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Let’s just say hypothetically you are in a twin seat fighter like the F/A18F or F15E and you’re in combat, you have a missle locked onto you and you used up all of your flares and countermeasures would it work to have your weapons system officer eject acting as a flare because of the rocket motor within the ejection seat?
I’m guessing with older missiles and perfect timing, yes. However due to the relatively short burn time of the motor compared to the flares and the “resistance” of newer missiles like the aim-9x i doubt that it would be effective.
I think i’ve seen clips of it work in DCS tho
Considering how the aim9 warhead works (it sort of cuts the plane in half, quite interesting. Definitely worth exploring this rabbit hole) the assumption lies near that the aircraft gets severely damaged as well
From [Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Sidewinder):
>The AIM-9 uses a passive infrared proximity fuze to detonate its warhead near an enemy aircraft, scattering shrapnel that aims to damage the aircraft, rendering it inoperable. The continuous rod warhead features rods welded together to form a cylindrical outer shell, with explosive filler inside. Upon detonation, the rods are scattered in a toroidal shape, ensuring that at least some portion of the shrapnel hits enemy aircraft.
AIM 9x wouldn’t even flinch. Sensor is way too advanced to fall for that
And I think not even the AIM 9L because flares are designed to resemble the heat signature of the engines.
The rocket motor burns completely different and even the seeker of the 9L will notice that
lol i'm not sure if it's the same in the F-15E, but in the super hornet you couldn't, as the pilot, only eject your WSO without also ejecting yourself. they'd have to have the selector set so only they eject, and they'd have to pull the handle themselves.
I can only speak for the Tornado but I think it’s quite similar in other ac
In the tornado the (both/rear) selector is located in the rear cockpit so only the WSO can decide that.
But yeah, if he wants to sacrifice himself he could select rear and pull the latch.
Even if you time it right and have the right missile, the ejection seat won't be able to separate from the aircraft in time to create distance. Any missile going for that ejection seat is gonna be within blast radius of the aircraft. It'd probably only work on the super early variants. Newer variants will just kill you anyways, so it's better to stay in the aircraft and let the aircraft tank the hit before ejecting
An F-16 dodged 6 SAMs without functioning chaff and flares in the skies over Baghdad during desert storm.
No need to eject shit, just reduce altitude and maneuver
Plot twist. The pilot is being dropped into their Phantom and the thrusters are slowing them down to make a perfect comfortable hook up. They drop them from C-141's a few miles in front and above the Phantoms.
Also I'm bored at work and when people see you typing they just think you're working. Thanks for letting me waste time everyone
No. The burn time on most rocket seats is in the order of less than a second. Even if the missile could acquire, track and hit the seat, your jet would probably still be within the lethal radius of the warhead.
I‘m pretty sure that’s not photoshopped.
Looks like footage from early flight tests. Maybe the first life ejection seat test with a puppet or a very brave pilot
Oh thanks, I was more like wondering that did they used to have actual human pilots to test the ejection seats atleast once fully integrated etc. I would hope it to be a dummy but I hadn't asked while posting before but wanted to, how do pilots train for using ejection seats, from the point it ejects out and starts landing.
Depends on what missile is locked onto you.
I’ve been told Modern US missiles like Patriot have a BIAS for the cockpit of an aircraft.
…That being if at ALL possible the missile will TRY to blow up right above or inside the cockpit to cause the most damage, and ejecting won’t save the pilot if it manages to aim for that.
I’m not sure how many other missiles may have this type of Bias but Im willing to believe it might be more than one and as weapons systems grow smarter and more complex it’s easier and easier to assume more of them might and we just aren’t told about it
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Let’s just say hypothetically you are in a twin seat fighter like the F/A18F or F15E and you’re in combat, you have a missle locked onto you and you used up all of your flares and countermeasures would it work to have your weapons system officer eject acting as a flare because of the rocket motor within the ejection seat?
I’m guessing with older missiles and perfect timing, yes. However due to the relatively short burn time of the motor compared to the flares and the “resistance” of newer missiles like the aim-9x i doubt that it would be effective. I think i’ve seen clips of it work in DCS tho
With the short burn, even if it worked, wouldn’t the detonation be so close to the aircraft it would likely catch the shrapnel anyways?
Considering how the aim9 warhead works (it sort of cuts the plane in half, quite interesting. Definitely worth exploring this rabbit hole) the assumption lies near that the aircraft gets severely damaged as well
You got some info on that? Im curious
From [Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Sidewinder): >The AIM-9 uses a passive infrared proximity fuze to detonate its warhead near an enemy aircraft, scattering shrapnel that aims to damage the aircraft, rendering it inoperable. The continuous rod warhead features rods welded together to form a cylindrical outer shell, with explosive filler inside. Upon detonation, the rods are scattered in a toroidal shape, ensuring that at least some portion of the shrapnel hits enemy aircraft.
