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NEWS USAF Fighter And Bomber Crews Get Modified M4 Rifles That Fit Under Ejection Seats

ChuckMK23

FERS and TSP contributor!
pilot
100% concur with Walugilawr, all a sidearm does for a stranded navy tacair crew is provide another way to off yourself if things get too bad. I don’t care if they pack an RPG in the ejection seat, your best bet is to evade or stay hidden long enough for the experts to come get you. This will only weigh you down.

So why is USAF executing a multi million dollar program to put a rifle and ammo in every pointy nose ejection seat? I mean this sincerely- what do we in Naval Aviation know that AF doesn’t - or conversely does AF know something we don’t ?
 

wlawr005

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Just because a military service spends money on something doesn't mean it's a great idea.

F35? LCS? NWUs?

It's pretty simple...somebody in some program office with enough rank pulled together the money and backing to make this happen. I'd be surprised if it was in response to a high demand signal initiated from an aircrew perspective.

What's sad is that there are probably things aircrew do want and need...from the Navy side we'd like to have iPads and ILS...but now we'll probably get guns we'll never use.

Unless Air Force aircrew are vastly different than the rest of the services (which they are in some ways) then I would say this is more of a shining example of how out of touch leadership is with reality.
 
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Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
One high-speed ejection + One self-assembled rifle + 120 rounds of ammunition ➗ 15 DGAF “in shaa Allah” Infantry = One dead pilot.

Survival and Evasion come first.
 

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Just because a military service spends money on something doesn't mean it's a great idea.

F35? LCS? NWUs?

It's pretty simple...somebody in some program office with enough rank pulled together the money and backing to make this happen. I'd be surprised if it was in response to a high demand signal initiated from an aircrew perspective.

What's sad is that there are probably things aircrew do want and need...from the Navy side we'd like to have iPads and ILS...but now we'll probably get guns we'll never use.

Unless Air Force aircrew are vastly different than the rest of the services (which they are in some ways) then I would say this is more of a shining example of how out of touch leadership is with reality.

The F35 is a great idea. Just a shitty plan and execution. But that’s for another thread.....#threadjack.

LCS, NWUs I’m on board with you.
 
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sevenhelmet

Low calorie attack from the Heartland
pilot
A "fighter-sized" carbine? Why? I honestly don't get it. Seems like a solution looking for a problem...
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
So why is USAF executing a multi million dollar program to put a rifle and ammo in every pointy nose ejection seat? I mean this sincerely- what do we in Naval Aviation know that AF doesn’t - or conversely does AF know something we don’t ?
The Navy spends money to put things in jets when there's a requirement. Explain the requirement for such a thing to me. Setting aside all the reasons why coming out guns blazing in a SERE situation is a bad idea, when was the last time a Navy TACAIR aircrew was captured by enemy forces? Since that was probably in 1991, what's the imperative? Frankly, in the environments we operate in today, I'd much rather devote that space and weight to carrying extra water and batteries for the devices that can facilitate the PR effort.
 

Austin-Powers

Powers By Name, Powers By Reputation
Wouldn't an M4 too heavy and clunky for this? I rather just have a sidearm and not lug an M4 unless you're a chopper pilot
 

DanMa1156

Is it baseball season yet?
pilot
Contributor
Thinking it’s for stateside SERE...
Might be in case you punch in WV, AL or outside Detroit/Chiraq...

You joke, but when I was a stud at the the HT's, I remember hearing about an instructor who had done a deployment to Iraq x2 and had never been shot... did Hurricane Katrina relief and his helicopter got shot twice. :mad::rolleyes:
 

RobLyman

- hawk Pilot
pilot
None
You joke, but when I was a stud at the the HT's, I remember hearing about an instructor who had done a deployment to Iraq x2 and had never been shot... did Hurricane Katrina relief and his helicopter got shot twice. :mad::rolleyes:
Certainly not a tall tale. I know guard guys in Florida and Louisiana who were shot at in both locations.
 
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