Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!ns-mx!iowasp.physics.uiowa.edu!maverick.ksu.ksu.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!news.cs.indiana.edu!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: news@newcastle.ac.uk Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Message-ID: <1991Feb18.061851.14699@cbnews.att.com> Date: 18 Feb 91 06:18:51 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 59 Approved: military@att.att.com From: news@newcastle.ac.uk Newsgroups: sci.military Path: turing!n01qu >From: A.G.Poole@newcastle.ac.uk (A.G.Poole) Subject: Re: How many planes in a sortie? Organization: University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, NE1 7RU Message-ID: <1991Feb15.112538.8301@newcastle.ac.uk> Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk Date: Fri, 15 Feb 1991 11:25:38 GMT References: <1991Feb9.034021.5022@cbnews.att.com> gnb@bby.oz.au (Gregory N. Bond) writes: >The Gulf news has been full of phrases like "2,000 sorties flown per >day". I guess "missions" are flown with multiple planes, at least >three and maybe more (e.g. 3 for attack plus 3 for air cover), but do >those six planes count as one sortie, two or six? Each aircraft flight counts as a sortie, so there have been 2000 takeoffs/landings per day (ish). Most missions happen (at least in RAF) with a two or four ship; three is unusual (I don't know why...). In this case, there will usually be a two-ship attacking a target, with a fighter back-up (again a two-ship), although some Tornado missions have been unaccompanied - they have a good self-defence system built in. Anyway, to answer your question, if they say "2000 _attack_ sorties flown" they mean 2000 attack aircraft (Tornado GR-1, F-117, etc) have flown, PLUS the escorts (where applicable). Basically, a hell of a lot of planes in the sky! >Corollary: How many takeoffs/landings have happend at the 50,000 >sortie-level? (May need to guess!) 50,000 - unless they specify attack sorties, in which case it could be many more (see above) >Followup: What is the "expected" loss rate for military flights, >takeoffs & landings in a non-shooting environment? Given the 20-odd >planes lost in Desert Storm, and the sortie rate, how many of them >would be expected to be lost due to mechanical failure? This is fairly difficult to estimate, mainly 'cos the forces tend to be a bit coy on the subject of the number of sorties. The RAF are *below* their normal loss rate, though, having lost 7 Tornado's (at time of writing), 5 to enemy action and two thru' mechanical failure. A lot have come home with some pretty impressive battle damage, yet another testament to the skill of the pilots (all coallition, not just RAF - tho' I am biased, of course!) Hope thats useful! Alex. --------------- Alex Poole, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK Internet n01qu@turing.ncl.ac.uk All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy This is no way reflects the views of the University or the RAF(VR) ---------------