On January 20, a Royal Air Force (RAF) F-35 Lightning II stealth aircraft encountered one of the greatest threats facing aircraft around the world during a routine mission. The stealth fighter, damaged in the attack, had to return to base immediately.
A Royal Air Force F-35 aircraft was flying over North Wales when it suffered a collision that damaged the front of the jet. The pilot decided to return to RAF Marham in Norfolk and the aircraft managed to land safely. The pilot escaped the accident safely.
The F-35 Lightning II, considered one of the world’s best stealth fighters, was not hit by enemy missiles. It again collided with a bird and had to make an emergency landing.
Fortunately, the damage was judged to be “minor.” A Royal Air Force spokesperson said: “A Royal Air Force F35 was struck by a bird strike and returned to base as a precaution and landed safely.” The pilot was unhurt. ”
Air forces around the world frequently encounter the same unavoidable threat of bird strikes, with consequences ranging from minor inconveniences to major operational disruptions and even crashes. The recent RAF clashes are strange but not isolated incidents.
In January 2023, a Royal Air Force Red Arrow aircraft was severely damaged in a bird strike. The collision caused the cockpit glass to shatter and glass shards were scattered into the cockpit.
This caused the pilot’s helmet visor to shift and cut off his oxygen mask. The noise and wind made it nearly impossible for the pilots to communicate with the outside world. Squadron leader Gregon Ogston, a brave and skilled pilot, managed to land and avert a tragedy that could have claimed his life.
Spotting these “stealthy” birds is very difficult and often leads to accidents. For example, back in 2022, a South Korean F-35 suffered a bird strike during a routine training mission and had to make a belly landing afterward. The plane was hit by a large bird – an eagle weighing about 10 kilograms.
The bird hit the fighter jet’s left air intake, causing severe damage. The avionics system malfunctioned, damaging about 300 critical parts, including the fuselage, engine, and navigation system. The damage was so severe that the aircraft could not be salvaged and had to be scrapped in 2023.
A similar incident occurred in 2022, when a bird strike caused an engine fire on a Marine Corps F/A-18D, causing the aircraft to crash and explode. Both pilots ejected before the crash and suffered only minor injuries.
Most recently, in April 2024, a U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B Lightning II aircraft was hit by a bird shortly after takeoff from Gunsan Air Base in South Korea. However, the aircraft sustained significant damage and was classified as a Class A accident.
U.S. Marine Corps fighter jets have experienced similar accidents many times. For example, in 2019, an F-35B was damaged in a bird strike in Japan, and the Corps initially estimated damages at more than $2 million.
Amazingly, even small birds have been able to damage several large, state-of-the-art fighter jets. The U.S. Marine Corps has recorded approximately 1,500 aircraft accidents involving birds or animals between 2004 and 2019.
major threat to aircraft
According to the Department of Defense’s Flight Partner Program, which aims to protect migratory and resident birds on Department of Defense lands, the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps record up to 3,000 bird strikes each year, which it calls “bird strikes.” /Wildlife”. Aircraft Strike Hazard” (BASH).
However, the military can employ a variety of techniques to reduce the risk of BASH, including habitat removal, firearm removal, and deployment of propane-powered sonic cannons to scare away birds.
Bird strikes also pose a danger to commercial aircraft. Around the world, commercial airlines have been forced to make emergency landings after being struck by birds.
Bird strikes often damage forward-facing parts of an aircraft, such as the windshield, nose cone, and engine. However, the extent of damage depends on the size of the bird and the speed of impact.
The biggest threat posed by bird strikes is birds becoming trapped in airplane engines. This is often referred to as ingestion by birds and is a rare occurrence. However, it may cause engine failure. Although most aircraft are certified to fly for hours on a single engine, pilots still divert to the nearest airfield. In the rarest of circumstances, an aircraft could lose both engines.
Additionally, these aircraft are fast and depending on how concentrated the pilot is in the cockpit, it is not always possible to avoid the birds.
The increasing number of bird strikes has shown that missiles are not always necessary to attack fighter jets. However, when asked whether the Air Force could use flocks of birds to deliberately attack enemy aircraft in combat, Air Marshal Anil Chopra, a veteran of the Indian Air Force and an experienced military expert, said: ) said: Birds have an instinct to save themselves. Rather, swarms of kamikaze drones would be the right choice to overwhelm and attack enemy fighters, as they are cheaper, more accurate, and more ethical. ”
The swarm drone concept aims to integrate and fly a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with sensors, weapons, and communication equipment.
UAVs can collect input, create a complete picture of the battle, and communicate with many users in real time. If a UAV is shot down or sabotaged, another UAV may take over its functions. Swarms of drones can complete various tasks simultaneously without human supervision. It may carry out kinetic attacks using on-board guns, bombs, and missiles.
As Air Marshal Chopra previously explained, “Large swarms of drones could ram an airborne AEW&C or flight refueling aircraft (FRA). If a similar aircraft were to fly into combat air patrol territory, it would divert the attention of fighter crews from their primary mission.”
Swarms of these drones could easily be released by aircraft during combat. In addition, several countries are now also developing motherships that can unleash swarms of drones in the air to attack and overpower enemy aircraft. These drones can transform into missiles on command to directly ram fighter jets, while other drones can intercept or attack jets with weapons. This swarm could also include decoy drones to confuse the enemy.
“Drone swarms will be adopted in large numbers because of their significant advantages. Their slightly lower cost will make it possible to purchase much larger numbers compared to the number of manned aircraft. “Numbers help overwhelm the enemy. Without humans on board, commanders can take on higher risks and take on more daring missions,” said Air Force Sergeant Chopra.
In addition to interfering with fighter jet operations, these swarms could also attack ground targets and conduct Suppression of Air Defense (SEAD) operations. Remarkably, all modern militaries around the world are developing and testing swarm drones and their usefulness in artificial intelligence-driven combat scenarios.
The future is increasingly bleak for manned combat aircraft, which face the dual threat of encountering birds in peacetime and unmanned drones in combat.
