If (as reported) an F-16 fired warning shots...

[catnhatnh]

....Within DC airspace, I wonder what type of ammunition was fired and where on earth (literally) it landed???

[benburch]

1. Likely tracer rounds.

White phosphorus that will have burnt to an ash before striking the earth if fired at a reasonable height.

[ArkDem]

18. You don't load up a vulcan with only tracer rounds.

[benburch]

19. The first few rounds in the magazine would be tracers.

In domestic air patrol use, that's how they are loaded, simply because the most common use of the guns is to fire warning shots.

[ArkDem]

20. No Sir, you are wrong.

[davepc]

2. probably from this

The M61A1 Vulcan cannon is a six-barrel 20mm gun capable of firing 6,000 rounds per minute. Its operation is based upon the principle used in the rapid-firing gun invented by Richard J. Gatling in the 1860s. The six rotating barrels, firing one at a time, permit a high rate of fire while at the same time reducing the problem of barrel wear and heat generation. The gun can be driven electrically, hydraulically, or by a ram-air turbine. In the F16 it is hydraulically driven. The Vulcan has equipped such USAF aircraft as the F-104, F-105B/D/F, F-15, F-16, A-7D, F-111A, F-4E, B-58, and B-52H.

http://www.avitop.com/interact/gun.htm

and where they landed depends on where they were fired.

[sui generis]

5. well hell with equipment like that

who needs viagra?

:evilgrin:

(:sarcasm: by a part time gun grabber)

[evlbstrd]

3. Flares.

[benburch]

14. Flares fire aft.

Unlikely for use as a warning shot.

[evlbstrd]

15. F-16's are somewhat faster than Cessnas.

Could very well have fired aft.

[harpo]

4. my question is who ordered it? Chimp was riding his bike and Cheney can't

[catnhatnh]

7. Actually I was wondering if the depleted rounds....

struck anybody or anything on the ground...think "collateral Damage"

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. I was under the impression it was SOP

...post 9/11, of course.

[harpo]

13. I don't think they can fire anything at civilian aircraft...

correct me if I'm wrong here. Cheney has no authority whatsoever over the military and can't order it, it would have to come from chimp who wasn't anywhere around.

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. Ahhh...misunderstood it was specifically about firing

sorry

[slackmaster]

6. Probably 20 mm ammo from the General Electric M61A1 Vulcan

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_armament_article5.html

The ammunition would most likely be lead with steel penetrators (armor piercing), not depleted uranium if that's what you're concerned about. The Vulcan also fires incendiary ammunition.

[underpants]

8. Right ---Sabo and HE

much like in a Bradley.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=bradley.htm&url=http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/equip/m242.htm

[uncle ray]

11. phew! i was worried!

it might have been something that would hurt ones head if hit with! just steel and lead, no biggie.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

9. Flares.

All warplanes(and some transports) carry flares that are used to spoof heat seaking missiles. Since the heat signature of a flare is greater than the output of the jet engine, the missile locks onto the stronger heat signature.

I can not imagine that the ground controllers that were in contact with the AF fighters would have allowed them to go "guns hot" over DC unless the situation was inordinantly dire.

The flares were used to get the lost pilot's attention. Still, he's in a world of trouble and strife right now.

[MidwestTransplant]

12. It was flares.

[KansDem]

17. Time to develop the "air to air Taser..."

If these incidents persist...