Does Mexico have an Air Force?

[lyon_wonder]

Does Mexico even have an airforce? Do they field any combat-capable
aircraft, or is it just non-combatant types like search and rescue or
cargo planes?

According to the news
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,63433,00.html?tw=wn_1techhead
the Mexican Air Force spotted unidentified "UFO" bright objects.

Or a more humorous take on the subject:)
http://www.ridiculopathy.com/news_detail.php?id=1075

[tim gueguen]

"lyon_wonder" > wrote in message
...
> Does Mexico even have an airforce? Do they field any combat-capable
> aircraft,

Yes. They fly a squadron of F5Es, as well as armed T33 and PC7 trainer
aircraft for counterinsurgency work. There has apparently been talk of
acquiring more modern aircraft, possible choices including refurbished F16s
from the US and Mig 29s from Belarus.

tim gueguen 101867

[Air Force Jayhawk]

On Tue, 18 May 2004 15:54:31 -0500, lyon_wonder
> wrote:

>Does Mexico even have an airforce? Do they field any combat-capable
>aircraft, or is it just non-combatant types like search and rescue or
>cargo planes?
>
>According to the news
>http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,63433,00.html?tw=wn_1techhead
>the Mexican Air Force spotted unidentified "UFO" bright objects.
>
>Or a more humorous take on the subject:)
>http://www.ridiculopathy.com/news_detail.php?id=1075

Brings to mind two incidents when I was assigned to Kelly AFB in San
Antonio.

1) A flight test engineer who worked for me was given the opportunity
to sit in the "drivers seat" on a functional check flight (FCF) of a
B-52 coming off the depot line. They were in the Crystal MOA along
the Rio Grande at low level when the pilot told him to turn left. He
mistakenly turned right...penetrating Mexican airspace in a
nuclear-capable bomber at an altitude that could seriously indicate a
bombing run. The Buff does not have a stellar turning circle and
required a significant amount of mexican real estate to turn back
around.

2) We were conducting a test series on the T-38; one test point
required a supersonic negative g (inverted) trim point. We were also
in the Crystal MOA and just happened to be pointed directly at Mexico
when I noticed the Rio Grande rapidly approaching. Pilot chopped the
throttle and attempted a supersonic split-s to avoid encroaching our
neighbors. Didn't make it. Of course, the split-S took a good
30,000 ft to complete (good thing we started at 45+!) and what felt
like a week...and my chin was buried in my lap.

In both cases, I doubt the Mexican government and/or air force even
had a clue...

Ross "Roscoe" Dillon
USAF Flight Tester
(B-2, F-16, F-15, F-5, T-37, T-38, C-5, QF-106)