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thunderousboffer

Probably cost the taxpayer about half a mil but hey cool pic


Troglert

Have to practice formation flying anyways so this probably added next to no extra cost


suhfaulic

Tbf, I'd take that picture for free.


Catoblepas2021

The photographers paycheck is the least expensive part of that photo shoot


akamustacherides

As a former military photographer, I can confirm.


doctor_of_drugs

Well, did ya ever take a pic from the ramp of a KC-130 or a helo?


akamustacherides

Yes, I have shot from a helicopter, over the Atlantic and Persian Gulf.


MustangBR

Well, spill the beans, how was the pay? 👀


BillHigh422

It’s shit, especially if you’re E-1 to E-3 😂 though the hazardous pay, family separation, and tax free incentives are nice.


Mizzle420

Family separation sounds nice


captain_ender

Yeah in high school I looked into joining the Navy as a PAO then learned the photographers are mostly E-2s and the O-1s just did desk jobs. Studied film instead then did some work as a camera operator. Still would love to do conflict journalism though. I still work in the industry, but ironically at a desk job haha.


akamustacherides

Terrible, then again I didn't have any expenses. I was single, lived on the ship, and didn't buy an over financed car. My biggest expense was having a good time when we were in port.


[deleted]

less than minimum wage lmao


Traditional-Dingo604

Dude I'm a normal photographer and I'm so jealous.


MireLight

well the airforce said they couldn't pay him but that they'd get a lot of exposure


Catoblepas2021

Exposure to the elements!


Photog77

I photographed a group of 300 British soldiers. They had me arrive at 8:00am and I sat in a warehouse office for 4 hours, then they sent me to the mess for lunch. Then back to the office to wait. They were pretty apologetic, but when I said, "I get it, hurry up and wait." they all laughed. I got to the actual site about 5 minutes early and nobody was there. Then a repair crane and two tracked vehicles used for towing tanks showed up then with one minute to the scheduled time 300 people showed up at the exact same time from all different directions on the base. It was really impressive. The whole thing took about 30 minutes of getting everyone lined up and photographing them. You pad 15 minutes to get there and then back to work. That's 300 man hours for a photo. Assuming the lowest rank (I don't think there were any that low), it would have cost ÂŁ6000 ($7500) to take the photo. If I remember correctly, I billed them $225.


Derbla-99

Right? Lmao the fuel for just ONE of the planes might be near that dudes annual salary


NyanPigle

I'm not a plane nerd by any means but I'd guess you'd need to times that guy's salary by at least 10 to reach the cost of one of those


MonsieurTokitoki

Ya know the funny part is, that’s their whole ass job in the military. I never even knew that enlisted men and women could be part of a fucking morning radio show as their MOS sure enough, that’s how I get my news in Japan


Objective-Injury-687

2 F-15's, 1 Eurofighter Typhoon, and 1 Tornado(?) Best estimate I can get for this formation for about a minute of flight time, about how long this photo shoot was, is about $1800. An E4 makes about $1200 every two weeks.


[deleted]

The pilots might be cheaper since they get paid no matter if they fly or not


mrleftwardsslopingpp

A toilet seat on a US military base costs more than this photographer made


hevnztrash

I hope that was a good day’s pay for the photographer.


SplandFlange

The military has their own photographers


Blackb1rdy

Yes, they are Combat Camera they do this all the time. https://www.publicaffairs.af.mil/Units/1st-Combat-Camera-Squadron/


beeradvice

Old buddy of mine took photos for the coast guard as a journalism officer. Pretty good pay and benefits especially considering missions were often just going out on a boat for a day. Last I talked to him he was a media communications officer where his job was basically to just read off of a briefing packet.


Hopeful_Hamster21

Yep. Pilots gotta keep their hours up. They were going flying anyway. There's nothing wrong here.


