No-Fly Zone

July 17, 2024 00:50:59
No-Fly Zone
The Spear
No-Fly Zone

Jul 17 2024 | 00:50:59

/

Show Notes

In 1998, retired US Air Force Colonel Mike "Starbaby" Pietrucha was an electronic warfare officer flying in an F-15E Strike Eagle, enforcing the northern no-fly zone over Iraq in the 1990s. In this episode, he brings listeners into the cockpit as he describes one particular mission during that deployment, when his aircraft was targeted by a radar guidance system for an SA-3 antiair missile. Not long after, the Iraqi surface-to-air missile was headed his way. After some rather hasty maneuvering, the F-15E crews in the air developed a plan with other coalition aircraft to strike back.

Other Episodes

Episode 0

November 10, 2021 00:34:22
Episode Cover

Mosul Gets Hot, Part 2

On December 21, a suicide bomber detonated inside the dining facility on Forward Operating Base Marez outside of Mosul. Twenty-two people were killed in...

Listen

Episode 0

May 06, 2021 01:00:52
Episode Cover

Hand-to-Hand Combat, When It's Least Expected

In this episode of The Spear, MWI's John Amble is joined by Maj. Tyson Walsh. In 2013, during a deployment in Afghanistan, he found...

Listen

Episode

February 10, 2026 01:06:02
Episode Cover

Combat Interpreter in Iraq

Ayman Kafel and his family survived civil wars in Lebanon and Liberia before immigrating to the United States. Following the September 11 attacks, Ayman...

Listen