Two U.S. F/A-18s crash in (Arabian) Gulf, no fatalities

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

MANAMA, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet said two F/A-18 fighter aircraft crashed during operations in the Gulf on Monday but there were no fatalities. "Teams from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) rescued all three aviators after two F/A-18 Super Hornets crashed during operations in the Arabian Gulf Jan. 7," it said in a statement. "The cause of the accident is under investigation."

The Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet said the aircraft crews were back aboard the aircraft carrier and are reported to be in good condition following an ejection. The aircraft were providing close air support from Iraq when they crashed, it said. (Gulf newsroom)

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L07331089.htm

[endarkenment]

1. rescued all three aviators

I'm sure there is a simple explanation but, did each f-18 have 1.5 aviators?

[fenriswolf]

5. your right

each plane can seat two

[maxrandb]

10. Super Hornet is a 2-seater. Legacy Hornet is a 1-seater

That's probably what happened. One single seat Hornet and one 2-seat Hornet.

Would explain the 3 aviators.

[ohio2007]

14. Super Hornets

[sinkingfeeling]

2. The US Navy (Bahrain-based Fifth Fleet???) seems to be having a bad couple of days in the Gulf.

[sabra]

3. seems like there's also a sailor missing?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2618940&mesg_id=2618940

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Well, then, I think they should just come home and take a nap.

[ORDagnabbit]

4. wierd....two crashed at the same time?

[daleo]

8. I assumed this meant they clipped wings or something

But you are right, the story doesn't give any indication of whether this was one incident or two.

[nbcouch]

6. Is this about to be blamed on the Iranians? n/t

[librechik]

11. my question too!

:scared:

[RuleOfNah]

13. Tonkin airshow?

Maybe the planes were scheduled for the floating boxes in the news show? Perhaps "how could Iran shoot them down" came up too frequently in the test audience debriefings so the spin was scrapped?

[jaksavage]

9. We are here to help

said the Iranian boat capt.

[maddezmom]

12. this one says, midair collision

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. Navy fighter jets plunged into the Persian Gulf Monday after a mid-air collision, but all three pilots were rescued safely, a top Navy commander said Monday.

Navy Vice Adm. Kevin J. Cosgriff told reporters that the three pilots have been brought back to the USS Harry Truman, the aircraft carrier they were operating from, and are in good condition. Cosgriff, who is commander of the Navy's 5th Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, said the pilots were undergoing medical checks.

According to the Navy, teams from the Truman rescued the three aviators who ejected after their F/A-18 Super Hornets crashed during operations in the northern Gulf. The aircraft are from Carrier Air Wing Three, which is deployed to the Persian Gulf with the Truman Carrier Strike Group.

~snip~

One of the jets that crashed held two pilots, the other held just one.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080107/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/navy_crash;_ylt=AsxWx8X63xuij5qtfuEiL1.s0NUE

[Marrah_G]

15. I'm really glad they made it

[AwareOne]

16. How many millions does an F-18 cost

nice flying boys. "Hey, watch how close I can get to..Oh shit, eject, eject! Probably hot dogging with multi-million dollar aircraft. Oh WTF, just borrow more money from the Chinese and build two more.

[wuushew]

17. $59,000,000 per copy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Hornet#Specifications_.28F.2FA-18E.2FF.29

[guruant]

18. What?

"Yeah I'm gonna sit here and make this edgy response, hahaha, yeah they can't fly, they probably worship bush, hahaha, who cares that they almost died, im so edgy hahah yeah"

[TheWraith]

23. Do you have anything to contribute besides being obnoxious?

After all, it's not like three people narrowly escaped death, and it's not like you need to know anything about the situation or what actually happened in order to stick your two cents in.

[Deny and Shred]

19. I don't vouch for the F-18 specs in this link...

...I just found it on the web. It claims an estimated cost of $57 mil, $59 mil and $66 mil apiece for three different models - in 2003 dollars. It appears to be a less-expensive-than-stealth spy plane.

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/f18ef/

I gotta figure they were flying a more-improvised-than-usual mission given the boat incident, which would entail greater risk. When politicans react militarily, the servicemen usually are in a tough spot.

[TheWraith]

22. It's not a spy plane, it's a multi-role fighter/bomber. NT

[lovuian]

20. Isn't the F17's on stand down for mechanical failure

now our F18's are having trouble maybe???

[TheWraith]

21. There's no such thing as an F-17. NT

[Robbien]

24. The F-15's were called out of service

for being involved in crashes.

The ones which crashed today are

The two Super Hornets which crashed had similar features to the original F/A-18 but had been extensively redesigned with 25 percent larger airframe, a powerful GE F414 engine and upgraded avionics suite. It was designed to serve as fighter escort, fleet air defense, enemy air defense suppressor, interdiction, close air support and reconnaissance.

All manufactured by Boeing. Boeing had a great Wall Street year last year while its planes keep crashing.

[lovuian]

25. wow if the F15's are down and now the F18's are malfuntioning

our air defenses are being stretched I heard Alaska's air guard is watching California because their air guard is down from the F15's