When our Navy/Air Force/Marines aircraft have an abysmal "mission ready" status it's to be expected that most of those planes were grounded due to technical/maintenance issues.
When our Navy/Air Force/Marines aircraft have an abysmal "mission ready" status it's to be expected that most of those planes were grounded due to technical/maintenance issues.
There was plenty of time/resources to fly out all functional equipment.
As noted, anything left behind was due to inoperable status, etc.
Or if they were really pressed ... people or planes? Think about it.
After 24 years in the USAF, most of them as aircrew, I can guarantee they didn't get all of the F-22s off base. There are ALWAYS hanger queens waiting for parts/repairs, especially an aircraft as complex as the F-22. I have never been in a unit that had 100% readiness rate for aircraft unless it was after weeks of preparation for a major deployment or exercise, and even that was extremely rare.
And I would bet that some of them were cannibalized to get other planes out.
Semper Fi
Now that is a great question....Originally Posted by billspence
I am sure the leaders had enough sense to get their aircraft out with an approaching hurricane and they had plenty of time. It doesn't take long to evacuate aircraft, airlines and military have done it numerous times and it's pretty quick. Anyone that has numerous aircraft will always have some in for maintenance that can't be moved so not much you can do about that. Hurricanes don't just pop up and hit the coast line unexpected.
Getting all the aircraft safe to fly is quite a mission. We used to have "Bar None" exercises in which every plane we had must fly. It was always almost impossible.
I was in a big exercise years ago off the coast of Alaska. It went terrible and didn't leave a lot of confidence because the fighters had a hard time getting airborne. Fighters couldn't get airborne due to mechanical issues, weather issues, you name it. If it had been real and the Russians were actually going to attack us we would have been screwed. Canadians weren't any better, I don't think they every got a fighter airborne.
They damn sure flew the flight ready ones here...How do I know..i can snap a pic of em when i play football on base tonight lol
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