Common question… the aircraft is an F-35, which has strong stealth capabilities. Because we had trouble tracking one that crashed in the US last year, congress dictated that each F-35 operated in the US would have an emotional support helicopter attached so that the radar signature of the helicopter could be tracked in case of emergency.
They initially tried tying the helicopter to the jet and operating it this way, but after three helicopters they decided the other way around was the best configuration (while losing helicopters is okay, there was concern the surviving pilots might get used to moving over 500mph, and this attitude could contaminate the other slow-moving helicopter pilots).
It’s a heavy price for safety, but honestly the F-35 pilots are too busy taking pictures of themselves in an F-35 to notice the difference.
Helicopter transporting a jet getting midair refuel.
Not sure the context of why it had to happen though. Pilot flight hours?
Common question… the aircraft is an F-35, which has strong stealth capabilities. Because we had trouble tracking one that crashed in the US last year, congress dictated that each F-35 operated in the US would have an emotional support helicopter attached so that the radar signature of the helicopter could be tracked in case of emergency.
They initially tried tying the helicopter to the jet and operating it this way, but after three helicopters they decided the other way around was the best configuration (while losing helicopters is okay, there was concern the surviving pilots might get used to moving over 500mph, and this attitude could contaminate the other slow-moving helicopter pilots).
It’s a heavy price for safety, but honestly the F-35 pilots are too busy taking pictures of themselves in an F-35 to notice the difference.