A-10 boat target practise

[MigBuster 2,881]

 

 

EGLIN AFB — Two fishermen trolling on Choctawhatchee Bay Monday afternoon probably went home with a story to tell. 

The boaters got a close-up look at some pretty realistic Air Force training that included 25 to 30 boats and four A-10 aircraft practicing low-level air-to-sea combat operations.

“There are hostile countries that are developing high speed, armed boats that are harassing our fleets at sea and in ports,” said Dennis Beabout, the 96th Test Wing’s Gulf Range Engineer. “This exercise allows our pilots to practice maneuvers and tactics to take on this threat.”

Monday was the first day of the latest round of Eglin’s Maritime WSEP (Weapons Systems Evaluation Program). The exercise will run through Thursday, with live-fire operations over the Gulf of Mexico in the morning, and realistic simulations on Choctawhatchee Bay in the afternoon. Local residents may experience louder than normal noise levels while these exercises are taking place.

During Monday afternoon’s operations on the bay, six squadrons of five boats each (about half of which were private vessels hired from local fishing fleets) took to the water in inverted V, or “Vic” formations. Each squadron was labeled by color. Upon hearing a radio operator call out “Fight’s on,” the boats took off in formation.

Like a play-by-play announcer, the radio operator called out directions to the boat captains.

“Red squadron, clear to jink!” the operator called out, causing the five boats flying red flags to fan out in different directions. Seemingly out of nowhere, four A-10s from Eglin’s 53rd Wing appeared from the west, their trademark whistling roar announcing their presence.

With its huge 30mm Gatling gun sticking out of its nose, the A-10 is known affectionately as the “Warthog.” On Monday afternoon, however, the mighty planes looked more like giant seagulls, swooping down as low as 100 feet above the scrambling boats.

As the boats attempted to maneuver out of the way, one by one they fell victim to the Warthogs.

“If the pilot can lock on electronically and hold it for three seconds, it’s considered a kill, explained Mike "Adrian" Guidry, the general manager of InDyne, the main defense contractor that provides support for the Eglin test range’s missions. 

Occasionally, a boat would set off a flare to simulate a surface-to-air missile, but they were a poor match for the A-10 pilots. Within 20 minutes, the first round of attacks was complete.

Final score? Warthogs 30, Pretend Terrorists 0.

 

http://www.nwfdailynews.com/military/top-story/eglin-pilots-test-their-skills-against-flotilla-in-the-bay-w-photos-1.451764

[smokey799 1]

Simulated Boghammer target practice....

[+CrazyhorseB34 937]

I would paid money to be on one of those boats!

[JediMaster 451]

Ugh, turn down the music!! I'm getting really fatigued from people blasting music over EVERYTHING on YT. The normal sounds would've been more than sufficient for this, but you can barely hear them...

[MigBuster 2,881]

Ugh, turn down the music!! I'm getting really fatigued from people blasting music over EVERYTHING on YT. The normal sounds would've been more than sufficient for this, but you can barely hear them...

[JediMaster 451]

I know, but everything doesn't need to be a music video, does it?