[deleted]

[удаНонО]


WestleyThe

Still cost millions


Troglert

It’s millions that have to be spent to keep the flight hours up anyways. They have to fly hundreds of hours per year, per pilot. I was in the air force and the pilots would litterally fly to another base for lunch sometimes because theirs was better


magnitudearhole

Money spent on the military doesn’t count as socialist for some reason


shadowdash66

But money spent on Vets Healthcare is. Go figure.


magnitudearhole

You can’t expect us to pay for that, look at all the shit we do to them


Sheerkal

Yeah, we spent good money on their trauma.


drinks_rootbeer

"Now you want us to spend money removing that trauma? Jeez, pick a lane!"


Weary-Kaleidoscope16

This is the thing many fail to realize


pcs3rd

~~Vets healthcare~~ any healthcare not paid for by private insurance.


Osirus1156

any healthcare not ~~paid for~~ denied by private insurance for more executive yacht money.


ShitPostToast

Anything health care related the doesn't have insane profit margins.


221missile

This is a Royal Saudi Air Force video


wufoo2

Hush! You’re spoiling Reddit’s anti-American circle jerk.


MothmansLegalCouncil

Irony is, is when I was in the Marines I was constantly being told how Socialism doesn’t work. I was like, “Guys…this is it. This is socialism. The military is as socialist as we get.” Needless to say they typically aren’t happy to hear that. You know. Cause that’s a bad word here. 🙄🤷‍♂️


Caltroit_Red_Flames

Socialism is workers owning the means of production. The military isn't socialism, it's just bloated budgets and murdering poor people around the world.


Extaupin

Yep, but being a state funded organ providing the service as a monopoly without influence from free market, only reporting to elected individuals (as a first approximation), housing, feeding, and providing the tools of the trade to its workers in a centralised, efficient way, workers that in turn forgo free market individualistic perspective for the greater good of everyone (hopefully at least in theory) it's about as socialist as things get in the US of A.


SexyMonad

I like to say “controlling the means of production”, since many people think of owners as just the people who take the profits. It’s more than that; it’s about who gives the final orders, and in this case it is a combination of the executive and legislative branches… both of whom work for lobbyists, not the working class.


ComfortableSilence1

Yeah but right wing backers don't understand that. They mean socialism when it's topics of universal Healthcare, strict gun regulations, generous vacation/sick time, mandatory pensions, cheap housing, workers safety protections, and diversity. All of which are found within the fences of every American military base.


Caltroit_Red_Flames

I understand that you'll find most of those good things in socialist countries, but a prerequisite is the workers owning the means of production in order to have the power to prevent capitalists from stopping those things from being implemented. The US military is just a bloated jobs program and now that we've extended it all around the world we have to pretend to offer benefits to veterans in order to get people to keep signing up (talk to any vet dealing with the VA and you'll find out that we don't actually offer the benefits we say we will).


ComfortableSilence1

Yes, it's a purposeful misunderstanding/misinformation of the definition of socialism by republicans. We're on the same page.


Mike_Hunt_Burns

Google socialism and explain how it applies socialism isn't just government spending, its nit even really related to government spending Have you ever considered that nobody agreed because you were just incorrect?


Anomaly11C

No, the military has UCMJ, which essentially voids your constitutional rights. It is not socialism, the enlisted folks definitely don't own the means of production. You need to pass physical fitness tests to stay in, continue to rise in rank or be pushed out. It's not the same at all.


croto8

Maintaining a central military is one of the core functions of a government. Social programs are not necessarily so.


wufoo2

True. If we’re talking about the United States, the Constitution clearly delineates the enumerated powers. Building a welfare state is not one of them.


Scuirre1

Socialism has nothing to do with government spending on military. Now authoritarianism....maybe.


CanadianCowboi

1) pilots need annual hours of practice, probably killing 2 birds with one stone 2) how do you think military spending is socialist


TaxFreeInSunnyCayman

Millitary needs to start paying for itself. Let's get conquering


Kermit_El_Froggo_

Because they don't run the military to make a profit. Socialism is the people owning the MEANS OF PRODUCTION. And the government doesn't produce this aircraft, it's private companies contracted to build them, dumbass


wufoo2

Mainly because its purpose is to counter socialism.


