[classicgtrfreak]

That Sir, is a Mobile Aircraft Arresting System. It is a mobile version of a bak-12 which is an emergency system used to stop jet aircraft. The biggest (heaviest) planes we catch are the F-15's as seen in the video. A fully loaded F-15 weighs (IIRC) 15-20k lbs. We can catch them at speeds up to 150 knots, more if the situation calls for it, but it is not advisable.

The BAK-12 is basically a big brake system. There is a cable across the runway (think Aircraft Carrier) and the plane drops a tail hook, again like the Navy jets etc. when the plane takes the cable, it pulls the tapes out, (they are wound around the reel that you can see spinning) and slowly stops the jet.

So yeah, thats my job need clarification on anything? i love talking about my job lol.

Jake

[Miscellaneous]

Originally Posted by Grasshopper359

No more confusing that trying to hear someone shouting out references over the sound of a firefight. We tried to fix that by using headsets, but that didn't last long. They were shelling out all this budget for headsets, and people still couldn't hear clearly. By using hand signals, if I hear someone's voice, even though I may not understand what he's saying, I can look over and see where he's pointing. And realistically, you're only ever locating the enemy before the firefight actually begins. Once the shooting starts, you're locating them by their fire.

Headsets are kind of dumb, lol. It'll take your focus off of what matters... the enemy...

Hand signals also don't make sense. First, you don't take your hand off of your weapon during a firefight to point. That will get you killed.

And there are many instances where you locate the enemy after the firefight starts. Especially in today's environment. People shoot and tuck in behind a wall, there are sometimes multiple firefights going on, etc. etc.

If you try to ration your bullets in a firefight, you won't have to worry about needing them later, because you'll be dead. In a firefight, the one who puts the most accurate fire downrange is going to win. In reality, the mentality of rationing bullets leads soldiers to try to pick and choose targets, only firing when they're extremely sure that they'll hit one. Consequently, the fire going downrange is actually less effective, because targets that could have been hit with a reasonable probability are dismissed in favour of waiting for better odds. The Army likes to stress the word "accurate," but I argue that you can't win without both accuracy and volume. And slowly, thankfully, the headsheds are beginning to realise this.

You need to ration your bullets in a firefight, buddy. I've been in operations where after we get finished with one operation, we were immediately sent a new mission from higher and had to clear another area with the ammo we had. We didn't have time to go back to the FOB and get more ammo. We did with what we had. And this type of stuff happens all the time.