Interesting... RAF pilots asked to consider suicide flight http://www.guardian.co.uk/military/story/0,,2048967,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=11 A senior RAF officer asked fighter pilots whether they would consider suicide missions as a last resort to stop terrorists if their weapons had failed or they had run out of ammunition. During a training exercise, Air Vice-Marshal David Walker put it to newly qualified pilots that they should think of flying suicide missions in a "worst case scenario" when a terrorist attack was imminent. The head of the RAF's elite One Group who is in operational control of Typhoon, Tornado, Jaguar and Harrier fighters and bombers, is reported to have asked the pilots: "Would you think it unreasonable if I ordered you to fly your aircraft into the ground in order to destroy a vehicle carrying a Taliban or al-Qaida commander?" According to reports in today's Sun, he told them they knew when they signed up that they would have to risk their lives. The Ministry of Defence last night confirmed that the training exercise had taken place but stressed it was a hypothetical question to provoke thoughts as to what pilots would do if they were confronted with a situation in which they might die. "Air Vice-Marshal Walker did not say he would order his crews on suicide missions," the MoD said in a statement. "As part of a training exercise he wanted them to think about how they, and their commanders, would react faced with a life and death decision of the most extreme sort - for example, terrorists trying to fly an aircraft into a British city, being followed by an RAF fighter which suffers weapons failure. "These are decisions which, however unlikely and dreadful, service people may have to make and it is one of many reasons why the British people hold them in such high esteem." An MoD spokesperson added that Air Vice-Marshal Walker, who saw action in Iraq, was trying to make clear that all service personnel can be asked to lay down their lives. The comments distressed pilots who were present at the conference. "The idea of officers ordering personnel to commit suicide is disgusting," an unnamed officer told the Sun. Another said: "His idea of leadership is to suggest that it is within his power to authorise the first example of an ordered kamikaze attack in the RAF's 89-year history. He is subtly suggesting that if he wished he could order anyone in his command to die."
The pilots might have to fly suicide missions since the new Eurofighter Typhoons are not currently capable of hitting ground targets. link
As a hypothetical I don't see a problem with it. Its like asking a secret service officer if he would throw himself in front of an assassins bullet or like the drills during the Cold War to see if missile commanders would actually launch their missiles.
Ugh, not really the same. It is the job to of the Secret Service agents to shield the President and it was the job of those commanders to launch those missiles when the orders came through. RAF pilots are not Kamikazes. Forget the after the fact "clarification" from spokespeople. Look at what he actually said, "Would you think it unreasonable if I ordered you to fly your aircraft into the ground in order to destroy a vehicle carrying a Taliban or al-Qaida commander?" The answer is hell yes. Killing a commander is not a life and death situation. Let's not forget how ludicrous it is to even think that these guys flying at 800 mph could even actually fly into a moving target like a truck being driven by terrorists.
If you had a chance to kill Bin Laden but it meant you dying yourself would you do it? I'm quite certain my answer would be no.
ok but what if it was a cross between bin laden/charles manson/hitler/pol pot/barry bonds/ and a vampire lion armed with lasers and anthrax? what about then?
I think it is a very interesting question, but I'd be a lot more interested if they gave us a better idea of the answers the pilots gave. Al Queda operatives have done this, soldiers in other armies have done this. We're not willing. I think talking to the soldiers who won't elucidates something about those who would.
