Gulf of Sidra incident 1989 - Computer Animation

On the morning of January 4, 1989, the USS Kennedy battle group was operating some 130 km north of Libya, with a group of A-6 Intruders on exercise south of Crete, escorted by two pairs of F-14As from VF-14 and VF-32, and as well as an E-2C from VAW-126. Later that morning the southernmost Combat Air Patrol station was taken by two F-14s from VF-32, AC207 (CDR Joseph Bernard Connelly/CDR Leo F. Enwright 159610 AC207) and AC202 (LT Hermon C. Cook III/LCDR Steven Patrick Collins 159437 AC202). The officers had been specially briefed for this mission due to the high tensions regarding the Carrier Group's presence; the pilots were advised to expect some kind of hostilities.

At 11:50 hrs, after some time on patrol, the E-2 informed the F-14 crews that four Libyan MiG-23s had taken off from Al Bumbaw airfield, near Tobruk. The F-14s turned towards the first two MiG-23s some 50 km ahead of the rear pair and acquired them with radars. At the time the Floggers were 72 nautical miles (133 km) away at 10,000 ft (3,000 m) and heading directly towards the Tomcats and carrier. The F-14s turned away from the head on approach to indicate that they didn't want to engage. The Floggers changed course to intercept at a closing speed of about 870 knots (1,000 mph, 1600 km/h). The F-14s descended to 3,000 ft (910 m) to give them a clear radar picture of the Floggers against the sky and leave the Floggers with sea clutter to contend with. Four more times did the F-14s repeat this maneuver, still tracking the Libyans. At 11:59 the Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) of the lead Tomcat ordered the arming of the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles it was carrying. The E-2C had given the F-14 crews authority to fire if threatened; the F-14 crews did not have to wait until after the Libyans opened fire.

At almost 12:01 the lead Tomcat RIO said that "Bogeys have jinked back at me again for the fifth time. They're on my nose now, inside of 20 miles", followed shortly by "Master arm on" as he ordered arming of the weapons. At a range of 14 nmi (26 km) the RIO of the lead F-14A fired the first AIM-7M Sparrow; he surprised his pilot, who did not expect to see a missile accelerate away from his Tomcat. The RIO reported "Fox 1. Fox 1." The Sparrow failed to track because of a wrong switch-setting. At 10 nmi (19 km), he launched a second Sparrow missile, but it also failed to track its target.

The Floggers accelerated and continued to approach. At 6 nmi (11 km) range the Tomcats split and the Floggers followed the wingman while the lead Tomcat circled to get a tail angle on them. The wingman engaged with a Sparrow and downed one of the Libyan aircraft. One of the US pilots broadcast "Good kill! Good kill!" The lead Tomcat closed on the final Flogger from the rear quadrant and at 1.5 nmi (2.8 km) the pilot fired a Sidewinder, which hit its target. One crewman broadcast "Good kill!" and "Let's get out of here." The Libyan pilots were seen to successfully eject and parachute into the sea, but the Libyan Air Force was unable to recover them. The Tomcats then proceeded north to return to the carrier.

No one is sure to why the two MiGs operated in this manner and provoked an engagement, and the Libyans did not launch a successful rescue operation to recover the pilots.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• F-14
• Tomcat
• MIG-23

[Aaron21637]

This eecounter is wrong the VF-84 JOLLY ROGERS shot down the Mig-23s

[cyberarmy007]

No, indeed. The VF-84 Jolly Rogers were in 1989 deployed with USS Theodore Roosevelt in the North Atlantic.

[cyberarmy007]

Look at 3:53, as you can see the VF-32 Swordsmen emblem on the rudder!

[tubestar1979]

this is clear from their voices the coward US air force people. The libyan fighters did not want to kill any one. they were just saying "you American go away off our beach our land".

shame on you killers

[cyberarmy007]

Don't talk silly! Are you a friend from Gaddafi and his gang? The Libyans provoked an engagement. Incidentally for the second time since 1981.

[migkiller001]

Tubestar1979

"It is clear from their voices the coward US Air Force People"

1: US Navy, not US Air Force-get educated

2: The Libyans provoked the engagement and the Tomcats showed they had no intention of engagement! The pilots had no choice but to neutralize the threat! Either you are to ignorant to understand, to unobservant to come to realization, or you can't except the facts.

Get off youtube and get educated.

[CheckMySix]

Hi cyberarmy007

Nice work buddy

Keep it up

5*****

Respect

Keith :)

[lilian20ful]

Это что за игра? Лок он?

[FutureMarine1775USA]

@tubestar1979 Three things:

These were not US Air Force planes, these were US Navy F-14 Tomcats.

The Lybian planes were keeping noses on and staying locked with AA-2 Atoll missiles

Gaddafi claimed International waters as Lybian territory, these waters were regularly passed through by US Carriers at the time, and Pres. Reagan decided no to bend the knee to gadaffi, and instead stepped up US operations in the area.

"Carpet Bomb first, ask questions later"

-Nick Wolf

[mantarayasurf]

Good job Pilots!! that should teach anyone not to mess with the USA! ! Uncle Sam kicks ass!

[pvtsoap262]

@jonesy97 oh ok that would make more sense actually, never thought about it until you told me. Also I didn't listen closely enough. Did you also inspect the Sparrow.

[jonesy97]

@pvtsoap262 It's not code, it's "tone." When an AIM-9 missle gets a lock-on, a tone is emitted in the pilot's ears. (The pilots call it a growl.) If they released the missle without that tone, it will not guide itself to the heat source on the aircraft. I was a weapons systems spec in the Air Force We used AIM-9's also.

[pvtsoap262]

Fox 2 Fox 2 I can't I don't have a FUCKING CODE. lol

[icanmyshoetie]

Shoot him!!

"I cant, i dont have a fuckin tone!"