Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Military question #1


Alpo

Recommended Posts

Nobody carries a weapon unless they are in a specific training scenario that calls for it, IE Infantry marching to the field to bivouac. Even though we never used them while training on our 81mm Mortars, we almost always carried them with us to the Field because if we WERE in combat, we would have them with us. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was often a survival type rifle or shotgun in our larger Canadian aircraft, at least in the 1950's 

I don't recall seeing pilots or the RIOs (CF-100's) in flight suits carrying a handgun.

I don't know about today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NCIS episode. For reasons that are not germane to this question, three agents and Dr. Jimmy are heloed out to a ship, where they get in a firefight, and they all act like they're in a TV Western.

 

Pow pow pow. Pow pow pow pow. Pow pow. Pow pow pow.

 

Then - "I've only got two rounds left!!" "Me too!!!" "I'm empty!!!!"

 

And I'm thinking - maybe you should consider aiming at somebody and shooting once, instead of just pulling the trigger. Maybe even carrying spare ammunition. Wow - what a concept!!

 

And then I thought about the two helicopter pilots, and wondered if they were armed.

 

How about in survival vests for flight over water? Would they have a gun? Would that make a difference?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Alpo said:

How about in survival vests for flight over water? Would they have a gun? Would that make a difference?

What are they gonna shoot at, fish? 
 

My dad spent most of his Navy career flying over large expanses of ocean and never carried a gun that I know of. Maybe there are different protocols these days, but I’m gonna go with Sabre’s reply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

NCIS episode. For reasons that are not germane to this question, three agents and Dr. Jimmy are heloed out to a ship, where they get in a firefight, and they all act like they're in a TV Western.

 

Pow pow pow. Pow pow pow pow. Pow pow. Pow pow pow.

 

Then - "I've only got two rounds left!!" "Me too!!!" "I'm empty!!!!"

 

And I'm thinking - maybe you should consider aiming at somebody and shooting once, instead of just pulling the trigger. Maybe even carrying spare ammunition. Wow - what a concept!!

 

And then I thought about the two helicopter pilots, and wondered if they were armed.

 

How about in survival vests for flight over water? Would they have a gun? Would that make a difference?

 

10 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I just thought that the pilot survival vest had a gun in it. Gun, flares, radio, shark repellent, inflatable raft.

Those pilots would have no reason to be carrying. They weren't going into a combat zone. I also don't think that they wear any kind of survival vest. Fixed wing A/C have a kit in the seat that goes with them when they eject. I believe that helicopters have a similar kit in the cockpit. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I just thought that the pilot survival vest had a gun in it. Gun, flares, radio, shark repellent, inflatable raft.

If floating in a vest, a firearm is pretty useless and just adds weight. Might have been something in a raft which is different from a survival vest. Given limited space for more useful things like water, rations et al, I doubt a firearm would have been included. A flare pistol perhaps, back in the day. 
 

I’m not up to date on present day overwater survival vests, but I’m betting the most precious item would be location transmitter. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

I’m not up to date on present day overwater survival vests, but I’m betting the most precious item would be location transmitter. 

They're in the ejection seat too. They automatically come on when the seat goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I recall being at a Scout event at the now gone Webb Air Force Base in West Texas back in the mid-sixties.  We were shown a film on crash survival ~ one of the items in the survival kits was a small-caliber rifle.  Came in handy in the re-enacted scenario when the pilot decided to take a detour to see some wildlife and the plane went down well off course.

 

Tangentially, the AR-5 and AR-7 rifles were adopted by the U. S. Air Force and other countries as "survival weapons."  Then there was the H&R M4, the Savage Model 24*, as well as others.

   *I want one!  ^_^

 

So - these were issued 'way back.  What about modern times?

 

Check this out!  :lol:

 

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27950/usaf-fighter-pilots-are-now-flying-with-these-converted-m4-rifles-in-their-survival-kits

 

 

Quote

 

 

The U.S. Air Force is now issuing new survival rifles, also known as the GAU-5/A Aircrew Self Defense Weapon, to at least some units. So we're now beginning to get a better look at the gun, a variant of the AR-15/M16 pattern design, which has specialized features so it can break apart and fit compactly into the standard survival kit in an aviator's ejection seat.

 

On May 9, 2019, the public affairs office for the 366th Fighter Wing, which flies F-15E Strike Eagles from Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, published a news item showing that the GAU-5/As are in service with its aircraft. In April 2019, a Facebook post showed that F-22 Raptor pilots with the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska had also begun to fly with the Aircrew Self Defense Weapons (ASDW). In June 2018, the Air Force had revealed it was converting standard 5.56x45mm M4 carbines in-house to the new configuration at a rate of 100 per week, with a goal of producing 2,100 guns for distribution to combat-coded squadrons flying both fighter jets and bombers.

 

 

 

 

  message-editor%2F1557529381885-broken.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

They're in the ejection seat too. They automatically come on when the seat goes.

Too bad those weren’t available back in the 50’s - ‘60s. Dad’s squadron lost an A3D crew that was ferrying one from the states to Iwakuni. They disappeared somewhere over the West Pacific. My best friend’s father was the pilot. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Alpo said:

I just thought that the pilot survival vest had a gun in it. Gun, flares, radio, shark repellent, inflatable raft.


The Army Aviation Life Support Equipment (ALSE) vest of the late 80s had a knife, radio, basic first aid kit, pocket tool, pen gun flares, and not much else.

 

Our weapon, a S&W of some sort, was only worn using field exercises, and ammo issued only during annual qualifications.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Alpo said:

I just thought that the pilot survival vest had a gun in it. Gun, flares, radio, shark repellent, inflatable raft.


Flares, and radio yes

 

Inflatable raft is part of the seat in fighters and stowed in a compartment on bigger aircraft. 
 

Never saw any aircrew carrying firearms in the 20 years I was on active duty. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.