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Video by Senior Airman Dallin Wrye

LOE Series | Weasel Identity

20th Fighter Wing

June 21, 2021 | 1:40

LOE Series | Weasel Identity

The current primary mission of the 20th Fighter Wing is the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, also known as SEAD.

20th FW pilots train to execute the "Wild Weasel" mission to defeat enemy air defenses. The Wild Weasel mission is performed by a pair of fighters. One jet allows enemy air defenses to target it, enabling the second aircraft to target and destroy the weapon.

The first aircraft then evades the fired munition using electronic warfare equipment and skill crafted over countless hours in the cockpit.

The first Wild Weasel pilots began implementing these tactics to defeat Russian surface to air missiles during the Vietnam War. The Wild Weasel mission was brand new at the time and was a considerable innovation of Air Force tactics.
The legacy of these innovative, courageous Wild Weasel pilots and support crews is being carried on today by Airmen across the 20th Fighter Wing.