Wild Weasels

the wild weasels were and are a group of dareing airforce pilots tasked with advanced SEAD [supresion of enemy air deffences] missions. typicly two planes would fly well above the range of hidden anit air artillery and surface to air missiles. one would dive down into range and as the AAA and SAM's targeted such aircraft, his wingman would pick off the deffences once their positions were found. this is typicly a specialized group of pilots [like airforce special forces in a way] that undertook such missions and were masters of deffencive flying and countermeasure ussage. the acronim YGBSM stands for "you gotta be sh*t'n me." and was a quote from the first pilot to be taught wild weasel tactics. quote "you want me to fly a tiny little airplane to the deck, get shot at by everything i was taught to avoid. just so some cocky fighter pilot can take the glory? you gotta be sh*t'n me!"

now for a little history: the group was formed just before veitnam ended when sam sights were in heavy use. it started with thud F-111 fighter bombers. the WSO [weapon system officer] was given control of anti radar and laser guided missiles while the pilot flew close to the ground. his wingman would stay at high altitude and once the anti air sights opened up the WSO of both planes would start to fire against them. even today wild weasel tactics are used though the plane has changed. now a days the A-10 thunderbolt is used to conduct said operations.

why i bring it up: shrapnel fox, my OC that flys for the airforce in an A-10C thunderbolt, is a master of wild weasel operations. although he excels at them, he hates them with a pasion. ussualy because of his skill as a pilot he is the 'pin cussion' that is instructed to draw the attention. you will know when he is on a wild weasel mission when he mumbles "YGBSM." over the radio.