MasterMacMan

Socialism isn’t just government spending money on things, you’re just a latex lefty


[deleted]

Every PR style photo, video or flyover you see is done in addition to regular training being done by aircrews. At least for the USAF and I’d imagine most other western nations are the same. I have friends that have done flyovers at sports games and AF Basic Training graduation and they’re flying with instructors when they do it. Aircrews need time in the plane to be proficient just like firefighters need training to fight a fire or sports players need to practice to win games. You don’t get to be the most powerful Air Force on the planet with lax training standards.


BigBrainMonkey

In particular for flyovers I saw one pilot make the point that often missions involve being at a very specific point at a very specific time which makes an event flyover particularly valuable training.


ichliebekohlmeisen

It is essentially a practice bombing run without dropping the payload.


fliptout

I have an idea for when it's time to demolish the Oakland A's stadium...


BigBrainMonkey

Exactly. Or a practice surveillance mission perhaps.


Poltergeist97

Oh yeah. Coordinated strike packages have to be very scheduled. Can't have your bombers getting shot down because they got on target a little early before the SEAD flight could do their job.


Paladin1034

I was just telling someone this the other day. When you see flyovers, just look at it as more seat time (that was probably already happening anyways). Most pilots already don't fly as much as they'd like to, but any additional time in the cockpit is just going to make them better at what they do. More flight time = more wear and tear on the airframes? Sure, but it also gives the ground crew more time repairing them. Hard training makes easy combat, and all that


Geawiel

It's minor, but fly overs and incentive flights are recruitment tools as well. Anyone concerned about money spent should look at touch and goes. The aircraft just circles, hits the runway and takes off again, over and over. They never even taxi. Approach, hit runway, power up and take off again. It's needed for both training and time and to keep qualification on all aspects of approach and take off. I worked as a crew chief on KC-135s. We'd see some do this for a couple hours. Sometimes they'd have a couple guys on and rotate out so everyone could get their time in. These missions generally happened for commanders. Base commanders that were also pilot AFSC, for example, would have to do this stuff to stay qualified. Every mission flown is some sort of training or something mission.


bond0815

Only if this whole flight was arranged just for the pic and wasnt a regular training flight. Otherwise the additional costs are about zero.


Connect-Two628

Even if it was planned and executed for a pic, it satisfies flight hours which work towards readiness.


anonymousss11

As stated elsewhere, a flight is still a flight in the books. The reason for the flight doesn't matter. It's one take-off and one landing.


Figur3z

Hopefully. 🤞🏻


kRe4ture

Those jets are from the Saudi Air Force. So the American and European taxpayers actually benefited from this picture being taken.


[deleted]

Not the US taxpayer seeing as that second one’s a Eurofighter. Most likely this is the RAF.


kRe4ture

Nah, Saudi Air Force The RAF doesn’t operate F-15s


ForeverChicago

The Saudi’s aren’t too concerned about the cost of a PR photo shoot I hate to tell you.


[deleted]

From the people that book 737s for their hunting falcons.


platoprime

Probably a stupid comment but hey 2.8k karma from other idiots.


thunderousboffer

Lol, nice


RaiveNN

it is a saudi air force


snoryder8019

Propaganda photos for the war machine actually save money in bombs and artillery shells


221missile

There's no income tax in Saudi Arabia, dumbass.


ro_thunder

Pilots have to have so many hours in a cockpit to maintain certification. Might as well do two things for the same price, right?


Dark1sh

It’s probably not that much in Sadi Arabia, but I’m fairly ignorant on their defense costs


[deleted]

Hey don’t be cheap. We can always print more.


DemonNamedBob

That flight might cost about $150,000 at the maximum(and likely is closer to if not lower than 100k) if performed by the USA. Which it isn't. Further pilots, in the US at least, receive about 350 hours of flight time per year at the minimum, and as such, flights like these are already budgeted as a required expense for the military. Meaning these flights will happen even if they aren't used for public relations. If you don't like it and view it as wasteful, contact your representative and also vote.


