Wild Weasel facts for kids
A Wild Weasel is a special nickname for certain aircraft used by the United States Air Force. These planes have a very important job. They are designed to find and destroy enemy defenses on the ground. This includes things like anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). Wild Weasel planes use their radar to find these threats. Then, they use powerful missiles to destroy them.
The History of Wild Weasels
The idea for Wild Weasels started in 1965. This was during the Vietnam War. At that time, North Vietnam was using many surface-to-air missiles. These missiles were shooting down American planes. The U.S. Air Force needed a way to fight back against these missile sites.
The very first Wild Weasel plane was the F-100 Super Sabre. It was a modified version of an older plane. Soon after, in 1966, the F-105 Thunderchief took over this important role. These planes were crucial for protecting other aircraft.
Later, a new type of F-4 Phantom II was used. This was the "G" model of the F-4. It became the main Wild Weasel aircraft for many years. During the Gulf War in 1991, the F-4G planes continued these missions.
Even though the F-16 Fighting Falcon was also available, the F-4G was still used for Wild Weasel tasks. Today, a special version of the F-16, called the F-16CJ, does this job. These planes were also used in the Iraq War.
Weapons Used by Wild Weasels
Wild Weasel planes carry specific weapons to complete their missions. During the Vietnam War, the main missile they used was the AGM-45 Shrike. This missile was designed to hit radar systems.
Today, Wild Weasel planes use more advanced weapons. Some of these include the AGM-88 HARM and the AGM-65 Maverick missiles. These are air-to-ground missiles, meaning they are fired from the plane at targets on the ground.
Besides missiles, Wild Weasel planes also carry special equipment. They can have pods like the ALQ-131 and ALQ-184. These pods are designed to "mess up" or jam enemy radar signals. This makes it harder for the enemy to track and target the Wild Weasel planes or other friendly aircraft.
Images for kids
-
An F-16CJ from the 20th Fighter Wing.
-
An F-105 Thunderchief Wild Weasel carrying a missile.
See also
In Spanish: Wild Weasel para niños
