Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

UK Based F-15Es Flew A Secret Long-Range Mission Over Africa On Monday
Foxtrot Alpha ^ | 5/27/15 | Tyler Rogoway

Posted on 05/29/2015 6:15:15 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki

A pair of RAF Lakenheath based USAF F-15E Strike Eagles that were bristling with live bombs and air-to-air missiles, along five KC-135R tankers, flew on a secretive and grueling 12 hour mission over the Southern Mediterranean on Monday, May 25th, Memorial Day.

Multiple radio interceptors and plane spotters state that four F-15E’s, callsigns ABLE 01 through 04, took off from their home base at RAF Lakenheath laden with yellow banded (live) AIM-9M sidewinders, AIM-120 AMRAAMS and no less than seven 500lb Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs). These aircraft were accompanied by five KC-135Rs tankers, callsign QUID 91 through 95, that launched out of their base at RAF Mildenhall, just as the Lakenheath based F-15Es were departing.

After forming up over the UK, ABLE 01 and 02 and QUID 91 through 95 headed south, while ABLE 03 and ABLE 04 turned around and landed back at Lakenheath, their pylons still full of weapons. These two aircraft were clearly air spares, a common technique used for ensuring success during critical missions. Complex combat aircraft are notoriously prone to technical issues that may allow them to continue flying just fine but will greatly limit their effectiveness in combat. These issues can be as simple as a defective radio or targeting pod, or a serious as a malfunctioning engine or environmental system. They also often manifest themselves once the aircraft has ‘warmed up’ and is underway. By adding airborne spare aircraft to a mission plan the chances of mission completion greatly increase. Because of America’s aging and ever more complex air combat fleet, this is a common practice for everything from long-distance re-deployments to critical missions aimed at taking out high-value targets.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com ...


TOPICS: Egypt; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Syria; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: 201505; 20150525; aerospace; africa; algeria; argentina; burkinafaso; chad; cyprus; egypt; eritrea; f15e; falklands; gibraltar; isis; israel; lebanon; libya; mali; mauritania; mediterranean; morocco; niger; nigeria; senegal; sinai; sudan; syria; tunisia; uk; unitedkingdom; usaf

1 posted on 05/29/2015 6:15:15 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki

It would be nice if they were practicing to bomb Iran.


2 posted on 05/29/2015 6:24:23 AM PDT by minnesota_bound
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki
"four F-15E’s, callsigns ABLE 01 through 04, took off from their home base at RAF Lakenheath laden with yellow banded (live) AIM-9M sidewinders, AIM-120 AMRAAMS and no less than seven 500lb Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs)."

And by September, Obama has promised a decision on the authority to use them.

3 posted on 05/29/2015 6:25:33 AM PDT by norwaypinesavage (The Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: minnesota_bound

Israel, watch your back, with this CIC.


4 posted on 05/29/2015 6:48:30 AM PDT by onedoug
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki

Well written and sourced piece. So we have proof that US strike aircraft could of been in Benghazi in 6 hours. Italian based ones even sooner.


5 posted on 05/29/2015 7:00:15 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mad_as_he$$

“” So we have proof that US strike aircraft could of been in Benghazi in 6 hours. Italian based ones even sooner.””

There were armed drones overhead live as it happened. The CIC refused to lift a finger, he went to bed early IIRC.


6 posted on 05/29/2015 7:04:39 AM PDT by wrench
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: wrench

Yup. At the very least one of the drones could of crashed into the mortar position.


7 posted on 05/29/2015 7:07:58 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki

12 hours in that cramped cockpit. Can they stand up to stretch their legs, take a walk aft to the loo, chat up the stews?


8 posted on 05/29/2015 7:19:11 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not, no explanation is possible)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki
flew on a secretive and grueling 12 hour mission...Multiple radio interceptors and plane spotters state

There's that SECRET word again. I don't think it means what they think it means.

9 posted on 05/29/2015 7:36:55 AM PDT by McGruff (For Rent)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

After 12 hours they would have to extract me with a crane or tip the fighter upside down and shake me out. Bravo eagle drivers!


10 posted on 05/29/2015 8:20:09 AM PDT by mcshot (I pray someone comes forth with the strength, fortitude and burning desire to save our Republic)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: mcshot

LOL. know just what you mean. My joints would have all set up. They’d have to disassemble the aircraft to extract me! Bravo, indeed.


11 posted on 05/29/2015 8:41:40 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those who do not, no explanation is possible)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Roger that! :>))


12 posted on 05/29/2015 10:01:40 AM PDT by mcshot (I pray someone comes forth with the strength, fortitude and burning desire to save our Republic)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki

Well done US.
We have your back always.


13 posted on 05/30/2015 5:13:39 AM PDT by the scotsman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki

This was RAF.

They likely *did* take out a high value target.

Obama will read about it in the news. (He never goes to his daily intelligence briefing.)


14 posted on 05/30/2015 5:34:33 AM PDT by Triple (Socialism denies people the right to the fruits of their labor, and is as abhorrent as slavery)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sukhoi-30mki

Wars and rumors of wars.


15 posted on 05/30/2015 5:38:45 AM PDT by bmwcyle (People who do not study history are destine to believe really ignorant statements.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
Thanks sukhoi-30mki.

16 posted on 05/31/2015 11:02:11 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (What do we want? REGIME CHANGE! When do we want it? NOW!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: McGruff
>>>There's that SECRET word again. I don't think it means what they think it means.

I was thinking the same thing. It's not real secret if I'm reading about it OSINT.

17 posted on 05/31/2015 11:07:05 PM PDT by NELSON111
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson