Speaking of Aus Airforce, I've been wanting to ask what American's thought of this.
There was a news report the other day that an Australian pilot had declined to drop a bomb on a target because he thought it wasn't a valid target.. Apparently it caused a dust up with the American officer controlling the mission.
I was sitting there watching this thinking the pilot was a dickhead adn would be in mucho trouble... next shot on screen is the Prime Minister... saying how proud he is of the pilot and supports him all the way!
Turns out AU airforce rules of engagement say that the pilot has to be convinced himself he is on a valid target before he hits the button.. I guess this also means he has to take some repsonsibility if he "accidently" bombs an obvious civilian target.
Apparently out of the 14 FA18's Australia has there, which sound like they have flown a few hundred sorties between them, 3 times pilots have declined to attack.. I haven't heard what the targets were or the exact reasons the pilots gave for not attacking.
I wonder how a pilot travelling at high speed in a war situation can really make a decision like that myself..
Not really sure if it is a good or a bad thing.. just seemed very unusual to me
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