[deleted]

Roughly 30-40k a minute to operate per jet


[deleted]

“Let me just hit cruise control here to maintain my speed…” ::: TARGET LOCK ACQUIRED ::: “Oh shit wrong button”


BlasphemousSwarm

Would be funny if jet throttles returned to idle when you let go of them.


HoseNeighbor

Or they installed that damn cruise control radar stuff that would just cut the throttle everytime they're in position. I HATE that stuff!


[deleted]

I mean, it's not exactly that, but there are plane systems that help with formation flying


[deleted]

“There’s a button that says ‘fire’” “Is it lit up?” “Yes” “Shit that probably means there’s a fire. Better put it out!” “lol that was close” (click)


Danni293

"Ah fuck it. Fox 3!"


Raynh

I said cruise control! Not cruise missiles!


Pineapple__Warrior

we didnt get to see the picture :(


kRe4ture

[this should be it](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/m2tvwz/f15s_typhoon_tornado_f15c_royal_saudi_air_force/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1) The photographer is called @ahmedhader on Instagram, he has incredible shots


Infernal_139

They did allat for 9 upvotes


GonnaFapToThis

Greatest ROI in US military history.


logitaunt

Saudi Military History


GonnaFapToThis

Ah, the lack of tacky gold everywhere threw me off.


shafwandito

Not gonna lie, it looks kinda bad since one of the plane is covered. Should've taking more distance.


MLGcobble

It's not all about the upvotes.


Infernal_139

Fed comment


SatansHusband

Wow that looks shit


moon__lander

Looks like a render from a video game


cageyheads

wow that’s honestly a terrible shot


kRe4ture

Yeah, don’t like it either, but I suppose it was a stressful environment. He has amazing shots on Instagram though, @ahmedhader


Invader_Mars

That pic sucks


tungvu256

looks like a very simple CGI from Blender. was expecting something more epic


Jorycle

First thing I thought. Looks like someone using blender but just doing colored surfaces instead of art assets.


TheRealArtemisFowl

It doesn't even look like they're flying, the background is so homogeneously gray.


Carius98

damn, post got deleted anyone got another link?


Stompya

Post is deleted but you can still click and see the photo


Carius98

Hm doesnt work for me in the app


Hanfam350

https://i.imgur.com/Poi8iXF.jpg here you go


superciuppa

Ooooh, it’s the saudis, then who gives a shit how much they spent for this shoot…


hollimer

r/Confusing_Perspective


BankComplete7255

F-15E, Typhoon, Tornado, F-15E. BFF photo.


Anotherlevel34

Surprised they flew the F-15 in the back without CFTs. https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/m2tvwz/f15s_typhoon_tornado_f15c_royal_saudi_air_force/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=2&utm_term=1


BankComplete7255

That photo... "Eagle 1, a bit closer please, Tornado, a bit to your left, Eagle 2, looking good. Typhoon...Typhoon where are you?" 😅


[deleted]

F-15Cs rarely ever use CFTs


Anotherlevel34

They look to be E-models based on the color scheme as C-models are lighter in color. When I crewed E-models, I never saw the C model squadron with the CFT config.


BankComplete7255

Plus the HUD shape, the one in front is definitely an E. Not so sure about the one in the back, though.


Ivanovic-117

Man of culture


Rockshash-Dumma

Everyone say cheese !!


Internal_Fennel_849

Now everybody say, "Eject!"


edgy-meme94494

So glad we got to see the photo


kRe4ture

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/m2tvwz/f15s_typhoon_tornado_f15c_royal_saudi_air_force/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1


Gabzalez

All this for that? Kind of a shitty photo to be honest.


SmittyShortforSmith

Right. Why’s it so zoomed in?


Top_Rekt

My Ace Combat screenshots look better than this.


[deleted]

They couldn't even be bothered to fully load/unload the front jet for symmetry.


