전투기 DACT에서 F-15B를 상대로 모의격추 5회를 기록한 F-104

[위종민]

1970년대 후반 MiG-23을 모사한 F-104가 DACT에서 F-15B 상대로 모의격추 5회를 기록했다고 하네요. 

F-15B가 레이다에 크게 의존할 거라고 생각해, 레이다가 F-15B를 락온할 수 있는 20해리까지 F-104 2기가 가까이 붙어 고속으로 접근한 다음 16해리에서 폭스1을 선언하고 2기가 분리해 F-15B를 협공했다고 합니다. 

접근할 때까지 피격추 판정이 안 난 게 신기합니다. 

F-104 조종사, 한 차례 훈련 임무에서 F-15B를 상대로 모의 격추 5회를 기록한 일화를 회상하다

다리오 레오네

2026년 8월 4일

사람이 탄 미사일

전설적인 클래런스 “켈리” 존슨이 1950년대 초 설계한 F-104 스타파이터는 마하 2의 속도로 지속 비행할 수 있었던 최초의 전투기였으며, 그 속도와 상승 성능은 오늘날의 기준으로도 여전히 인상적이다. 길이는 54피트 9인치였지만 날개폭은 불과 21피트 11인치였기 때문에 “사람이 탄 미사일”이라는 별명을 얻었다.

6연장 M61 20mm 벌컨 기관포로 무장한 이 기체는 전술전투기로 운용됐으며, 열추적식 사이드와인더 미사일을 추가로 장착하면 주야간 요격기로도 사용됐다.

F-15B 대 F-104

스타파이터는 속도와 수직상승 능력 덕분에 더 현대적인 전투기를 상대로도 충분히 맞설 수 있었다. 전 F-104 조종사이자 미 공군 전투기무기학교(FWS) 교관이었던 앤디 부시는 다음과 같이 회상했다.

“F-104와 F-15가 처음으로 이기종 공중전투훈련(DACT)을 벌인 것이 언제였는지는 모릅니다. 하지만 루크기지에서 초기에 그런 일이 언제 있었는지는 알고 있습니다.

“1970년대 후반 루크기지에서 F-15 훈련운용이 시작됐을 당시 최초의 비행대대는 ‘니클’로 알려진 제555비행대대였습니다. 1978년 무렵 니클 대원들은 여러 전투기 기종과 이기종 공중전투훈련을 하고 싶어 했고, 그래서 같은 루크기지에 있던 제69전술전투훈련비행대대의 F-104 전투기무기학교를 찾아왔습니다.

“그들은 우리와 교전훈련을 하고 싶어 했고, 우리는 시험 임무에 2기 편대를 내보내기로 합의했습니다. 전투기무기학교 교관 두 명이 선발됐는데, 한 명은 독일인 교관 하르트무트 트뢸러였고 다른 한 명은 미 공군 교관인 저였습니다.

“니클이 임무를 주관했습니다. 우리는 그 비행대대에서 교관 두 명과 함께 브리핑을 받았는데, 둘 다 F-4 전투기무기학교 졸업생이었습니다. 그들은 교전에 복좌형을 사용할 예정이었습니다. 양측 모두 전담 지상통제요격 지원을 받기로 했습니다. 우리는 플로거를 모의하기로 했습니다. 우리가 운용한 G형이 MiG-23의 공대공 능력을 상당히 잘 재현했기 때문에 나쁘지 않은 발상이었습니다. 우리의 모의 무장은 에이펙스, 애피드, 그리고 기관포였습니다.”

이글을 향해 정면으로

“전체 브리핑이 끝난 뒤 하르트무트와 저는 별도의 브리핑을 했습니다. 제가 편대장이었고, 가능한 모든 기만술을 활용할 생각이었습니다. 우리는 F-15 조종사들이 자신들의 레이더 능력을 대단히 자랑스러워한다는 사실을 알고 있었습니다. 당시 펄스 도플러 레이더는 전투기 공동체에 새롭게 도입된 기술이었습니다. 저는 니클의 두 조종사가 전투에 진입할 때 레이더에 크게 의존할 것으로 생각했고, 결과적으로 제 예상이 맞았습니다.

“제 계획은 하르트무트를 근접대형으로 붙인 채 지상통제요격의 유도를 받아 F-15를 향해 정면으로 돌진하는 것이었습니다. 우리 레이더는 40해리까지 탐색할 수 있었지만, 20해리 이내에 들어와야 표적을 고정할 수 있었습니다.”

부시는 계속해서 말했다.

“우리는 첫 번째 지상통제요격 유도방향을 따라가며 마하를 돌파할 때까지 가속했습니다. 빠른 속도로 싸울 생각이었습니다. 고속 이탈과 훅턴을 사용할 계획이었습니다. 20해리에서 F-15가 제 레이더에 큰 점으로 나타났고, 저는 표적을 고정할 수 있었습니다. 계획은 약 16해리에서 폭스 원을 선언한 다음, 하르트무트가 급선회해 360도 회전하며 저를 따라오게 하는 것이었습니다.

