Story from the 4th of August - 2001: Blue on Blue, Skylark on Sparrow

Written by Skylark

Satellite evidence of the friendly fire incident yesterday has revealed the cause of the unfortunate loss of two F16C jets.

Flt Lt Skylark has viewed the footage and his view of the event is included here.

Cowboy flight consisted of Bigbrother as Flight lead, Skylark as his no.2; Sparrow as Lead of flight 2 with Phantom as his no.2.

Enroute home we ran into a group of 4 SU27s on CAP patrol nearby the home plate. The group were engaged by Bigbrother, Sparrow and Skylark.

Three SU27s were downed quickly, but one had broken off and was engaging our aircraft. It had already destroyed Phantoms plane and was engaging Bigbrother before it was engaged by Skylark.

Satellite images are as follows.

1. At 07.41.36 I was engaged with the remaining bandit and was in a turning fight with the plane, trying to get a missile shot on it. Sparrow was outside of the fight at this time but would have had a clear view of the dogfight in front of him.

2. At 07.41.54 I continued with my turning fight with the SU27; I had the target locked up and was in padlock view and had no idea that Sparrow was moving inside the turning fight.

3. At 07.41.59 I still had the target locked and in sight. About now I made the decision to try a shot because the angles were getting weaker for a shot and it was then or never.

4. 07.41.59 A moment later the target lock is broken.

5. 07.42.01 Two seconds later... Slammers away... but there is no Radar Lock.

6. 07.42.05 Slammer passes the nose of the SU27 .. Sparrow is now behind the target directly in the line of fire.

7. 07.42.06 The Slammer continues past the SU27 and explodes nearby Sparrows plane, no radarlock.

8. 07.42.19 Still in padlock and turning through vertical dive, I get an 'Altitude' call. Glancing forward I am convinced I am going to lawn dart and I pull eject. Hit the parachute at <600Ft. To my dismay I watch my plane pull out of the dive and fly off.
   
   Cowboy 13, Sparrows plane is still showing flying. But the ACMI evidence from the satellite revealed that the AIM 120 released by me had seriously damaged the F16 despite having no Radar Lock on either plane at the point of firing.

Possibly I should not have fired the missile; certainly without the lock this was pointless, but the lock was lost two seconds before firing and I do not remember at this point seeing Sparrow in the proximity.

If there had been a discussion it would have been good to decide who was better equipped to continue in the fight.

It can be argued that Sparrow should have stayed out and waited the outcome, calling me to break off if he considered he had a better angle or weapons shot. Considering that Sparrow had a lock well before he entered the furball I think it safe to assume he had no AIM120 left and had to get in close for the kill either with guns or a mike.

As I was already engaged and in a turning fight this was not wise; but knowing Sparrow like I do over all these years there is nothing more he likes than a kill and nothing more he dislikes than being killed, especially from his own!

I submit therefore that this was indeed a friendly fire incident brought about by a wayward AIM120 released in the heat of battle that hit a fellow aircraft that really should not have been in the fight. I await the outcome of the Court Marshal.