U.S. Rescues Two Saudi Fighter Pilots After Splashdown Near Yemen

[Bosonic]

Source: NBC

The U.S. Air Force and Navy rescued two Saudi pilots Friday after they ejected from their F-15 fighter over the Gulf of Aden during combat operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Saudi jet apparently suffered some mechanical problem forcing the pilots to eject. A U.S. Air Force Pave Hawk special operations helicopter and crew were dispatched from Djibouti to rescue the Saudi pilots.

Although their conditions are unknown, they were reported to be ambulatory. The Saudi jet and the two pilots went down in international waters. The rescue operation was coordinated by the USS Sterett, a guided-missile destroyer.

The entire operation took two hours. Saudi Arabia Thursday announced it bombed military installations in Yemen to weaken the Shiite rebels who chased the president out of the country.

Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-rescues-two-saudi-fighter-pilots-after-splashdown-near-n331711

[underpants]

1. Dusting off the seldom used equipment

This sort of thing is going to happen

[Fred Sanders]

2. The Saudi F-15 jets are flying a long, long way from their ground bases, aren't they?

76 F-15 SA new fighter jets delivered in 2010 to 2014.

[jberryhill]

3. King Khaled Airbase in Khamis Mushayat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Khalid_Air_Base


http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/khamis.htm

The USMTM Air Force Section, F-15 TAFT, LSG, and Peace Shield personnel work at the Air Base. Khamis has a very small military community consisting of USAF and Army personnel. The PS-1 Compound is shared with the civilian community which is made up of personnel from such companies as BDM, Lear Siegler, Pratt and Whitney, and McDonnell Douglas.

[jberryhill]

4. No, Saudi pilots just suck

There's more nepotism than qualification to be an RSAF officer.

The F-15's are continuously maintained by McDonnell Douglas crews.

[underpants]

5. Thanks

I was hinting at that and the fact that the Saudis haven't done much recently. Sure they train but stuff happens when things get interesting.

[Demeter]

6. the War is going SWIMMINGLY!

just like every other US Imperial Venture (tm)

[leveymg]

7. If ISIS can shoot down a Jordanian F-16 w/a SA7, why assume it was "some mechanical problem"?

The Mideast is swimming with MANPADs; whether anyone wants to admit it or not, modern combat jets are vulnerable if they operate at lower altitudes.

[Cha]

8. Good for the US Air Force and Navy rescuing the Saudi pilots.. not everything has to be a damn CT.

[Sunlei]

9. Good job! I read the Saudis +Dubai are flying 100 jets!