During the Gulf War, the skies became a constant area of conflict as Coalition and Iraqi forces clashed in intense aerial combat. The Coalition launched an enormous air campaign, conducting 100,000 sorties and dropping an impressive 88,500 tons of bombs between January 17 and February 23, 1991. On February 14, two pilots in McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagles accomplished a remarkable feat by hitting an Iraqi helicopter mid-air with a bomb.
An ordinary mission with extraordinary results
US Air Force Capt. Tim “Rhino” Bennett and his weapons system officer Capt. Dan “Chewy” Bakke were on the lookout for Scud missiles near Al-Qa’im when they were discovered and came under attack from Iraqi helicopters.
In an article for Air Force Magazine, Bennett recalled:
“The mission was a Scud CAP [combat air patrol] in northwestern Iraq. During the Scud CAPs, we would look around with either the FLIR targeting pod or the radar to find the mobile Scuds. My wingman had twelve Mk. 82s, and I had four GBU-10s-2,000-pound LGBs-four AIM-9s, and two external fuel tanks. I was leading the flight.”
Enemy helicopters closing in
The operation commenced at 1:00 AM.
Heavy cloud cover blocked their path, compelling Bennett and Bakke to ascend above the turbulent weather. At that moment, a warning from a Boeing E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft alerted them to a critical situation on the ground: a Special Forces team was in immediate peril as five Iraqi helicopters approached their position.
Using radar, Bennett identified the helicopters as Mil Mi-24 Hinds, notorious for carrying enemy troops armed with artillery. The Mi-24s seemed poised to support an imminent assault on nearby US Special Forces units.
Plan of attack
The two pilots aimed a GBU-10 Paveway II at the lead helicopter while it remained on the ground. A direct hit would obliterate the helicopter entirely, but even if it managed to lift off before impact the bomb would still eliminate the troops it had just deployed.
From four miles away, Bennett’s F-15 roared through the sky at 700 MPH and an altitude of 2,500 feet as they released the bomb. At the moment of release, their radar indicated the target was moving at 100 knots and climbing. Realizing their distance was now too great, Bennett and Bakke understood the bomb wouldn’t reach the helicopter.
A near miss
As seconds went by with no sign that the bomb had exploded, Bennett told Bakke to keep the laser pointed on the Mi-24. He recalled saying, “There’s no chance the bomb will get him now,” but, remarkably, the helicopter turned toward them, allowing Bakke to secure the laser-guided bomb on the target.
“There was a big flash, and I could see pieces flying in different directions,” said Bennett. “It blew the helicopter to hell, damn near vaporized it.”
Worried about friendly fire
The AWACS came over the radio and told the pilot, “I understand you visually ID’d that as an Iraqi helo.” Bennett stated that, no, he hadn’t visually identified the target, but was able to tell it was an Iraqi Mi-24 using infrared technology. Both he and Bakke then grew tense, worried they’d accidentally hit a friendly helicopter. At the time, special operators were flying into Iraq in Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Lows, and Bennett wondered if they’d accidentally targeted one.
Thankfully, the AWACS confirmed that no friendly aircraft were in the area – the pair’s attack was successful.
Striker becomes the target
That wasn’t the end of Bennett’s unbelievable mission. After confirming the hit was an enemy helicopter, large flashes appeared all around. What he initially thought were surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) being fired from below were actually bombs being dropped from above.
“AWACS had sent another flight in and told them to drop bombs on a set of coordinates. Those coordinates happened to be us!” Bennett and Bakke immediately left the area, and with just 15 minutes remaining in their mission managed to strike an enemy Scud missile, before returning to base.
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Tim Bennett left active duty following the Gulf War, but flew General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons with the South Carolina Air National Guard until he retired in 2017, having reached the rank of lieutenant colonel.
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