The following I received from Pete Pazeri and it was interesting enough to pass on to all the rest of the membership. Be thankful you didn't spend the New Year in Persia. FYI All, Something recent on the Iraq Conflict I received from a USN Lt Cdr who was our guest here during the USMAPS Waterloo Conference in OCT `98. My brother Greg is an 0-5 Navy Pilot. so I am waiting his comments on it. Meanwhile it is an interesting non-classified look at Desert Fox. Pete Panzeri I certainly cannot attest to accuracy of this report its from a fighter squadron, which are always dubious sources (grin). However, as a guy who took a few mission debriefs, this sounds like a plausible account. Anyway I thought you might enjoy it and i; could provide some background and perspective to you. --Todd K. Subject: Desert Fox flying Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1998 19:41:37 -0500 Dear All: Sorry about the first attempt not going through. I'm the weak link when it comes to computers. So here it goes again. Anyway, I got out here on Thurs. 10 Dec. On Friday CAG has a meeting with CO/XOs. He hands me 2 strike folders to plan (night 2 and 4). Now you must remember, I haven't led more than 2 jets around in almost 3 years and he's making me the strike lead (what's he thinking??). Also remember I have no LANTIRN(FLIR pod) or Night Vision Devices (NVD or goggles) training. You talk about not feeling up to speed. Thank God I inherited a great team of strike planners. We get our strike planned and I brief them to the Admiral (RADM D, black shoe and a great guy) and CAG. For you old Rippers. Capt. Tony 'Eagle' is COS. So there I am flying the first night, first strike. I'm sitting in the jet, all of the island, waiting to get the 11th hour 'abort* call like has happened to VF-103 on the IKE. When off the port (left for you AFguys) side I see about 10 TLAMS get launched from one the small boys in our Battle Group. What a sighl. The first night was all Navy. NO Air Force (riot even their tankers) or Brits. It was designed for single cycle ... surprise. We're (Tomcals) are loaded with 2 GBU-16s (1000#ers) and our target is within city limits Tomcats were given most of the hard targets because of the LANTIRN So ours has pos. sibility of collateral damage (unacceptable. except to us who don't care). We find our targets and schmack 'em. Remember this is me flying Night Vision Devices and LANTIRN for the first time. The learning curve was steep .at least for me, my RIO may think different To watch these buildings go away was impressive. We meet AAA and ballistic launched SAMS. On night 2, first strike Is mine. It's a double cycle with AF tanking and GA-1s from the UK. We're heading farther north to make the Republican Guards life miserable. Targets are headquarter and barracks (as seen on CNN), I have 3 Tomcats carrying 2 GBU-10s (2000#ers) each. 8 Hornets with either GBU-16s or GBU10s. HARM shooter and of course the Brits (who are always on their own program it seems). Now this is my FAM 2 on NVD and LANTIRN. 2,000#ers are incredible to watch go off. My weapon of choice. You may have seen it on CNN. There wasn't a building standing when we finished. Again, there was AAA and ballistic SAMS. Night 3 was a 2 strike night for me. My second hop landing at 0615 when the sun was rising (I still counted it as a night trap). On the first strike I was carrying 2 GBU-24s (2000# penetrators). First time the Navy has used these weapon~ in combat Tomcals carried a lot of these, These are the bunker busters. Our target was hard but they crewed me with the best LANTIRN RIO in the squadron. Again helping the weak link. He impressed the shit out of me. We came back and I briefed I hour later for the second strike. Both these missions were over 3 hours. Second mission we're carrying the GBU- 10s again :-), I love this bomb. It just makes shit go away. Lets just say I'm glad I'm not a Republican Guard. Oh yeah, FAM3 and 4 for NVD and LANTIRN complete. I sleep for 3 hours and get up to put the finishing touches on my night 4 strike. Night 4 was my second strike lead. I'm dragging butt, but I know the fun will stop soon. I have the LANTIRN God in my back seat again for more bunker busting with 2 GBU-24s. This strike again has 3 Tomcals, 8 Hornets, 4 GR-1s from UK, 4 F-16CGs and the HARM/SEAD package (Prowler and 2 Hornets). By night 4 the Iraqi's were pissed off ... go figure. Our targets are up north again and I can see the AAA just filling the skies on the ingress. Some schmuck on CNN said they mounted a feeble opposition. Well he wasn't sitting where I was. Anyway, we're coming in and the AAA is going off above and beside me. For some reason, all I'm thinking about is my Dad's story from Viet Nam about how AAA at night looks like flying into a Christmas tree ... he was right but it scares the crap out of you. I trap back onboard after 3+ hours for my 3rd night trap and strike in under 24 hours (not recommended but fun). FAM 5 complete and I'm NVD/LANTIRN qualified. I'm exhausted, Desert Fox ends and I sleep until noon the next day. I feel fortunate, my timing couldn't have been any better. The Tomcat is the machine when it comes to precision strike. The Hornets know they can't touch us. The Swordsmen JOs rose to the occasion and impressed the shit out of me. We got everyone over the beach at least once. We dropped over 111,000 pounds of ordnance and had a 1000' sortie completion rate (no spares launched). We're presently in the Red Sea heading back to the Med. Looks like we will take a few days off in Souda Bay, Crete. The beer light is on low. Back to Dispatch Feb. 99 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. 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