The Patriot Files

Wild Weasel

David — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:16:58 -0700

by: David

Description: Wild Weasel is a nickname for an aircraft of the United States Air Force specially equipped with radar seeking missiles used to remove radars and SAM installations of enemy air defence systems. The techniques used with Wild Weasels in the Vietnam and the Yom Kippur War were later integrated into the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) a plan used by US air forces to establish immediate air control, prior to possible full scale conflict. Initially known by the operational code "IRON HAND" when first authorized on August 12, 1965, the term "Wild Weasel" derives from Project Wild Weasel, the USAF development program for a dedicated SAM-detection and suppression aircraft. Originally named "Project Ferret", denoting a predatory animal that goes into its prey's den to kill it (hence: "to ferret out"), the name was changed to differentiate it from the code-name "Ferret" that had been used during World War II for radar counter-measures bombers. In brief, the task of a Wild Weasel aircraft is to bait enemy anti-aircraft defenses into targeting it with their radars, whereupon the radar waves are traced back to their source so that the Weasel or its teammates can precisely target it for destruction. A simple analogy is playing the game of "flashlight tag" in the dark; a flashlight is usually the only reliable means of identifying someone in order to "tag" (destroy) them, but the light immediately renders the bearer able to be identified and attacked as well. The result is a hectic game of cat-and-mouse in which the radar "flashlights" are rapidly cycled on and off in an attempt to identify and kill the target before the target is able to home in on the emitted radar "light" and destroy the site. The technique (or a specific part) was also called an 'Iron Hand' mission, though technically the Iron Hand part refers only to a suppression attack that paves the way for the main strike. The unofficial motto of the Wild Weasel crews is YGBSM: "You Gotta Be Shittin' Me". This appears prominently on the logo patch of some squadrons. As the story goes, this was the response of Jack Donovan, a former B-52 EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer): This was the natural response of an educated man, a veteran EWO on B-52s and the like, upon learning that he was to fly back seat to a self-absorbed fighter pilot while acting as flypaper for enemy SAMs. The "WW" tailcode of the 35th Fighter Wing derives from its Wild Weasel heritage.

31 Squadron RAF

Matzos — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 06:29:39 -0700

by: Matzos

13 Squadron RAF

Matzos — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 06:29:16 -0700

by: Matzos

9 Squadron RAF

Matzos — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 06:28:49 -0700

by: Matzos

II(AC) Squadron RAF

Matzos — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 06:28:17 -0700

by: Matzos

Air Force Chaplain Seal

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:59:59 -0700

by: David

Description: Air Force Chaplain Seal

67IOW, Lackland AFB,Tx

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:59:40 -0700

by: David

Description: 67IOW, Lackland AFB,Tx

116 ACW, Robins AFB, GA

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:59:24 -0700

by: David

Description: 116 ACW, Robins AFB, GA

1 comment

7th Bomber Wing, Dyess AF

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:59:00 -0700

by: David

Description: 7th Bomber Wing, Dyess AFB

70th Intelligence Wing, F

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:58:39 -0700

by: David

Description: 70th Intelligence Wing, Fort Meade, MD

Headquarters Air Intellig

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:58:20 -0700

by: David

Description: Headquarters Air Intelligence Agency, Lackland AFB, TX

552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, Ok

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:58:02 -0700

by: David

Description: 552nd ACW, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma

SouthCom Shield

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:57:40 -0700

by: David

Description: SouthCom Shield

6th Combat Training Squad

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:57:25 -0700

by: David

Description: 6th Combat Training Squadron, Nellis AFB

33d Fighter Wing, Eglin A

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:57:02 -0700

by: David

Description: 33d Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, FL.

18th Air Support Operatio

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:56:24 -0700

by: David

Description: 18th Air Support Operations Group, Pope AFB

1 comment

5th Combat Communications

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:55:59 -0700

by: David

Description: 5th Combat Communications Group, Robins, GA.

13 ASOS, Fort Carson, CO.

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:55:25 -0700

by: David

Description: 13 ASOS, Fort Carson, CO.

1 comment

3 ASOG, Fort Hood, TX.

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:55:01 -0700

by: David

Description: 3 ASOG, Fort Hood, TX.

85th Group, Keflavik NAS,

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:54:42 -0700

by: David

Description: 85th Group, Keflavik NAS, Iceland

84 Radar Evaluation Squad

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:54:20 -0700

by: David

Description: 84 Radar Evaluation Squadron, Hill AFB

83d Communications Squadr

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:53:57 -0700

by: David

Description: 83d Communications Squadron, Langley AFB

82d Computer Systems Squa

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:53:36 -0700

by: David

Description: 82d Computer Systems Squadron, Langley AFB

US Air Forces in Europe

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:53:01 -0700

by: David

Description: US Air Forces in Europe

AF Demonstration Team, Ne

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:52:04 -0700

by: David

Description: AF Demonstration Team, Nellis AFB

Pacific Air Forces

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:51:42 -0700

by: David

Description: Pacific Air Forces

ACC Communications Group,

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:50:59 -0700

by: David

Description: ACC Communications Group, Langley AFB

Air Mobility Command

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:50:37 -0700

by: David

Description: Air Mobility Command

AF Space Command

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:50:10 -0700

by: David

Description: AF Space Command

Air Force Reserve Command

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:49:50 -0700

by: David

Description: Air Force Reserve Command

AF Communications Command

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:49:23 -0700

by: David

Description: AF Communications Command

Air Education and Trainin

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:48:53 -0700

by: David

Description: Air Education and Training Command

ACC

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:48:37 -0700

by: David

Description: ACC

3rd Combat Communications

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:47:58 -0700

by: David

Description: 3rd Combat Communications Group, Tinker AFB, OK

ACC 5th Anniversary, AF 5

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:47:32 -0700

by: David

Description: ACC 5th Anniversary, AF 50th Anniversary

USAF

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:47:03 -0700

by: David

Description: USAF

9th Reconnaissance Wing,

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:46:41 -0700

by: David

Description: 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA

99th Air Base Wing, Nelli

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:46:21 -0700

by: David

Description: 99th Air Base Wing, Nellis AFB, NV

5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB,

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:46:02 -0700

by: David

Description: 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, ND

55th Wing, Offutt AFB, NE

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:45:42 -0700

by: David

Description: 55th Wing, Offutt AFB, NE

509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:45:25 -0700

by: David

Description: 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, MO

4th Fighter Wing, Seymour

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:45:05 -0700

by: David

Description: 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC

49th Fighter Wing, Hollom

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:44:42 -0700

by: David

Description: 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, NM

366th Wing, Mountain Home

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:44:22 -0700

by: David

Description: 366th Wing, Mountain Home AFB, ID

355th Wing, Davis-Monthan

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:44:03 -0700

by: David

Description: 355th Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ

347th Wing, Moody AFB, GA

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:43:44 -0700

by: David

Description: 347th Wing, Moody AFB, GA

2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:43:23 -0700

by: David

Description: 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB, LA

28th BW, Ellsworth AFB, S

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:43:03 -0700

by: David

Description: 28th BW, Ellsworth AFB, SD

27th Fighter Wing, Cannon

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:42:45 -0700

by: David

Description: 27th Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, NM

20th Fighter Wing, Shaw A

David — Mon, 11 Oct 2004 08:42:24 -0700

by: David

Description: 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, SC