“저는 16해리에서 에이펙스 발사를 선언하고 하르트무트에게 이탈하라고 지시한 뒤, 속도를 지시대기속도 700노트 이상으로 끌어올렸습니다. 이글 조종사들이 저에 대한 레이더 고정을 유지하느라 하르트무트가 분리되는 것을 보지 못하기를 바랐습니다. 우리는 조준경을 레이더 고정 각도에 연동할 수 있었고, 덕분에 F-15를 향해 곧장 날아갈 수 있었습니다. 저는 육안으로 그 기체를 발견했습니다. 높은 곳 오른쪽에 있었고, 이미 전환선회를 시작한 상태였습니다. 저는 기체의 하중을 풀고 그대로 이탈했습니다. 그들이 뒤따라오리라 생각했고, 실제로 그렇게 했습니다.”

두 대의 스타파이터 사이에 끼이다

“그 결과 그들은 당연히 저와 하르트무트 사이에 끼이게 됐습니다. 제 예상으로는 그들이 흥분해서 제 편대기가 어디 있는지 묻지도 않은 채 저를 쫓을 것이었습니다. 얼마 지나지 않아 그들은 답을 알게 됐습니다. 지상통제요격 요원이 하르트무트의 기관포 공격 선언을 전달했기 때문입니다.

“저는 뒤를 바라보고 있었고, 그들이 급선회하는 모습을 봤습니다. 그런 다음 저는 스로틀을 아이들로 내리고 에어브레이크를 펼쳐 마하 0.85까지 감속한 뒤, 기동 플랩을 내리고 양력 벡터를 이글에 맞춘 다음 애프터버너로 속도를 유지하면서 기체를 강하게 당겨 7G 선회에 들어갔습니다. 저는 약 400노트의 지시대기속도에서 그 정도 G를 지속할 수 있다는 것을 알고 있었습니다.

F-104 조종사, 한 차례 훈련 임무에서 F-15B를 상대로 모의 격추 5회를 기록한 일화를 회상하다

“저는 이글을 상대로 선행 스냅샷 위치에 들어갔고, 거리를 좁힌 뒤 기관포 공격을 선언했습니다. 지상통제요격 요원이 두 번째 기관포 공격 선언을 전달하자 이글은 다시 급선회했습니다.

“그때쯤 하르트무트는 다시 전투 안으로 기수를 돌리고 있었습니다. 그는 제가 이탈하는 것을 보고 두 번째 기관포 공격에 들어간 다음, 저를 따라 이탈했습니다. 저는 그를 육안으로 확인하고, 횡대로 다시 정렬할 수 있도록 방향을 약간 수정해준 뒤 우리는 점처럼 멀어졌습니다.

“이글은 우리가 분리될 때 폭스 투를 선언하려 했지만, 우리는 이미 지시대기속도 700노트를 훨씬 넘기고 있었기 때문에 발사조건에서 크게 벗어나 있었습니다.”

F-104, F-15B를 상대로 모의 격추 5회 기록

“결과는 우리가 기록한 폭스 원 2회와 상대가 알아채지 못한 기관포 격추 3회였습니다. 그들은 유효한 공격을 한 번도 하지 못했습니다.

“사후 강평은 정말 재미있었습니다. 특히 니클 조종사가 녹음기를 재생했을 때 후방석 조종사가 ‘브레이크, 우리 또 기관포에 맞았어!’라고 말하는 부분이 마음에 들었습니다.”

부시는 다음과 같이 결론지었다.

“물론 이 모든 일은 원래 일어나서는 안 됐습니다. F-15가 우리를 손쉽게 잡아먹었어야 했습니다. 하지만 그러지 못했고, 그 이유는 그들이 자신의 강점을 활용하지 않았고 상대를 심각하게 과소평가했기 때문이었습니다. 그들은 다시는 같은 실수를 하지 않았고, 그것은 좋은 일이었습니다.”

F-104 조종사, 한 차례 훈련 임무에서 F-15B를 상대로 모의 격추 5회를 기록한 일화를 회상하다

사진 제공: 미 공군

F-104 Pilot recalls scoring five Simulated Kills against an F-15B in a Single Training Mission

F-104 Pilot recalls scoring five Simulated Kills against an F-15B in a Single Training Mission

F-104 Pilot recalls scoring five Simulated Kills against an F-15B in a Single Training Mission

By Dario Leone

Aug 4 2026

In this article:

• A missile with a man in it
• F-15B Vs F-104
• Right at the Eagle
• Sandwiched between two Starfighters
• F-104 scoring five Simulated Kills against F-15B

A missile with a man in it

Designed by the legendary Clarence “Kelly” Johnson in the early 1950’s, the F-104 Starfighter was the first combat aircraft capable of a sustained Mach2 in flight, and its speed and climb performance remain impressive even by today’s standards. Due to its length of 54′ 9” and wingspan of only 21′ 11” it was dubbed “a missile with a man in it.”

Armed with a six-barrel M-61 20mm Vulcan cannon, it served as a tactical fighter, and when equipped additionally with heat-seeking Sidewinder missiles, as a day-night interceptor.