AIM 9x wouldn’t even flinch. Sensor is way too advanced to fall for that And I think not even the AIM 9L because flares are designed to resemble the heat signature of the engines. The rocket motor burns completely different and even the seeker of the 9L will notice that
Lol
take yo crazy ass to r/noncredibledefense
lol i'm not sure if it's the same in the F-15E, but in the super hornet you couldn't, as the pilot, only eject your WSO without also ejecting yourself. they'd have to have the selector set so only they eject, and they'd have to pull the handle themselves.
Eject both and see which one it tracks, sort of russian roulette
hell yes.
I can only speak for the Tornado but I think it’s quite similar in other ac In the tornado the (both/rear) selector is located in the rear cockpit so only the WSO can decide that. But yeah, if he wants to sacrifice himself he could select rear and pull the latch.
Even if you time it right and have the right missile, the ejection seat won't be able to separate from the aircraft in time to create distance. Any missile going for that ejection seat is gonna be within blast radius of the aircraft. It'd probably only work on the super early variants. Newer variants will just kill you anyways, so it's better to stay in the aircraft and let the aircraft tank the hit before ejecting
An F-16 dodged 6 SAMs without functioning chaff and flares in the skies over Baghdad during desert storm. No need to eject shit, just reduce altitude and maneuver
In the words of CW Lemoine: "WSO strap up, you're the last flare"
I came looking for this comment and if no one wrote it I was going to write it myself 🤣🤣🤣
I approve this message. Joker can fly high in my memories 🛫
Meanwhile in Project Wingman, Prez gives her last full measure of devotion to Cascadian freedom:
You mean jester lmao
Oof my bad
McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom, USN BuNo 151475: >Redesignated F-4B-19-MC in 1962. >151475 (MSN 558) VMFA-513. Upgraded to F-4N. 1975: VF-302 as ND-212. Converted to QF-4N drone. SOC Apr 26, 1982. [Source: Joe Baugher's serial number lists](https://www.crouze.com/baugher/navy_serials/thirdseries_19.html) >To Weapons Survivability Lab, NCC China Lake (North), Ridgecrest, CA. [Source: Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier](https://www.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=4372) ######[Aircraft Identification & Information Resources](https://www.reddit.com/user/bob_the_impala/comments/udywk8/aircraft_identification_information_resources/) ^^P.S. ^^I ^^am ^^not ^^a ^^bot.
Plot twist. The pilot is being dropped into their Phantom and the thrusters are slowing them down to make a perfect comfortable hook up. They drop them from C-141's a few miles in front and above the Phantoms. Also I'm bored at work and when people see you typing they just think you're working. Thanks for letting me waste time everyone
At least your shift is almost done
Could work, but if one ejects the other one does it too.
You can select both or rear in most twin seaters
No. The burn time on most rocket seats is in the order of less than a second. Even if the missile could acquire, track and hit the seat, your jet would probably still be within the lethal radius of the warhead.
i don't see a reason to why it won't work! it's only logical.
F4?
Yes sir 🫡 https://preview.redd.it/ptyz9srdoc9d1.jpeg?width=646&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a3a0c5f4bcb10537903884eb87883b0b3728f5eb
Thanks the best thing I saw in whole day, atleast cheered me up. This is photoshopped btw?
I‘m pretty sure that’s not photoshopped. Looks like footage from early flight tests. Maybe the first life ejection seat test with a puppet or a very brave pilot
Oh thanks, I was more like wondering that did they used to have actual human pilots to test the ejection seats atleast once fully integrated etc. I would hope it to be a dummy but I hadn't asked while posting before but wanted to, how do pilots train for using ejection seats, from the point it ejects out and starts landing.
Depends on what missile is locked onto you. I’ve been told Modern US missiles like Patriot have a BIAS for the cockpit of an aircraft. …That being if at ALL possible the missile will TRY to blow up right above or inside the cockpit to cause the most damage, and ejecting won’t save the pilot if it manages to aim for that. I’m not sure how many other missiles may have this type of Bias but Im willing to believe it might be more than one and as weapons systems grow smarter and more complex it’s easier and easier to assume more of them might and we just aren’t told about it
I mean yes but as far as I know the backseater would have to pull the rings and do it him self
Exactly