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  • tal@lemmy.today
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    3 days ago

    Other than bullets raining over new jersey,

    The Air National Guard already had a go at it. I say let the Civil Air Patrol get a chance.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strafing_of_the_Little_Egg_Harbor_Intermediate_School

    The strafing of the Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School was an incident in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, United States, in 2004, when a military aircraft on a training mission unintentionally discharged 27 cannon rounds while attempting to operate an aircraft mounted laser.

    On Thursday, November 4, 2004, at around 9pm, an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet from the 113th Wing of the District of Columbia Air National Guard, based at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on a training mission at the Warren Grove Bombing Range was climbing upward at 8,000 feet (2,400 m). The lead pilot was on a training ride in pursuit of an upgrade to instructor pilot. A recent software change in the F-16 allowed the externally mounted targeting pod to stabilize on a spot on the earth when the avionics were in Air to Ground Mode, Strafe Sub-Mode. The pilot intended to fire a laser at a strafe target located on the range. The laser and gun share the same trigger. The pilot pulled the trigger, firing not only the laser but also the internal M61 Vulcan cannon, discharging 27 rounds of 20 mm (0.79 in) ammunition which struck the ground, eight striking the school’s roof and the rest hitting the parking lot and the side of the building.