USAF flare gun

S

simonrichter

New member
Hope this is the right forum to ask this (apologies if not):

Any ideas what kind of flare gun (if any) the USAF currently issues for the survival gear of its flying personnel? Or have they abandoned the whole item in times of GPS and satellite communication? (of course, any insights on the same issue on USMC or Navy pilots would be welcome as well!)
 
I didn't watch the video, but I never saw anything but pen flares issued.
Even on aircraft that had survival gear as standard equipment, they just threw in more pen flares - I never saw a flare gun (or the accompanying flares).

There may have been flare guns out there, somewhere ...but I never came across one.


Even on my helicopters, which had a 290 pound life raft filled with survival gear, there were just 8 pen flares and a bunch of glow sticks for visual signaling.
 
Scott O'Grady; USAF....

Scott O'Grady the young combat pilot who was shot down during the Bosnia/Serbia conflict in the mid 1990s may provide some insight on what SERE gear is issued or how flares are used by USAF personnel. He wrote a non fiction book about his actions but Im not sure of the title.
I think part of O'Grady's story was used in the military action film; Behind Enemy Lines(2001) with Gene Hackman & Owen Wilson.

Clyde
 
Google is your friend.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I already knew this video, actually, yet it seems I did confuse something and took it that this flare pen was a Vietnam era stuff no longer issued (because he talks a lot about Vietnam and foliage and thelike).

All considered, question answered, it seems. Thank y'all!
 
Does Scott O'Grady post here?

At any rate, the only USAF flares I ever saw or used were pen flares and slap flares. Not much sense in having a gun and separate flares. No extra equipment to mess with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top