'The first shot missed,' - Shooting over Lake Huron

[Bekeart]

Pilot Made $400K Misfire Shooting at Object in Sky

'The first shot missed,' general admits about attempt over Lake Huron

From: Pilot Made $400K Misfire Shooting at Object in Sky

'The first shot missed,' general admits about attempt over Lake Huron


Four words you don't want to hear in regard to a US fighter pilot launching a missile at a mystery object in the skies above the US: "The first shot missed." On Tuesday, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark A. Milley acknowledged that the first Sidewinder missile fired Sunday at the object floating above Lake Huron in Michigan missed the mark, reports the Washington Post. Fortunately, the errant shot went harmlessly into the lake. A second missile then took down the still-unidentified object.

Milley confirmed an earlier report by Fox News about the missed shot. It's no small thing: Each Sidewinder missile costs more than $400,000, notes Fox. US officials previously described the object above Lake Huron as roughly the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. By contrast, the Chinese balloon shot down days earlier was about the size of three buses. Meanwhile, the hunt for debris continues in the lake, as well as at the locations of three other shootdowns, to better answer the questions of what the objects were and where they came from.

Bet the pilot will get a hard time at Officer's Club.

What is the average percentage of hits?

Bekeart

 

[LVSteve]

Guided weapons sometimes aren't. There is a laundry list of things that can go wrong. If you watch the Dogfights show that sometimes reruns on various TV channels you can see multiple cases where the missile goes wild off the rail, the motor doesn't fire, or the seeker loses lock half-way to the target

 

[waffles]

I feel bad when I blow it with a $2 waterfowl shell. Guess it can always be worse.

 

[ladder13]

Poor fish.

 

[Bekeart]

Missile "did not fuse"

The unidentified floating octagon shot down over Lake Huron in upper Michigan required two Sidewinders, because the first one failed to detect the object, "did not fuse," and crashed "harmlessly" into Lake Huron, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Why the U.S. used missiles, not cheap bullets, to shoot down Chinese balloon, 3 unidentified objects

Bekeart

 

[Heinz]

The AIM 9 Sidewinder is a heat seeker, the balloon does not generate a lot of heat. I am impressed our pilots are getting the hit percentage they are at altitudes over the missiles test rating at a semi-stealthy target. Way to go guys!

 

[LoboGunLeather]

The pilot engaging the targeted balloon was presumably following orders and selected the weapon accordingly. First shot was a Sidewinder air-to-air missile relying on a heat-seeker targeting mechanism designed to home in on the heat signature of the target, which the balloon target did not have.

A second shot was made using the AIM missile, not relying on heat signature for targeting, but designed to close on the target and detonate when within relatively close proximity, firing a warhead that produces a dense expanding cone of fragments into the path of the intended target. Not entirely unlike a shotgun shell aimed at a flying duck or goose.

The aviators involved were undoubtedly following orders, including weapon selection intended to limit the possibilities of collateral damages and bring the target down with minimum danger to people and property in the area.

So far as we now know, the plan worked. Targeted balloon was taken down as safely as conditions allowed without damage to anyone or anything else.

 

[ameridaddy]

Assuming the Volkswagen size target is wafting along at trade wind velocities (I don't know - just guessing), the F-16 closing at 450 knots (760 fps), and the F-16 sure kill range for 20 mm Gatling gun ideally 1,000 - ~ 3,280 feet, the pilot would have only 1.3 - 4.3 seconds to squeeze off a half second burst (~50 rds) and he'd be on top of a possibly explosive or disintegrating target. Aim 9x has a range of 20+ miles and makes a much safer shot for the pilot at an unknown target.
Just my opinion.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Air balloon;
Heat seeking missile;

I think we need to fire one of our Generals that has his head up his @$^**!, on what is needed to destroy a target.

A burst of 50 cal. from the fighter pilot, should have worked just fine and cost a lot less !!

 

[sigp220.45]

I'm sure everyone here could do much better.

 

[Puller]

I'm sure everyone here could do much better.

Some just think they could . . . .

 

[SMSgt]

Bet the pilot will get a hard time at Officer's Club.

What is the average percentage of hits?

Bekeart

No doubt he'll get some ribbing, although they all know pilots don't "aim" missiles.

 

[Rustyt1953]

I read where Macy's has filed a flight plan for next years parade.

 

[LVSteve]

Meanwhile, some guy at Raytheon is trying to dream up a a quick way of modifying their missiles to take down balloons and make the company lots of money.
.
.
.
If they come up with the same idea I've got, I'll be pissed.

 

[LVSteve]

The pilot engaging the targeted balloon was presumably following orders and selected the weapon accordingly. First shot was a Sidewinder air-to-air missile relying on a heat-seeker targeting mechanism designed to home in on the heat signature of the target, which the balloon target did not have.

A second shot was made using the AIM missile, not relying on heat signature for targeting, but designed to close on the target and detonate when within relatively close proximity, firing a warhead that produces a dense expanding cone of fragments into the path of the intended target. Not entirely unlike a shotgun shell aimed at a flying duck or goose.

"AIM" doesn't exactly narrow down the weapon as they all start with AIM, Air Intercept Missile.

The two weapons generally carried are the AIM-9, not sure which variant is on an F-16, and the AIM-120. Both are listed as having blast fragmentation warheads. The main difference appears to be that the AIM-120 has a contact fuzing facility. The open source AIM-9 information that I can see says it only has a proximity fuze of some type.

 

[Rudi]

Makes me feel better about all those ducks I missed.

 

[6518John]

If they come up with the same idea I've got, I'll be pissed.

I think we need to use the Coyote Guidance System.

 

[LVSteve]

Assuming the Volkswagen size target is wafting along at trade wind velocities (I don't know - just guessing), the F-16 closing at 450 knots (760 fps), and the F-16 sure kill range for 20 mm Gatling gun ideally 1,000 - ~ 3,280 feet, the pilot would have only 1.3 - 4.3 seconds to squeeze off a half second burst (~50 rds) and he'd be on top of a possibly explosive or disintegrating target. Aim 9x has a range of 20+ miles and makes a much safer shot for the pilot at an unknown target.
Just my opinion.

I'm sure that the F-16 would not have to fly that fast at 20k feet, but as altitude increases it is sure to need plenty of speed. Here is where wing loading becomes important. As it happens, the F-15 has the lightest wing loading of the three current frontline fighters, so it might be expected to be capable of flying slower at altitude than the others. Still, cannon kills of balloons were shown to be no easy task by the RCAF and the USAF a little while back.

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

"Meanwhile, the hunt for debris continues in the lake..."

How about the hunt for the errant missle?

 

[glenwolde]

Air balloon;
Heat seeking missile;

I think we need to fire one of our Generals that has his head up his @$^**!, on what is needed to destroy a target.

A burst of 50 cal. from the fighter pilot, should have worked just fine and cost a lot less !!

Read the link in post #5.