1981 Gulf of Sidra incident radio records [F-14 vs Su-22]

Translation:
The Lingo: Pilots and Air Intercept Controllers have their own language.
Station: This is an assigned point in the air. Generally a combat air patrol (CAP) station is made up of two aircraft. When a contact appears, the station is assigned to cover the contact. Therefore both the leader and his wingman proceed to the designated intercept. When the station is reset that means that the aircraft are to return to their assigned location and await further instructions.
Range/Bearing Info: After being assigned to an intercept, the pilots will periodically report the distance and bearing from him to the target. The range is in nautical miles and bearing is degrees true.
State: This is a request from the AIC (Bare Ace in this case) to obtain the latest weapons and fuel status from the pilot.
DME: This gives the direction and range from the TACAN station they are monitoring to the pilot. Presumably this is the carrier. This information combined with the ships navigation logs reveal where the plane was when the call is given.
Fox2: Fox is an air-to-air missile. The Fox2 is the AIM-9L sidewinder heat-seeking missile.
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR: This is interference normally heard when two radios are transmitting on the same frequency. The traffic was busy that day.
THAT’S AFIRM SHOOT HIM!!! SHOOT HIM DOWN!: This comment is not in keeping with the best traditions of Naval Aviation radio etiquette. This is pure adrenaline.
We’ve been fired upon!: This is a transmission coming from a pilot who is experiencing a lot of G-forces as he tries (successfully) to avoid in incoming missile.
Falling free: One Libyan pilot ejected but the parachute did not open.

#GulfofSidraincident
#F14
#VF41

[kempmt]

I was in elementary school about to go junior high when that happened. I believe that was my moment that I wanted to join the Navy when I graduated high school. I was in the Navy when two Tomcats took out two more Libyan fighters, the MiG-23s.

[rw]

This occurred 40 years ago today.
I was in Tripoli that morning, working for a drilling contractor - we had 7 rigs operating in the desert.
We never knew this with certainty, but our understanding at the time was that there were 3 Libyan planes that flew up to meet the F-14's, but that one of them left the fight and returned to base.
Interestingly, Qadaffi's staff new where there was a submerged plane - US, I think - and they hauled it out of the water, along with a helmet, and showed it on television as evidence for their people that they'd knocked down a US plane in this exchange of Aug 19, 1981. The plane they showed was 50's vintage or early 60's. His people knew it was a cover, and thought his maneuver was amusing - that is, not to his credit.

[jimhollywood]

Splash Two. VF41 First To Fight, First To Strike. Callsign : Fast Eagle. Aces Baby!!!

[MrFarnanonical]

Not sure if it was a great Idea to shoot at a couple of tomcats back in 1981.

[username-tvuw]

Iv been looking for this. Awesome dude. Thanks

[bloomch]

Nimitz and Forrestal were the two carriers operating in the Mediterranean in Aug of 81 when this happened.

[zbin]

Well some time this year I’m going out to midland, tx because they have a museum there that has THE Fast Eagle 102 on display

[jeffreyconz]

I was there on the USS Coral Sea CVA-43

[Captain_Coleslaw]

I love that even the most experienced of pilots in the heat of the moment, cant tell if its a SU-22 or Mig-23, That shows how much you revert to muscle memory when shit hits the fan!

[beatboxbuggi]

The American fighters were conducting an interception of Lybian fighters entering their area. One of the Lybian fighters was seen to fire a missile at the US fighters. It may have been an accidental launch or not, but either way the Americans didn’t give them a chance to make up for it and shot them both down.

[F-vq]

I was on my first med cruise with VS-24 on board USS NIMITZ when this event occurred.

[madness_chaos]

What kind of video do you want me to make? Please give me many ideas!↓

[fabiomarangon]

Ah yes, the Gulf of Sidra. The hunting ground for Tomcats where Soviet made planes are the preys.