F-15B Vs F-104

The Starfighter could held its own also against more modern fighters thanks to its speed and vertical climb, as former F-104 pilot and instructor in the USAF Fighter Weapons School (FWS), Andy Bush, recalls:

“I don’t know when the first instance of the F-104 and the F-15 engaging in DACT happened…but I do know when it happened early on at Luke.

“When the F-15 training operation began at Luke in the latter 70s, the initial squadron was the 555th, known as ‘the Nickle’. Sometime in 78 or so, the Nickle guys were looking for DACT with a variety of fighter types, and so they came down the street to the F-104 Fighter Weapons School in the 69 TFTS, also at Luke.

“They wanted to fly against us, and so we agreed to put up a two ship for a trial mission. Two FWS instructors were selected, one a German instructor (Hartmut Troehler) and one USAF instructor (me).

“The Nickle hosted the mission. We briefed at their squadron with two of their instructors (both F-4 FWS grads). They were going to use the two seat model for the engagement. We would both have dedicated GCI. We were to simulate Floggers…not a bad idea since the G model that we flew was a good representation of the A2A capability of the MiG-23. Our simulated armament was to be Apex, Aphid, and the gun.

Right at the Eagle

This model is available from AirModels – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS.

“After the main briefing, Hartmut and I had our own briefing. I was the flight lead and intended to use as much deception as I could. We knew that the F-15 guys were really proud of their radar capabilities…the PD radar was new to the fighter community at that time. I thought that the two Nickle guys would be heavily relying on their radar to enter the fight…as it turned out, I was right.

“My plan was to put Hartmut in close formation and run head on at the F-15 using GCI for vectoring. Our radar could search out to 40nm but we couldn’t lock on until 20nm.”

Bush continues;

“We took the first GCI vector and accelerated through the mach. Intended to fight fast…high speed extensions and hook turns. At 20nm, the F-15 made a large blip on my radar and I was able to get a lock. The plan was to Fox-1 at about 16nm and then have Hartmut peel off into a hard 360 to follow me.

“I called the Apex at 16nm, told Hartmut to deploy, and then pushed it up to over 700KIAS. My hope was that the Eagle guys would hold their lock on me and not see Hartmut separate. We could slave our gunsight to the radar lock on angle…this let me fly right at the F-15. I picked him up visually…he was high, to the right, and had started a conversion turn. I unloaded, and extended away figuring they would try to follow…and they did.

Sandwiched between two Starfighters

“What that did, of course, was get them sandwiched between me and Hartmut. My guess was that they would get all excited and jump on me without asking where my wingman was. They found out soon enough as their GCI relayed to them Hartmut’s gun attack call.

“I was looking back and saw their break turn that resulted. Then I went idle and boards, slowed to .85M, dropped my maneuver flaps, put my lift vector on the Eagle and then pulled the jet into a hard 7g turn using burner to hold my speed. I knew I could sustain that g at around 400KIAS.

“I pulled into a lead snapshot position on the Eagle, closed in and went guns. The Eagle broke again as their GCI relayed the second gun call.

“By this time, Hartmut was pitching back into the fight. He saw me extend away, went in for his second gun attack, and then extended away after me. I tallyed him, gave him a check turn to put us back into line abreast and then we became a dot.

“The Eagle tried to call a Fox-2 as we separated but with us well over 700KIAS, it was way out of parameters.

F-104 scoring five Simulated Kills against F-15B

“The result was the two Fox-1s and three unobserved gun kills by us. They had no valid shots.

“The debriefing was a hoot. I especially liked the part where the Nickle guy played his recorder and we heard the backseater say “Break, we just got gunned again!”

Bush concludes;

“Of course, all of this should not have happened. The F-15 should have had us for lunch. But they didn’t, and it was all because they didn’t play to their strengths…and they severely underestimated their opponents. They didn’t do that again and that was a good thing.”

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force

[백선호]

"그 이유는 그들이 자신의 강점을 활용하지 않았고 상대를 심각하게 과소평가했기 때문이었습니다. 그들은 다시는 같은 실수를 하지 않았고, 그것은 좋은 일이었습니다" ---> F-15B가 먼저 AIM-7F로 Fox One을 못한 이유가 그냥 과소평가였을까요???

[위종민]

그걸 가능하게 만든 기법이 제일 중오한 것 같은데 없네요. 훈련 자체가 BVR 교전 배제하고 WVR 훈련하려는 목적이었을 수도 있을 것 같습니다

[백선호]

영국 F-4M 2대가 F-15A 1대와 모의 교전한 비슷한 사례입니다.

http://cafe.daum.net/NTDS/515G/2764

[withoutlove]

독일 F-104 교관도 참가했네요. 냉전 시절에는 독일 공군 조종사들과 나이키같은 지대공 미사일 인원의 교육은 미국 본토에서 이루어졌는데 요새는 아니겠죠?

[백선호]

2019년까지는 독일 토네이도가 Holloman 기지에 배치되어 훈련했다고 합니다.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holloman_Air_Force_Base#Aircraft_operated_from_Holloman