Posted on 10/25/2011 5:39:27 PM PDT by Cardhu
Two Kenyan jet fighters have crashed after colliding over southern Somalia, Press TV reports.
The two fighter planes crashed between the towns of Kismayu and Qooqani, a Somali military officer told the Press TV correspondent in Mogadishu on Tuesday.
The jets were heading to the southern port city of Kismayu after targeting the positions of al-Shabab fighters in southern Somalia, the officer added.
On Monday, a Kenyan jet bombed an al-Shabab base near the port in Kismayu, an al-Shabab stronghold.
Kenyan troops began an air and ground offensive against al-Shabab in southern Somalia last week after Nairobi accused the militants of being behind several kidnappings of foreigners carried out on its territory, including the abduction of a French woman who later died in captivity. However, the militant group has denied involvement in the incidents.
Kenyan troops are now preparing for a new operation, in which they will attempt to capture the key southern town of Afmadow, which is controlled by al-Shabab.
The Somali government has said it is "unacceptable" for Kenyan forces to be in Somalia without Mogadishu's approval.
I hope the pilots and others are now in the arms of Our Lord Jesus.
It is tragic when people die outside of the Lord.
Chalk up one entire Air Force.
Close. They have 16 fighters left, all ancient F-5s.
Their losses today are the equivalent of the USAF losing 265 fighters in a single day.
lol.
The crazies control about 99% of Somalia, the UN-installed “government” controls about 8 blocks in Mogadishu... I’d say THEY are crazier. :p
The planes collided.
The two pilots had concrete leads on ‘the Os birth certificate’ they were rushing to the scene to claim to be the first!
The F-5 is still a nimble and dangerous weapons platform is the hands of a good pilot. They gave the Top Gun students many headaches.
Obama’s next war.....watch our troops in Uganda....and watch how we go to war without going to war.
This is a war Kenya is meant to lose, expanding Muslim hegemony into the Northeastern provinces of Kenya.What Odinga did not accomplish by election, will be accomplished through surreptitious conquest.The LUO , you see, are destined to run Kenya, they are a SUPERIOR Muslim race.
Obama is pulling strings against the Kenyan government, and does NOT want anyone to see it.Odinga will just have to take over from the offal now in office./s ( The Obama view.)
Any word on this operation?
True, but in the hands of a poor pilot, like all other aircraft, it is a hole in the ground waiting to happen.
I thought you weren’t supposed to fly tight formation in combat?
How does a front line state like Kenya justify having a dozen F-5’s as its premier fighter?
Jets manufactured by whom, pray tell? The U.S.A? France? Russia? China? Sweden?
Unfortunately, the “big sky, little airplane” theory only goes so far. I’d guess the Kenyan pilots were not operating under the guidance of a tactical air control party or any other sort of forward air controller. Whatever “separation” plan they had was covered in the pre-mission brief and probably forgotten in the heat of combat.
Sadly, many third world air forces are little more than high speed flying clubs, with marginal flight skills and discipline.
Back in the 80s, I was an intel officer for an F-4E squadron at a southeastern USAF base. One of our pilots had just come from Williams AFB, AZ, where they trained foreign F-5 drivers. He said the skill (and dedication) of the pilots varied greatly; F-5 pilots from Singapore were outstanding flyers and committed to learning everything they could from the USAF. Most taped their academic lectures and studied 4-6 hours a day—at a minimum. He described the South Koreans as good, but not on the same level as their counterparts from Singapore.
The former F-5 instructor said the Jordanians were also good, largely because King Hussein sent only the best to “Willie.” He also told me that all returning Jordanian pilots got an audience with the King upon their return, and you did not want to face the monarch after flunking out of the F-5 course at Williams.
He also told me that F-5 pilots from places like Kenya, Mexico and even Saudi Arabia were more interested in looking cool than improving their aeronautical skills or tactical abilities. He said flying with them was an adventure, to say the least.
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