I thought the Kurnass 2000 (F-4E) was retired from the IAF a few years ago, but if not good to hear about the Phantom still putting bombs on target.

Since this is “suppose” to be a forum on military aviation I will keep my post in that context. I hope the airmen of the IDF/AF deliver the anger of the people of Israel to the terrorist of Hamas/Hezbollah with the same tenacity in Operation Moked in 1967. Put warheads on foreheads IDF/AF!!!!!

*A current F/A-18 Ordnanceman

1981 Israel did not need permission to fly thru Jordan or Saudi Arabia to swack the Osirak nuclear reacator in Iraq. They just flew thru the airspace anyways. The new F-15I and F-16I with CFT have the legs to hit Iran. Godspeed to the Israel Air Force.

I was wondering when the US created the NO-FLY ZONES over Iraq, were there any dogfights?

After Desert Storm in 1991 the United Nations sactioned the establishment of two no fly zones. One in the the north (Operation Northern Watch) of Iraq to protect the Kurds and one in the south (Operation Southern Watch) to protect the Sunni Arabs these patrols began on August 27, 1992. Both of these zones were established due to the military retaliation of Saddam’s government on the Kurds/Shia for the uprising during Desert Storm. Yes there were several “known” air to air engagements between U.S., RAF and other allied aircraft and the Iraqi Air Force. On November 24, 1992 an F-16D shot down an Iraqi MiG-25 over southern Iraq. The MiG was shot down with an AIM-120 AMRAAM (first air to air kill for the AMRAAM). On January 5, 1999 in two seperate engagements USAF F-15s and U.S. Navy F-14s engaged four Iraqi MiG-25s firing six missiles, none of the missiles hit the MiGs. September 9, 1999 a first for the U.S. Navy F-14 community, an F-14 fired an AIM-54 Phoneix in anger at an Iraqi MiG-23 that had violated the no fly zone in the south the missile did not hit the target but it was enough to make him turn tail and head back home. Saddam was attempting to shoot down a coalition aircraft and take the crew captive so he could get U.N imposed sanctions removed. In order to do this he constantly moved his mobile SAM/AAA batteries in such a way that he would send an Iraqi AF MiG to dash across the no fly zone prompting an intercept by coalition aircraft patrolling the zone, then have the MiG fly near the SAMbush site where the SAMs would attempt to bring down a coalition fighter. The tactic never worked, the only thing that came out of this move by Saddam was a coalition response where the SAM/AAA site was swacked and destroyed. An Iraqi SAM/AAA battery soldier/commander had a short life span during Southern/Northern watch. I made a few Souther Watch cruises myself and can tell you I had a quite a few of my squadron’s aircraft coming back with empty HARM/GBU-12 missile and bomb racks…those were the fun days!

Serbian,

I believe you might be referring to the Jan. 17, 1991 shootdown of a U.S. Navy F/A-18C by a IQAF MiG-25. Intresting story, the F/A-18 was assigned to VFA-81 “Sunliners” and was part of a strike package, this particuliar aircraft was flown by LCDR Michael “Spike” Spicher and was carrying two AGM-88s as it was designated as a “shooter” aircraft for destryoing SAM/AAA radars. US CENTCOM orginally stated this aircraft was brought down by a SAM or AAA I do not know if the fog of war was prevailing in regards to accurate information or if CENTCOM deliberately lied to the public because they did not want to admit that an Iraqi MiG shot down a coalition aircraft. Since then it has been confirmed that an IQAF MiG-25 was seen intercepting this package, one witness to the MiG was a VA-75 A-6E that had to take evasive action in order to avoid the collision, it was a clear night and the smoke/afterburner plumes were easily seen identifying this as a Foxbat. USAF F-15 were in the area providing BARCAP but due to the speed and close proximity of the MiG to the navy strike package the F-15s did not engage for fear of shooting down the navy aircraft. The MiG was able to get in a firing position and shot down the Hornet and was able to escape. Alot of controversy regarding this as it was rumored that the pilot of the MiG might have been possibly a Soviet “advisor” if not an IQAF pilot. Hope this helps…

Actually, I am not incorrect on my previous post, the 60 Hughes MD-500s and 10 Bell 214STs you are referring to were sold to Iraq after two conditions were met:1) Iraq was to be removed from the U.S. State Department’s state terror list and 2) The above mentioned helicopters were to be used for civilian purposes only (i.e. the state owned Iraqi Petrolum Company IPC). This sale causes quite a bit of controversy within the U.S. Congress. The helicopters were sold and delivered in unarmed/civilian configurations as they were intended to be used. Of course once delivered to Iraq Saddam started to use the 214ST to transports troops and the 500’s for scout duties. After Desert Storm of the 214STs that survived intact were captured and shipped back to the USA as trophies from the war.

Sorry I forgot to take off reality hat at the door when I entered the room 😉 I like your avatar of the Thud, my father was a Thud driver quite familiar with “YGBSM”!

It is not looting to the victor of war goes the spoils! Like someone else said in this thread more than likely they F-1 and the Mi-8 will end up as a static display at a military base here in the states. This is no different than North Vietnam sending captured VNAF F-5E Tiger IIs to Poland and Russia as well as other U.S. made military hardware. Or it is no different than all the Luftwaffe aircraft that made there way to the U.K, France and the U.S. so if it is looting many countries are then guilty of it.