Lear Services (target practice)

GatorFC

GatorFC

Well-Known Member
Maybe I should post this in the "Pro Pilot" board, but I figured I'd give it a shot here.

During training exercises we would sometimes get "Lear Services", as we called it, to our ship. This is where a Lear jet would come out and fly various profiles so that we could practice our radar tracking abilities. For some of our "missile-ex's and gun-ex's", they would actually tow a target for us to shoot at. I used to think this was handled "in house" ala some special Navy or AF squadron, but one time when I actually saw the Lear during a CIWS shoot I didn't see any service markings on it. Does anyone know who does this? Is it "in house" or is it done by a private contractor? Seems like it could be some fun flying, and one way to legally buzz a US warship
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Does anyone know who does this?

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L3/Flight International, out of PHF, for one. I know there are others.
 
My last skipper before I got out was an Intruder pilot. Really cool guy and well liked by the crew.

As far as the CIWS, that thing is no joke. I've heard stories of it tearing up the towed target and then walking up the cable and ripping into it as well. During the gunex where I was watching the Lear tow the target, our forward mount ripped into the "sleeve" and actually cut the cable resulting in its textbook parabolic trajectory into the ocean. Our attack pilot CO was so excited he got on the 1MC and announced "target splashed!"
 
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