Forum: F-16 News

Thank you very much for your reply, HazF16! But this "glow-worm" on the video made some "stupid" movings which I can´t rely to the aircraft. In this case, I still want for an answer from real professionals.

Little OT, but North is the guy who tagged an Iraqi MiG-25 during an OSW deployment in a 2-seat viper, 778 with an AMRAAM...first US F-16 kill, and first 120 kill.

I believe Hughes (or was it Raytheon?) had a cool looking poster of that shoot-down with a "SPLASH ONE" slogan. It was December 1992 if I am not mistaken, was living in Turkey at the time and I have heard it from the news that one F-16 shot down an Iraqi jet. At first, the news came out as it was a -29. But I later found out it was a -25. Do you remember his rank at that time? 14 years ago, probably Capt?

183rd pilot may have killed Iraq terrorist

BY: Mike Kienzler, sj-r.com
06/11/2006



Could the pilot who dropped two bombs on a house in the village of Hibhib, Iraq, Wednesday night, killing top terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, have been from the Springfield-based 183rd Fighter Wing?

The answer is a firm "maybe."

Elements of the 183rd, a unit of the Illinois Air National Guard, reportedly are deployed at Balad Air Base at Camp Anaconda near Hibhib, and the unit flies the F-16C, the fighter jet identified as carrying out the al-Zarqawi attack. The 183rd's planes also apparently are capable of carrying out an airstrike of the kind described in reports from the media and the Air Force.

However, the same might be said of at least five other regular Air Force and Air Guard units also said to be stationed at Balad, and official channels so far have refused to identify to what unit the plane and pilot belong.

Rumors that it was a 183rd jet that attacked al-Zarqawi's hideout have been circulating in Springfield since al-Zarqawi's death was announced, although no one who reported the rumors to State Journal-Register staff members apparently is directly connected to the unit.

Retired Maj. William Umbach of Petersburg, who left the 183rd in 2003, said Saturday that he's been hearing the same rumors. And while Umbach also has no official information, he said his initial reaction to news of the strike was that Springfield's F-16s might have been involved.

Umbach, who now flies for United Airlines, says the location of the strike and the methods and weapons that reportedly were used are consistent with what he believes is the local unit’s training.

“It does sound like a mission that our guys could perform,” Umbach said.

Capt. Sonja Gurski, spokeswoman for the 183rd, could not be reached Saturday.

Authorities have said two precision-targeted bombs were used, both released from the same F-16C aircraft. According to the Army Times Web site, which had one of the fullest accounts of the air attack, the plane was one of two on routine patrol over the area. Only one attacked because the other happened to be refueling from an airborne tanker when the bomb run was ordered.

Army Times also reported that “For the past year, most F-16Cs flying over Iraq have been staged out of Balad, a sprawling Army and Air Force complex about 50 miles north of Baghdad. The Air Force typically has the equivalent of two F-16 squadrons at Balad.”

Hibhib is also about 50 miles north of Baghdad, according to various media reports.

If the pilot in the al-Zarqawi strike is from the 183rd, the successful attack would boost the unit’s military reputation, which suffered when 183rd pilot Harry Schmidt of Sherman mistakenly bombed a Canadian infantry unit in 2002 in Afghanistan, killing four soldiers. Umbach commanded the two-jet mission that night.

And if the 183rd killed al-Zarqawi, that also would buttress arguments from supporters of the unit who believe the wing was unfairly targeted by last year’s Air Force base realignment process. That process resulted in a decision to move the 183rd’s jets out of Springfield.

Twelve F-16s from the 183rd were deployed to the Middle East in May. Although their exact location there has never been officially disclosed, the apparently authoritative Web site F-16.net last month identified the 183rd as one of six units with components stationed at Balad.

The others include three regular Air Force squadrons: the 421st, based in Utah; the 23rd, from Germany; and the 79th, based in South Carolina. All three fly F-16s.

Two Air Guard units in addition to the 183rd are identified by F-16.net as also having planes and/or personnel at Balad: the 115th Fighter Wing out of Madison, Wis., and the 187th Fighter Wing from Montgomery, Ala.

One poster on the Web site Friday also said that “Rumor has it that it was the 183rd out of Springfield” that bombed Zarqawi. However, another stated flatly that “The 421 nailed him.” There is no indication as to what information either of those comments was based.

Other posters said video released by U.S. Central Command indicated the jet that made the attack run was an Air National Guard F-16 employing a Litening targeting pod. The Air Force has said the first bomb was a laser-guided GBU-12, followed by a newer GBU-38, which is guided by satellite.

Both bombs hit their target.

Staff writer Daniel Pike contributed to this report.

Mr. Brown,

Thanks for your interest and your request – good to hear from you. Unfortunately, at this time, that information is not available. However, should it become so in the future we will gladly forward it to you. Thanks again for your support!

Regards,
Mike

Maj Mike Young, USAF

CENTAF-FWD/PA, Media Relations Officer









--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Thompson Robert K Lt Col 332 AEW/PA On Behalf Of 332 AEW/PA
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 7:34 AM
To: Bottemiller Gregg C Maj AUAB CAOC STAFF PA; Young Michael K Maj AUAB CAOC STAFF PA
Cc: magnetass@houston.rr.com
Subject: FW: Tail # for viper on the al Zarqawi mission



Gregg, Mike,

Here’s a query from Mr Scott Brown reqarding the Zarqawi mission.



Thanks,

Bob

the apparently authoritative Web site F-16.net