{"id":2381,"date":"2015-01-29T19:00:40","date_gmt":"2015-01-29T19:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.migflug.com\/jetflights\/?p=2381"},"modified":"2015-01-29T19:00:40","modified_gmt":"2015-01-29T19:00:40","slug":"what-its-like-to-fly-close-air-support-against-is-militants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/what-its-like-to-fly-close-air-support-against-is-militants\/","title":{"rendered":"What it\u2019s like to fly close air support against IS militants."},"content":{"rendered":"

Even though the Pentagon has been adamant with claims that none of the 4000 American troops in Iraq are involved in combat, US jets have been flying several attack sorties against Islamic State (ISIS) militants. But what exactly consists of a mission in getting the Bombs on the enemies?<\/p>\n

This is what a day in the life of an aircraft carrier-based crew is like:<\/h1>\n

The mission begins with CENTCOM<\/em>\u2019s Joint Task Force sending the tasking order to the aircraft carrier\u2019s intelligence centre. From there, the air wing operations cell assign sorties to the appropriate squadron, and those squadrons assign aircrews to fly the sorties. At that point aircrews get to work with intel officers and start planning every detail of the sortie.<\/p>\n

\"USS<\/a>

Pre flight planning of the mission.<\/p><\/div>\n

After the long hours of mission planning are done, crews attempt<\/em> a few hours of sleep. (The regulations call for 8 hours of sleep before a hop, but that seldom happens.) After quick showers and putting on the \u201czoom bags\u201d, which are flight suits, aviators hit the chow line before the mission brief. All the crews involved with the mission gather for the \u201cmass gaggle\u201d brief, usually two and a half hours before launch time. After that, elements break off for detailed mission discussions.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, on the flight deck, the techies fix gripes and make sure jets are FMC<\/em><\/strong> \u2014 \u201cFULLY MISSION CAPABLE.\u201d At the same time the ordnance crew strap bombs onto the jets according to the load plan published by the Strike Operations department.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Forty-five minutes before launch, crews head to the paraloft<\/em><\/strong> and start preparing and gearing up into \u2014<\/p>\n