US military used Vietnam-era warplanes against Daesh

[unhappycamper]

Last edited Mon Mar 14, 2016, 05:05 AM - Edit history (1)

http://presstv.ir/Detail/2016/03/12/455352/US-Vietnamera-warplanes-OV10-Bronco-turbopropeller-Bryant-Davis



A US Air Force OV-10 Bronco turbo-propeller plane

US military used Vietnam-era warplanes against Daesh
Sat Mar 12, 2016 5:38PM

The US military has used a pair of Vietnam-era warplanes in its air campaign against the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group.

US Central Command Spokesman Bryant Davis said that almost 50-year old OV-10 Bronco turbo-propeller planes flew 120 combat missions against Daesh targets as an experiment to see if "light turbo-prop aircraft" are more effective in the operations, CNN reported on Friday.

He explained that the results of the experiment have been passed on to the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Requirements Oversight Council and that the information will help Pentagon "decision makers determine if this is a valid concept that would be effective in the current battlespace."

~snip~

Retired naval aviator Chris Harmer also told CNN that using the retired warplanes are much more cost-effective alternative than jets like the F-15 or F-35. The old jets could cost less than $5,000 per flight.

--

I once had the opportunity to fly a reconnaissance mission in the OV-10 over the Michelin Rubber Plantation near Cu Chi. I leared two things that day:

1. OV-10s kick ass.
2. When chasing clouds, keep your hands off the ejection handle. Thankfully I did NOT (correction)eject myself.

[bemildred]

1. The old ways are best. nt