Modern fighter Jets can fly safely and extremely low with proper training and a large amount of incremental practice. The only question is, how low can a fighter jet fly safely? And why do fighter jets have to fly low?
Swedish attack pilots during the “good old days” of the cold war routinely flew at the minimum allowed altitude of 10m (33ft) over sea and no lower than 20 (66 ft) over land in order to fly below Warsaw Pact radar, depending on the circumstances even at supersonic speeds.
The Swedish air force lost more than 600 pilots in training mishaps during the cold war, quite the number considering the small population, it was a different time when high risks were considered necessary to reap the rewards in case of Soviet aggression.
The safe minimum altitude for a fighter jet varies depending on the specific aircraft and the conditions of the flight. In general, fighter jets are designed to fly at high altitudes and can reach altitudes of up to 50,000 feet or more.
However, they are also able to fly at much lower altitudes for specific maneuvers or missions. For example, a fighter jet may fly at low altitudes for reconnaissance or ground attack missions. Additionally, some fighter jets are designed to perform aerial maneuvers at low altitudes, such as rolls and loops. The safe minimum altitude for a fighter jet will also depend on factors such as weather conditions, the presence of obstacles, and the altitude of surrounding terrain.
Here are the reasons why fighter Jets flow low:
- The surprise factor: combatants on the ground see the aircraft at the very last minute, and by the time they react, the plane is long gone.
- Close air support: By flying low to the ground, they can accurately drop non-GPS or laser-guided bombs on their targets. Aircraft like the deadly Fairchild Republic A10 Warthog can loiter over a battlefield for up to two hours using its General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm six-barrel Gatling gun cannon to decimate enemy vehicles and personnel.
- To avoid detection by radar: By flying low to the ground and using surrounding hills and valleys low flying aircraft can avoid being detected by enemy radar. By hugging the ground, enemy radar is confused by the terrain’s topography.
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controls the country’s airspace and decides where low-level military training flights can occur.
A major NATO low-level training area is located in Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada. Comprising an area of 144,000 square miles and a population of just 30,000, the topography of Goose Bay is similar to that of many parts of Russia. The only tactical bombing range includes ultra-low-level flying training to 30.5 m (100 feet) above ground level, supersonic flight areas, and an inert conventional and precision-guided munitions bombing range.
Besides Goose Bay, the USAF conducts low-level flight training on the Sidewinder low-level route in the California desert near Edwards Air Force Base.
Low flying is permitted across the majority of the UK except for large urban areas, civil airports, and some industrial and medical sites.
Fixed-wing aircraft can fly down to 250 ft above ground level at a speed of up to 450 kt. Lower height limits apply for helicopters and in certain parts of mid-Wales, Northern England and Northern Scotland, designated Tactical Training Areas. See, for example, the Mach Loop in Wales.
Practicing low-level flight was also often done by going low and fast, following country roads and I remember as a child the shock and awe when a fighter jet would suddenly zoom above our head when riding a bike to the beach. Or that time when a pilot broke the sound barrier at a very low level over the lake next to our house nearly shattering the windows.
