Issuing M-4's instead of M9's for Fighter Pilots?

[Jamie Young]

I got a flat tire tonight and had to call 911 to get the police to come out and block off traffic. I hung out with the Police until the Tow Truck showed up. When I first walked by the Police car, I looked in and saw what looked like an M4, in its Collapsed Form. I was surprised at how small it looked in the car.

I've been wondering............... Couldn't one of these fit behind the Seat of an F16 pilot? Wouldn't you rather have an M4 than an M9 if you got shot down?

 

[Dfariswheel]

The problem with a carbine is there is only so much room in a ejection seat survival pack. You have to give up really necessary gear to make room for a carbine. Trying to hold a long gun during an ejection is a non-starter, you'll loose it. Also, in most cases, the pilot wouldn't have time to find the rifle and attach it to his gear. In real life, ejections happen REAL QUICK. Too quick to risk taking time to fool with a rifle.

The original, real, Colt CAR-15 was a very short AR-15 with a cone-type flash hider on a 10" barrel with a non-adjustable short tubular buttstock. The gun, broken down, and three 20 round magazines fit into the seat pack. However, there wasn't much room left over for survival equipment.

There was also a "pistol", later named the Bushmaster that was a sort of receiver with a rotating pistol grip and crude sights. It was chambered in .223/5.56mm. This also fit the seat pack, and could be carried slung under a flight suit. For a number of reasons it wasn't suitable, and for a time was sold commercially.

 

[kogatana]

There is not much room in the cockpit of an F-16. Yes, an AR-15 would be very desirable. The Commando variant would be even more so as it is smaller. Nonetheless, it is still too big for the Falcon cockpit. Some of our allies are carrying the H&K MP5 in the PDW variant with four 30-round magazines and a Browning P-35 with two magazines while driving their fighter aircraft.

 

[Tamara]

There was also a "pistol", later named the Bushmaster that was a sort of receiver with a rotating pistol grip and crude sights. It was chambered in .223/5.56mm. This also fit the seat pack, and could be carried slung under a flight suit. For a number of reasons it wasn't suitable, and for a time was sold commercially.

I remember those! We had one come in at the shop I used to work at. The owner snatched it up, of course. (Rank hath its' privileges) An ambidextrous bullpup pistol-y/carbine-y kinda thing. Fun to blaze away from the hip with.

 

[Atc1man]

Personally, I think they should be getting a silenced M9.
A shot down fighter pilot should evade, rather then fight. If they have to fight, its going to be limited....why take on the entire enemy force?....it only works for Rambo.
Hunker down, eat ants, and wait for a helo load of jarheads to fall out of the sky and rescue you!

 

[DMK]

Doesn't the pilot seperate from the ejection seat after leaving the aircraft? If so, he (or she) would have to have the carbine strapped to them.

In the movie Blackhawk down, the helicopter pilots carried MP5s. I thought is was Hollywood artist's liberty, but found out later it was factual.

Of course, the M9 could be used as the modern Liberty Pistol. Shoot an enemy soldier and then holster it and "liberate" his AK.

 

[fix]

Transport helicopter crews have the luxury of carrying darn near anything they want. In fact, I can't remember a single time that a crew went out with only M9s. The CO reasoned that, if there was enough risk involved to go armed...then there was enough risk to take rifles.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Flight suit. G suit, Survival vest, survival pack, holster, raft......all attached to the pilot. Everything else gets left behind when you pull the curtain.

Sam......taint fun either.

 

[Destructo6]

Something like the HK PDW would be more workable. It's just a little bigger than a pistol and smaller even than the HK MP5k or MP5k PDW.

Yes, the ejection seat detaches from the pilot upon chute deployment.

http://www.hkpro.com/pdwacc.jpg

 

[Mark D]

DMK...

IF, (big if), I remember the account correctly, the pilot of that little bird was actually hovering and shooting simultaneously.

Nightstalkers are what happens when you genetically splice delta boys and helicopters.

 

[fix]

Nightstalkers are what happens when you genetically splice delta boys and helicopters.

Looked more like splicing "good ole boys" and helicopters to me...