[Goose]

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/r...-advantage

Not a brand new article, but still relevant IMO.

In theory Ukraine is flying "wild weasal" missions using US provided HARM misseles.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraines...war-2024-5

I kind of laughed as I read that article. What are the using for their AN/APR-47 (or even APR-38)? Where is the EWO? Their aircraft hardware configuration is not capable of executing a "Wild Weasel" mission.  They are launching HARMs. Almost all US tactical aircraft launch HARMs. That doesn't by any means make them "Wild Weasels". Further, what strike packages are these alleged "Weasels" protecting? AFAIK Ukraine hasn't done much tactical bombing that was protected by special-purpose SEAD aircraft. This article gives some some background on the USAF Wild Weasel efforts. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/articl...e-missile/ Even from the very first the EWO had unique special purpose hardware to geolocate the targets. The "Bear" was an essential part of the mission. The electronic equipment became monotonically more capable over the years, but also more complex. The second crew member was essential to its operation.

This is not to say that the Ukraine isn't doing "good work" with the HARMs, but that doesn't bring them into the "Wild Weasel" domain. Today, the US has no "Weasels". The development of stealth aircraft was specifically directed towards making such operations unnecessary. The F-35 has highly automated systems that (in theory) allows it to target HARMs carried by non-stealth 4th generation aircraft at a safe distance. The USAF has finally realized that a "safe distance" from an S-400 is a long way, so AARGM-ER is now a thing. Obviously Ukraine isn't going to get any of that. The F-35 itself cannot presently launch the HARM. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/lo...s/?cf-view, so I guess we really need to hope that the F-35 hand-off works in "real life" as well as it does at Nellis. The original theory was that the F-35 could get so close to the threat radar (without being targeted) that it could just use conventional bombs to destroy it. It appears that is being rethought.

Here is an article I found interesting regarding the development of the F-4G, the "Last Weasel", the version used in Iraq.
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pu.../P7661.pdf

[Goose]

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/r...-advantage

Not a brand new article, but still relevant IMO.

In theory Ukraine is flying "wild weasal" missions using US provided HARM misseles.

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraines...war-2024-5

I kind of laughed as I read that article. What are the using for their AN/APR-47 (or even APR-38)? Where is the EWO? Their aircraft hardware configuration is not capable of executing a "Wild Weasel" mission.  They are launching HARMs. Almost all US tactical aircraft launch HARMs. That doesn't by any means make them "Wild Weasels". Further, what strike packages are these alleged "Weasels" protecting? AFAIK Ukraine hasn't done much tactical bombing that was protected by special-purpose SEAD aircraft. This article gives some some background on the USAF Wild Weasel efforts. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/articl...e-missile/ Even from the very first the EWO had unique special purpose hardware to geolocate the targets. The "Bear" was an essential part of the mission. The electronic equipment became monotonically more capable over the years, but also more complex. The second crew member was essential to its operation.

This is not to say that the Ukraine isn't doing "good work" with the HARMs, but that doesn't bring them into the "Wild Weasel" domain. Today, the US has no "Weasels". The development of stealth aircraft was specifically directed towards making such operations unnecessary. The F-35 has highly automated systems that (in theory) allows it to target HARMs carried by non-stealth 4th generation aircraft at a safe distance. The USAF has finally realized that a "safe distance" from an S-400 is a long way, so AARGM-ER is now a thing. Obviously Ukraine isn't going to get any of that. The F-35 itself cannot presently launch the HARM. https://www.naval-technology.com/news/lo...s/?cf-view, so I guess we really need to hope that the F-35 hand-off works in "real life" as well as it does at Nellis. The original theory was that the F-35 could get so close to the threat radar (without being targeted) that it could just use conventional bombs to destroy it. It appears that is being rethought.

Here is an article I found interesting regarding the development of the F-4G, the "Last Weasel", the version used in Iraq.
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pu.../P7661.pdf