't see how those two things would be particularly useful in an emergency intercept against a rapidly closing air threat?

IMO I would have instructed the new admiral to follow Halsey's WWII advice the last time this continued to happen: Shoot em down..but in a friendly sort of way!

But the Russians have buzzed the Kittyhawk already. That means bombs have been dropped or missiles have been launch way before that. Even the best interceptor will have a hard time taking off if the carrier's been hit.

Besides, does an interceptor have to be long ranged if it were to climb like mad and accelerate like crazy? A medium ranged interceptor should also be able to do that. Can we have a development version of the Super Hornet that's an interceptor?

A Hornet interceptor(Horneceptor?) would need an all new wing, inlets and completely different engines. Short of the fuselage and tails the whole thing would have to be redesigned.

IOW, no, a Hornet can not be made into an interceptor(well, not for any less than building one from scratch to begin with)

There are no 'short range interceptors' left in the world. The "LR" in LR intercepter is for the most part redundant.

It happened. Kitty Hawk was refueling, and no aircraft airborne. Obviously not at a very high alert status. The Russians saw the advantage they had and ran with it. Low and fast, they stayed under the radar horizon until right on top of her. A tac nuke would have done it. Of course this does not take into account point defenses.

Originally Posted by M21Sniper

Well, LR interceptors(as epitomized by the F-14D and all models of the F-15) do two things EXTREMELY well.

Climb like mad and accelerate like crazy.

You don't see how those two things would be particularly useful in an emergency intercept against a rapidly closing air threat?

That's also why we used to have two full fighter squadrons and birds always in the air before slick willy got in the white house.

Originally Posted by M21Sniper

Nah, the USN no longer needs high speed interceptors. The mission that called for them has died...

Doesn't this incident make the F-14's retirement all the more painful to realize?

The Navy says not to worry. Maybe we should anyway.
How about the F-14 replacement being a F-18E with the latest AESA radar, along with the latest longest range version of the AMRAAM? Would not this come close? Yes, it is slower, shorter legged, with shorter range missiles, but has not technology conpensated over the last 30 years in other ways?

And it's because of those three shorters that it makes for a poor interceptor.

Originally Posted by leibstandarte10

And it's because of those three shorters that it makes for a poor interceptor.

Poor interceptor= lifeboats and lots of funerals. Any questions?

Originally Posted by BenRoethig

That's also why we used to have two full fighter squadrons and birds always in the air before slick willy got in the white house.

Quite true.

Originally Posted by leibstandarte10

Doesn't this incident make the F-14's retirement all the more painful to realize?

Exactly, I think retiring the F-14s being very penny-wise, pound-foolish. No one should risk billions worth of US State Property like Nimitz-class carriers, to some stray pilot in a Mig

Originally Posted by BenRoethig

That's also why we used to have two full fighter squadrons and birds always in the air before slick willy got in the white house.

.A story ran by a right wing web "paper" during an election year that makes the Dem Pres look bad. Go figure WND was good for that back then.

We quit having birds in the air around our CBGs when the Cold war ended. Blame Bush 1.

Or blame no one, there was, and is no need for 24 hour air coverage.

This was suppose to show, how bad the Navy had sunk or how good the russians are. It does neither if you read the story. Or an example of how the Clintons ruined the DOD.

The MIG was IDed before it became a "Threat" to the carrier. If it had been a shooting war the pickets would have handled her with SM2s.

Even during the cold war we buzzed the russian Navy and they buzzed ours. It never got the airplay that this incident did.

The ship was in a restricted maneuvering state (UnRep). Whick was the proper course of action. Emergency Breakaway to launch an Airplane or get the steaks for the Officers Mess? Or continue the resupply and wave at the plane as she passed?

What would the Alert 5 plane do? Advise her to leave then watch her buzz the flight deck anyway. Its not like we were going to shoot her down