Su-35 Headbutt | Felon Air-to-Air 🚨TOD: Chinese Missiles | Turkish F-16 Near Miss

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Edited by: Sidney McAlear

HISTORY OF THE DAY

Colonel Gerald C. Gustafson: A Hero in the Skies of Vietnam

Colonel Gerald C. Gustafson is remembered for his extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War, where he demonstrated exceptional bravery and dedication to his fellow airmen. Born on September 14, 1928, in St. Peter, Minnesota, Gustafson embarked on a distinguished military career that spanned nearly three decades.

Military Career
Gustafson enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in November 1950. After completing basic training, he pursued various technical and flight training programs, eventually earning his pilot wings in 1956. Over the years, he flew several aircraft, including the F-86 Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger, and F-106 Delta Dart. Before his deployment to Vietnam, he was trained to fly the F-105 Thunderchief at Nellis Air Force Base.

Heroic Actions in Vietnam
During his service in Vietnam, Gustafson was stationed at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand, flying F-105 Thunderchiefs. On November 19, 1967, he participated in a mission that would earn him the Air Force Cross—the second-highest award for gallantry in the U.S. Air Force. During this mission over North Vietnam, Gustafson's aircraft was severely damaged by a surface-to-air missile while he was assisting another pilot who had been wounded.

Despite the danger to his own life, Major Gustafson refused to leave his wingman until other escort aircraft could provide assistance. Only after ensuring the wounded pilot's safety did he attempt to reach a safer area. Unfortunately, he was forced to eject from his damaged aircraft. After ejecting, Gustafson successfully evaded capture and was later rescued by friendly forces.

Post-Air Force Career
After Vietnam, Gustafson was taken off flying duty due to an injury that impaired his vision. He attended the National War College and then worked at the Pentagon before retiring as a colonel in 1979.

Colonel Gerald C. Gustafson passed away on March 1, 2024, at the age of 95.

THREAT OF THE DAY…via Wikipedia

 Chinese Air-to-Air Missiles

🔺 PL-10 Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile
IOC: 2015
NATO Designation: CH-AA-9
Guidance: Infrared-guided
Special Features: Advanced multi-element imaging infrared (IIR) sensor, thrust-vectoring technology
Functionality: Lock-On After Launch (LOAL), resistance to electronic countermeasures
Operational Range: Estimated 10 nautical miles

🔺 PL-12 Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile
IOC: 2005
NATO Designation: CH-AA-7 "Adze"
Guidance: Radar-guided
Special Features: Active radar-guided beyond-visual-range capabilities
Functionality: Data-linked mid-course guidance, active radar homing for terminal guidance
Operational Range: 43–62 nautical miles, an effective range of approximately 54 nautical miles.

🔺 PL-15 Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile
IOC: 2015
NATO Designation: CH-AA-10 "Abaddon"
Guidance: Radar-guided with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar seeker
Special Features: Dual-pulsed solid-fuel rocket motor, AESA radar seeker
Functionality: Mid-course two-way datalink, autonomous terminal radar homing
Operational Range: More than 108 nautical miles

🔺 PL-17 Ultra-Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile
IOC: Development ongoing (First test 2016)
NATO Designation: None - Commonly referred to as PL-XX
Guidance: Radar-guided with AESA radar seeker
Special Features: Dual-pulse rocket motor, designed for targeting high-value assets
Functionality: AESA radar guidance, strong resistance to electronic countermeasures
Operational Range: Up to 216 nautical miles

🔺 PL-21 Very Long-Range Air-to-Air Missile
IOC: Development ongoing (First test 2016)
NATO Designation: None - Commonly referred to as PL-XX
Guidance: Radar-guided with active radar guidance
Special Features: Ramjet engine for sustained speed and range, active radar guidance
Functionality: Designed for long-range engagements with high maneuverability
Operational Range: Estimated over 162 nautical miles

FLIGHT LINE

🎯 Turkish F-16 Demo Close Call | The Turkish F-16 demo team had a close call this week. I’ll share a few comments on the podcast episode for those who love to hear my opinion…which I assume is nearly everyone.

🎯 Felon Takes Down Su-70 Drone | Unconfirmed reports indicate a Russian Su-57 took down one of their own Su-70 “Hunter-B” Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) over Ukraine.

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🎯 Su-35 Spicing Things Up in the Arctic | A video released by NORAD shows a Russian Su-35S Flanker performing a close-range 'headbutting' maneuver in front of a U.S. F-16C from the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron during an intercept mission near Alaska. The incident involved four Russian aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on September 23, 2024. Can you hear what the F-16 pilot had to say?

🎯 NTSB Warns of Suspect Rudder Parts on Boeing 737s Used by Foreign Airline | The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued urgent safety recommendations concerning potentially faulty rudder control components on Boeing 737 aircraft, affecting over 40 foreign operators. This follows a February incident where a United Airlines flight experienced a jammed rudder control system.

🎯 Russia Secretly Acquires German Equipment for Su-57 Production | Despite Western sanctions, Russia has been obtaining critical Western components for its Su-57 fighter jet production. Reports indicate Russian companies have been successfully sourcing German equipment like the Siemens KLE 360 CNC machine through intermediaries. These components are essential for testing and calibrating radar and communication systems.

🎯 China's COMAC Seeks Western Buyers for C919 | COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) is positioning its C919 airliner as an alternative to the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max, capitalizing on delivery delays faced by the two major manufacturers. The C919, China's first home-grown commercial aircraft, has been certified in China and aims to capture a share of the global market. However, it faces challenges in differentiating itself and gaining certification from Western aviation authorities.

🎯 SpaceX Crew-9 Mission Launches to ISS | SpaceX's Crew-9 mission launched successfully from Cape Canaveral on September 28, marking the first astronaut launch from SLC-40. The mission, carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexandr Gorbunov, docked with the ISS on September 29. This mission uniquely ferries only two astronauts, reserving seats for NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded in space since June.

🎯 North Korean Defector Attempts Return by Stealing Bus in South Korea | A North Korean defector, who had resettled in South Korea over a decade ago, reportedly stole a bus in an attempt to return to North Korea. The individual drove the bus to the border town of Paju and rammed a military baracade. He had struggled with adjusting to life in the South.

Trivia Answer:
B) PL-12