Awesome Military Picts

[ironbar]

Just wondering about the decoy flares on the aircraft. Do they actually work? Have they worked in the field?

Very well against the older SA-7 Strella/ Redeye models, moderately well against the mid 90's versions. In test cases, timely deployment worked something like 98% against the older missles. The later versions with cooled seeker heads and flare rejection systems would occasionally be fooled by a good flare pattern, but not so often that you'd want to bet on them.

I know they worked in Southeast Asia in the early 70's, when they were used in under wing pods on AC-130's. In more modern settings hard to say, since not many aircraft employ only flares (did the flares beat it or the DIRCM?).

Unlike the movies, the missle doesn't actually chase down one of the flares and impact it; someone on the crew spots the launch signature,( bright strobe of the rocket motor at night, or corkscrew smoke trail during the day) shouts, "Flares!" and a clock position whereupon every crewmember with a flare trigger punches it, the pilot breaks away from the missle and if you don't hear an explosion in the next seven to ten seconds you know only that it didn't get you. Maybe the flares worked, maybe the DIRCM worked, maybe the shooter screwed up, maybe the missle screwed up.

There have been automated systems in use since the late 80's that constantly scan for launches by detecting the IR plume of a launch (a lot like the satellites that scan for ICBM launches). The system can be auto linked to the flare dispenser to deploy a flare pattern if it thinks it detected a launch. Unfortunately reflected sunlight off water, under certain conditions will fool it, and some muzzle flashes ( 23mm or larger) can trigger it as well. We never flew with the automatic launch enabled as false alarms are quite nervewracking, and in the latter case incredibly dangerous (some gunner using a pair of nvgs to get on target with his ZSU, misses but then the system punches out a sting of flares to say, "here we are").

What is actually shown in the photos is a jettison of a full load of ALE-40 flares. Normal deployment for a C-130 type is five to seven flares, usually one each from the under fuselage positions (fore and aft), one each from the outer mounts (located on the pylon for the external fuel tank), one each from each side of the fuselage (just forward of the troop doors) and one from the under tail position (directly under the horizontal stab). They are sequenced so the forward under fuselage deploys first as the airstream around the airplane forces it down and creates the widest spread of flares.

[dieseltaylor]

Thanks for the explanation Ironbar. Its always interesting to learn the downsides as so often its only the manaufacturers blurb that gets circulated.

When my father in law was in the Army it was the early days of the Swingfire AT missile and it was a little bit wayward - to say the least. ANyway for a demonstration to hte brass and potential buyers a demo was set up. They all sat in the stand - up until the first missile veered off-course and then did a U-ey.

Embarrassing for a wire-guided missile demo.

wiki

The name comes from the ability of the missile to make a rapid turn of up to ninety degrees after firing to bring it onto the line of the sighting mechanism

: )

[Sixxkiller]

Oh ya the sidewinder mishap must have made that deck hand consider himself the luckiest man ever.

Best thing was the bottom message "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in english, thank the military." I did add commas as maybe they could have consulted a teacher.

[costard]

If you can read this, thank an English teacher.

[Stalins Organ]

I expect someone without the ability to understand English could still read it.....as long as they are familiar withhte Latin alphabet.

as a matter of interest, who should French, Spanish, Portuguese and German speakers thank?

[Michael Emrys]

They could thank me. Not that there is any particular reason that they should, but I am always due more appreciation than I ever seem to get.

Michael

[souldierz]

They could thank me. Not that there is any particular reason that they should, but I am always due more appreciation than I ever seem to get.

Michael

Here you go Michael Emrys, http://dagobah.biz/flash/thank_you.swf , should be enough thank you's for a life time, hope you feel appreciated now.:D

[dieseltaylor]

: )

It made me laugh souldierz.

[Michael Emrys]

Here you go Michael Emrys, http://dagobah.biz/flash/thank_you.swf , should be enough thank you's for a life time, hope you feel appreciated now.:D

That was...unusual. Perhaps not quite what I was hoping for. Something maybe a bit more along these lines would have been nice.

But thanks for the thought anyway. Ahem.

Michael

[Thomm]

I hope this is what the "character" looks like after playing.

Best regards,

Thomm

[MeatEtr]

That was...unusual. Perhaps not quite what I was hoping for. Something maybe a bit more along these lines would have been nice.

But thanks for the thought anyway. Ahem.

Michael

Reminds me of the Nintendo 64 Rumble pack, it vibrates when you play. I'm sure she would love that.

[Mace]

Aww come on. She definitely isn't a Pict!!! :mad:

[Michael Emrys]

Aww come on. She definitely isn't a Pict!!! :mad:

Okay, you're right, she's not a Pict. You want a Pict? Here's a Pict:

Michael

[souldierz]

That was...unusual. Perhaps not quite what I was hoping for. Something maybe a bit more along these lines would have been nice.

But thanks for the thought anyway. Ahem.

Michael

Pointing out the obvious here, but Damn she's Hot!!!:eek:

That is one sexy photo and I hope to the high Heaven you guys know I'm talking about the young women and not the PlayStation Controller.

The other pict chick looks like a Natural born killer that was born with a Ghillie suit on.Plus, I guess that's proof that there's somebody out there for everybody, looks like Big Foot was not all that lonely in the forest after all .