AHC: More US aerial combat losses after Vietnam

If you read Red Eagles, which tells the story of the USAF's secret squadron of MiGs used for aggressor training, both VF-41 crews who scored that day had flown against the "tame" MiGs, which the Navy aircrews who flew in 1972 over NVN did not have.....I wouldn't be surprised if fighter pilots who scored in 1991 had received similar training prior to deploying. It's interesting to note that after German reunification, an EGAF MiG-21 wing was kept active for several weeks, as was a MiG-23 wing, along with the MiG-29s. (hint, hint....)

Some Navy crews by 1972 had definitely flown against US operated MiG-17's and 21's as part of the Have Doughnut, Have Drill and Have Ferry programmes. Indirectly the knowledge gained from these evaluations was being disseminated at NFWS/Topgun as early as 1969-70.

Luftwaffe MiG-29's hung around until 2003 when they were passed on to Poland :)
 
Ironically, the aggressor MIGs flying in the dissimilar combat training were designated with "century fighter" numbers F-112, F-113, F-114, and so forth to hide the fact from casual observers that the U.S. possessed "enemy" aircraft (mostly from Israel).

When the first stealth fighter (actually attack plane) began testing they gave it a "century fighter" designation as well "F-117" to give the idea that it wasn't a new aircraft prototype but instead was one of the "aggressor" planes.
 

ROTS Anakin

Banned
US goes to war against Iran

At one point they had one of the best air forces in the world. What they have now is pretty good. Best in the Middle East and has been for about 40 years.

George W. Bush dies, and Dick Cheney becomes president. He invades Iran. With the US fighting 3 wars, the armed forces are stretched thin. Plus, experts said it could take up to a year to control all of Iran. It wouldn't be like Iraq. They are a much larger and more unified nation.

If you want air losses, read "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran" timeline.
 
If the Iran Hostage Rescue (EAGLE CLAW) had gone ahead, there would've been F-4s and F-14s from two USN carriers providing air cover overhead, as was previously mentioned.

There was an F-4 vs. F-14 incident SE of the Strait of Hormuz in 1987: at least one USN Tomcat fired on an Iranian F-4 because he thought the Iranian posed a threat. The pilot and RIO were reportedly reprimanded-not sure what for, but it may have been an ROE violation. The AIM-7 missed, and the Iranians beat a retreat back to Bandar Abbas.

An article in Combat Aircraft (May 2006) mentions an Iranian F-4 pilot trying to draw a USN F/A-18 into range of an Iranian SAM site. If the SAM site had fired, the offender would've eaten a HARM antiradar missile, while the F-4 would have been Slammer (AIM-120) bait.
 
Possibilities that have not been mentioned that I think fall within the conditions of the OP:

--A war with Israel (possibly under an extremely intransigent Shamir regime?)
--A war with apartheid South Africa (possibly if Jimmy Carter wins reelection?)
--Saddam Hussein is toppled in a coup of some sort and Iraq becomes run by its Shiite majority and basically turns into a satellite and close ally of Iran, and instead of fighting each other the IRI and Shiite Iraq jointly declare all-out war on US interests in the region?
--United States fights with Britain in the Malvinas/Falklands war?
--A war with India? Pakistan was always allied to the US during the Cold War, so this doesn't seem farfetched.
 

GarethC

Donor
Have the 1995-6 Taiwan Strait Crisis go hot, with Lee responding to PRC sabre-rattling with a formal independence referendum.

Clinton backs Lee, missiles are tested, words are exchanged, a minor island is occupied, a ROC-led counterassault is launched, US MPA are shadowed by PLAAF interceptors and somebody gets excitable and before you know it there are AAMs flying.

I don't think the 1995 PLAAF was within a generation of the Kadena USAF squadrons and Independence and Nimitz air groups, but quantity has a quality all its own...
 
Possibilities that have not been mentioned that I think fall within the conditions of the OP:

--A war with Israel (possibly under an extremely intransigent Shamir regime?)
--A war with apartheid South Africa (possibly if Jimmy Carter wins reelection?)
--Saddam Hussein is toppled in a coup of some sort and Iraq becomes run by its Shiite majority and basically turns into a satellite and close ally of Iran, and instead of fighting each other the IRI and Shiite Iraq jointly declare all-out war on US interests in the region?
--United States fights with Britain in the Malvinas/Falklands war?
--A war with India? Pakistan was always allied to the US during the Cold War, so this doesn't seem farfetched.

1) No chance whatsoever
2) No chance whatsoever
3) More reasonable
4) Not a chance and even if it were why would the Argentines do any better against the U.S. than they did against the U.K.?
5) No chance whatsoever.

A more reasonable one might be a dust up between Soviet aircraft in the 1973 Yom Kippur War where Soviet fighters based in Egypt attempt (possibly accidentally or without authorization) to interfere in the U.S. airlift of military supplies to Israel.

American F-4s from carriers in the Med were escorting the C-5s and C-141s IIRC.
 
For a USA vs Israel could we have the USS Liberty incident turn from bad to worst case in 67? Have US jets flying cover for a rescue and have Israel jets intercept them ?
 
For a USA vs Israel could we have the USS Liberty incident turn from bad to worst case in 67? Have US jets flying cover for a rescue and have Israel jets intercept them ?

No.

Because after the initial strafing and bombing run, the IDF jets broke off and conducted no further hostile action against the Liberty.

Under no possible circumstances would American carrier aircraft have made it there by then.
 
Good idea, but I think the OP said it has to be post-Vietnam.

dur he did.. :(

Really that's the only time I could think of Israel vs USA unless the shit hits the fan over Pollard maybe he is execute him for treason over spying and Israel does something and planes take off.
 
No.

Because after the initial strafing and bombing run, the IDF jets broke off and conducted no further hostile action against the Liberty.

Under no possible circumstances would American carrier aircraft have made it there by then.

yes. But the time frame does not meet the OP.
 
Cuba. The Cuban airforce had a lot of experience fighting against the South African airforce, and in the 70/80s some decent MiGs with good AAM. A fight could start over a US effort to provide cover to a private ship on a provocation mission not sanctioned by the US government. If the US air effort is not perfectly organised, Cuban bases are off limits (to avoid excessive escalation) and the action close to their home turf, the Cubans might score a few kills.
 
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