Jettison the weapons - but where?

[Cookie]

Okay, here´s the deal: You are a real pilot, flying a real A-10C in a real, yet fictional conflict in the Georgia region. It is broad daylight, and your side has absolute air superiority.

 

So you make your attack run on some target and get hit in the process. The damage is to one engine and one wing, also your landing gear is FUBAR. No fire, no other damage. You can stay aloft, but it´s not pretty. You decide you need to jettison whatever still hangs underneath your jet. No need to do it right away, because once again, you can somewhat stay aloft and there are no more threats around, but then again you will have to jettison it sooner or later anyway because your landing gear is messed up and you obviously don´t wanna attempt a belly landing with live ordnance under the wings.

 

What do you do? Limp home to the base, drop the weapons in the near vicinity, hoping for some ground troops to be able to secure them before anyone else gets their hands on them? Find some (hopefully) empty place and drop them armed, so they will destroy themselves upon impact? Fly out to the sea, drop them into the ocean out of anyone´s reach and head back to base? Say "screw it all" and drop them right then and there, wherever you are, woods or city, consequences be damned?

 

What would you do? What are the real-world procedures for a case like this? Are there even any, or is it absolutely down to the individual pilot´s discretion?

[Eddie]

Very much depends on local procedures and the situation at the time (as judged by the pilot). If holding on to external stores would have a negative effect on the aircraft's ability to fly, you hit the emergency jet without delay. If however, as you suggest in your post, you are able to fly quite happily but will need to jettison for landing then it would be done in accordance with established procedures for that theatre/area/unit.

 

In many cases there will be an area assigned in which planned stores jettisons are to be carried out (usually in friendly secured areas, where stores can be secured/safely disposed of), and where they would pose the lowest risk to persons on the ground. But safety of the aircraft (second to safety of friendlies/non-combatants on the ground) always takes priority over using an assigned area.

 

Basically there is no simple "it's done like this" answer to this question.

[Hogwash]

I'd just drop them on the cookhouse - that solves two threats to life in one go! :D

[shagrat]

I'd just drop them on the cookhouse - that solves two threats to life in one go! :D

Naa, strafing run! That will teach the cook, for sure :megalol:

[chaotikchiken]

Great question!

[maturin]

In Georgia? Hah, drop them anywhere.

 

[marcos]

It's sort of like blue-ice... grey ice?