Air Force fighters mix it up with MiG-29s
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by Senior Airman Bob Purtiman
PENANG, Malaysia (AFNS) -- It's been said imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery. If that's the case, than the U.S. Air
Force and the people at McDonnell Douglas Corp. must like the
MiG-29 Fulcrum, which bears a striking resemblance to the F-15
Eagle.
Up until a few years ago, not many people had the opportunity to
peek behind the Iron Curtain for a glimpse at the Soviet bloc's
top-of-the-line, air-superiority fighter. The MiG-29 was hidden in
a shroud of mystery -- until the Berlin Wall came crumbling down
and with it, the Iron Curtain.
Since the fall of the curtain, excess Soviet military equipment has
become available in large numbers, and aircraft such as the MiG-29
went on the sales block.
For a group of 12th Fighter Squadron pilots from Kadena Air Base,
Japan, the shroud lifted recently during Cope West 95 when they
flew with and engaged MiG-29s flown by Royal Malaysian Air Force
pilots. The exercise marked the first time American pilots have
trained with the Fulcrum in the Pacific region.
"We were in a little awe of it because we couldn't believe we had
the opportunity to fly against and train with something we've spent
the last decade trying to devise methods of defeating," said Lt.
Col. Jeffrey McChesney, 12th FS commander. "For a pilot, it was
very exciting, kind of like being a kid in the candy store."
For 18th Wing Commander Brig. Gen. William T. Hobbins, a veteran of
25 years in the fighter business, the opportunity to see the
aircraft and fly with it is the pinnacle of his flying
career.
"I was impressed with the aircraft," he said. "It looks an awful
lot like the F-15. From a distance, the visual identification
problem is significant. Up close you can tell the difference.
Flying against it, you come away with the opinion the aircraft has
a lot of power and maneuvering capability.
"We train extensively in the art of aerial warfare and maneuvering
against an adversary such as the MiG-29," he added. "So physically
seeing it flying next to you, you say to yourself, 'This is the
aircraft I've been training to defend against?' and everything
comes full circle."
Even though the "Dirty Dozen" pilots only flew one or two sorties
against the Fulcrums, they learned lessons that could help in
combat someday.
"I learned how I would fight against a MiG-29 if the need arises,"
Capt. Jeff Gustafson said. "Unfortunately, we didn't get to face
them that often. We learned a lot off two sorties, but we could
learn much more if we flew against them the entire two
weeks."
After two weeks of flying with the MiGs, the Dirty Dozen don't
intend to trade in their Eagles.
"This exercise has reaffirmed to me that we have the best-designed
plane in the world for air superiority and the best air force to
support it," McChesney said. "That fact has been driven home
hard."
With the lessons learned and some of the knowledge passed on, many
fighter pilots have a better understanding of the Fulcrum.
"The pilots will now be familiar with the aircraft in terms of
seeing it, knowing its physical characteristics, how it maneuvers
in relation to our tactical exercises and how it employs simulated
weapons in aerial combat," Hobbins explained. "That is invaluable
to the wing, whose mission is to maintain integrated, deployable,
forward-based air power.
"This was an awesome experience for our pilots and maintainers to
get a close-up view of the aircraft considered a high-technology
rival of ours for the past decade," he added. "Many of us will
never forget this unique experience and the friendships we made
with our RMAF pilots and maintainers." (Courtesy Pacific Air Forces
News Service. Purtiman is assigned to 18th Wing public
affairs.)
Sounds like the RMAF Migs got creamed up a bit by the
Eagles.
