Posted on 03/10/2010 6:15:30 PM PST by myknowledge
The 174th Fighter Wing concluded its F-16 operations on Saturday March 6, 2010 with a formal ceremony that was attended by the new Adjutant General for New York State.
Brig Gen. Patrick A. Murphy, NY-TAG joined 174FW Wing Commander Col Kevin W. Bradley on stage to speak to assembled group about the final F-16 flyoff from Hancock Field.
Murphy said, "Today should not be a moment of sadness as I have spoken to Air Force and Air National Guard Leaders about the dwindling piloted aircraft. Thanks to your leadership this unit is one of the most if not the most current unit in the Air National Guard with these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles".
The 2,000 or so folks gathered in the main hangar witnessed the Hancock Field Air National Guard Base Honor Guard present colors followed by some words from Murphy, Bradley, Congressman Dan Maffei and Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney. Immediately following the speeches Bradley stepped form the stage and made his last walk out to his jet.
Bradley said, "The F-16 has been an outstanding aircraft for the unit, but it is just a machine. It has been the airmen of the 174th Fighter Wing that has made up this mission since 1988 and will continue to do so into the future".
While Bradley made his way to the flightline to join his wingman for the final F-16 flight in unit history, Lt. Col. Dan Tester, the assembled group witnessed the cutting of the F-16 farewell cake. This was immediately followed by a rousing F-16 send-off video that was produced by the 174FW Visual Information Office.
At approximately 3:15 the distinctive roar of the F-16 was heard as Tester was the first to take-off, followed moments later by Bradley. They made three passes over the facility, including a pass over the assembled group who has spilled onto the ramp area outside the hangar.
As the final two F-16s roared off the airfield assembled unit members, alumni, dignitaries, family and friends gather outside of the hangar to witness this moment in history that ended the era of piloted aircraft for the 174th Fighter Wing.
After Bradley and Tester completed their final pass overhead they headed north to the 174FW Forward Operating Location on Wheeler-Sack Army Air Field located at Ft. Drum. The airspace over WSAAF has served as the training space for the 174FW for many years as well as other aircraft from all over the Northeast. It will continue to be utilized by other units for their training requirements as well as the unit's new MQ-9 mission in the future.
When Bradley and Tester landed they were greeted by family, friends and unit members who congratulated them on their final flight, as well as their part in the end of an era.
The 174FW has been flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon since 1988 and jet aircraft for more than 60 years, so this was definitely a bitter-sweet moment for the unit.
Story at a Glance
Commander Colonel Kevin W. Bradley taxis past assembled family, friends and distinguished visitors for the last time with F-16C block 30 #85-1570 (marked 174 FW) at Hancock Field ANGB. The 174th FW has converted to the MQ-9 Reaper and began flying 24/7 operations in support of OEF on 1 December 2009.
Unit morale and esprit departed with the jets.
Somewhere 20 years hence when the war with China breaks out someone will be asking “where are our fighters” as the drones get blasted out of the sky by RedArmy fighter pilots in fighters 20 years newer than the dwindling few American opponents.
We don’t know what advances could occur in Artificial intelligence in the next 20 years.
Actually, the Red Chinese fighters in your scenario will have been destroyed on the ground long before taking off by swarms of cheap, disposable robot strike planes operated by bored remote pilots in a container building in Nevada.
Think of the satellites controlling the datalinks between the drones and their control stations. What if they were destroyed by ChiCom ASAT missiles?
“Somewhere 20 years hence when the war with China breaks out someone will be asking “where are our fighters” as the drones get blasted out of the sky by RedArmy fighter pilots in fighters 20 years newer than the dwindling few American opponents.”
Pilots (red, or any other color) are limited in what their bodies can take, and can only die once. Remotely piloted aircraft can pull as many g’s, both pos. and neg. as the airframe can withstand, which already is FAR more than a human body.
If the remote-piloted plane is shot down, the pilot can switch over to a fresh aircraft holding nearby on autopilot and re-engage. I’d rather be the remote pilot than the one in the cockpit..... and if the plane is flown by an artificial intelligence computer then you’re no longer limited by the number of pilots you can train, only by the capacity of your production line and availability of raw materials.
A.I. and R.P.V. is the future of air combat.
UCAVs are the whole new idea.
.. A giant computerized defense system making current warfare technology obsolete.
The Chinese ASAT missiles will likewise be destroyed on the ground by small, unpiloted robot strike craft.
The UAVs of the future will not be like those we know today. They will be tiny, cheap, and largely self-guided. No air defense system will be able to stop 50,000 sparrow-sized autonomous flying robots, each carrying 1 gram of high explosive.
“A.I. and R.P.V. is the future of air combat.”
You and Obama agree. Me, as a former air to air fighter pilot feel strongly that that is a load of bunk. But what do I know?
Agreed. It’s the same reason we don’t use robot/remote controlled firemen to enter our homes and save us from fires. Sometimes, you just need the SA that only a zippersuit can provide.
once upon a time... 
“You and Obama agree.”
That is a coincidence. I take the position that I do only because I’m an engineer familiar with the laws of physics, and the limitations/frailty of the human body when it comes to interacting with machines.
“Me, as a former air to air fighter pilot feel strongly that that is a load of bunk. But what do I know?”
How do you think you’d go in a close-in turning fight with a craft that can pull, say, positive or negative 30+ g’s with no ill effect whatsoever to the remote pilot, and would easily turn inside you or out manouvre incoming missiles? If you did manage to shoot it down the pilot had another one on standby in the air that (s)he can instantly jump into and continue the fight? also bear in mind that the craft doesn’t even need to return to base for the pilot to survive, it can be used as a weapon and flown straight into you - the plane itself is a weapon.
I’d be interested to hear your evaluation, as a fighter pilot, of how you would deal with such an adversary. I’m not trying to be argumentative but as an engineer I’m very interested to hear the pilot’s perspective on this.
Aussie Joe, believe in pilot dave. A current F-22 fighter can sweep every UAV out of the sky before it and the remote ground controllers (they’re NOT pilots)even know they are a mort. And the F-22 jock won’t even be pulling 2 Gs. The slaughter stops only when the F-22 runs out of ammo.
There won’t be any 30 G dogfights. You don’t understand how fighter tactics work. You are dreaming or reading too many Popular Science articles if you think a narrow mission drone can operate in anything other than a non-threatening environment. The (limited) success of drones in the Middle East is only happening because we own the sky and the drones face no defenses. The Chinese will not be so cooperative. All those fancy toys, without US air cover, will have less longevity than a clay pidgeon in Sarah Palin’s back yard.
“A current F-22 fighter can sweep every UAV out of the sky before it and the remote ground controllers (they’re NOT pilots)even know they are a mort.”
What makes them so devastatingly effective? is it the weapons systems, i.e. BVR missilies & radar? ...does integration with other battlefield systems e.g. long range radar like AWACS (do they still have AWACS?) feeding them info on enemy positions play a significant role? Do they still; have guns for close-in digfighting, and do the pilots train for that possibility?
That’s right! We former cavalry officers know that nothing can replace a well-drilled dragoon and his saber mounted atop a charging stallion. All this talk of “armored warfare” and “tanks” is pure propaganda straight from the desk of Woodrow W. Wilson. Remember San Juan Hill!
An Obama campaign speech???
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
UAVs will be shot out of the skys long before they can destroy any aircraft on the ground. Manned fighters are needed for air superiority and will be for years into the future, if not forever.
People like you have your head squarely up your a** and are blinded by your vision for the roles of these new toys.
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