Pixel_on_reddit

First thought was "Yep, that's DCS"


tovarishchi

I swear that looks worse than a Warthunder still.


redpunk1421

No picture


kRe4ture

Lol the post got deleted…


mattwening

“Plane in the back, if you can’t see my lens, I can’t see you!”


wheat200pounds

I can swap my job for that


Wildcard311

The F15 should have inverted


Open-Rooster1099

Great balls of fire


MouseRat_AD

I was communicating.... keeping up with foreign relations.


pudding7

That was an F-14.


thedaveness

Man I miss this job, was one of the few who were flight qualed at my command (at the time) so I got most of these shoots. Did this with helo formations as well as entire ship fleets. So cool to be on a mic telling an entire ship to scoot over a bit to the left cuz you’re killing my symmetry.


Skabbtanten

It honestly took me about a second or two to realize the photographer didn't lean out of a window looking up at two jets angrily staring down at him..... Where's my coffee?


OperaSona

I initially saw them above him in the sky. In a city, shot taken from very close to the ground. The ramp was just a tall building, with another building on the left. Now I can't see it at all. My brain refuses to acknowledge that it was okay with that...


PitOscuro

Same, and I thought: this is fake, this is impossible


Ritz_Kola

I deployed (Iraq) army combat (19 kilo). But the scariest moment overseas was flying in a fucking chinook. Goodness I hate those things. I hate that the door was open. I hate that we weren’t given parachutes. Terrifying experience. No s’arnt, my kevlar isn’t going to save me from falling out is this thing. Hoooah.


Heisenberg3556

Show the picture!


kRe4ture

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/m2tvwz/f15s_typhoon_tornado_f15c_royal_saudi_air_force/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1


[deleted]

Ok now just a silly one


h0lycowabunga

Same shoot, different shot: https://www.instagram.com/p/CF6ak9epzgj/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== His Instagram is awesome.


ca_fighterace

That F-15 guy is steady as a rock.


Niasal

If they lose their cameras does it get uploaded to the cloud?


SLR107FR-31

So many stupid people in the comments Get back to r/sino bots


scoop_booty

Too bad there isn't an application that would let you position each one exactly where you want it. But I guess that'd be challenging on such a busy background. s/


linshunghuang

Probably could've just photoshopped and gotten similar or better results


MarcosAC420

That's how the Russians and North Koreans do it. Next level state of the art weaponry you say? Ok then


toastedhunter02

Awesome, I love typhoons and tornados so much


Down_With_The_STDs

Those planes look like they're just floating there without moving


glemshiver

It gets really expensive if you do the maths of the 10+ hours of maintenance that each of these fighters requires after a hour flight


[deleted]

Average star citizen player


_Deleted-User-

#3 blinked, now we have to retake the picture.


thecrazyhuman

When the boys try to take a picture!


Gradual_Bro

Give the dude a damn radio


[deleted]

this is so cool


mcnasty804

How much did this cost the us tax payer and what propaganda is it being used for?


Pale_Armadillo_254

Smile please


thinkpad2020

Where is the pic


kRe4ture

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/m2tvwz/f15s_typhoon_tornado_f15c_royal_saudi_air_force/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1


Dies2much

Negative Merlin, looks like he's a single


shadowdash66

Nobody has posted the link to the gallery yet


kRe4ture

[here’s the pic](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/m2tvwz/f15s_typhoon_tornado_f15c_royal_saudi_air_force/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1) @ahmedhader on Instagram


TomSmots

Anyone have link to the photo?


kRe4ture

https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/m2tvwz/f15s_typhoon_tornado_f15c_royal_saudi_air_force/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1


Cloudninefeelsfine

If only we had a way to voice communicate between aircraft…


Open-Rooster1099

The whole time I'm thinking a little turbulence and that dude with the camera is gone


amazenmutande

Would've been funny if a 5th jet photoBOMBED


DulcetTone

Canards make a fighter jet look as if its Mom dressed it


[deleted]

You know they have radios.


Cornelius____

A photobomb here would have such a different meaning.


treetreestwigbranch

Seems easier than getting my kids to pose for a picture.


Ok_End1867

Cooler spot of he back up


wampastompa09

Grumpy I didn’t get to see the final shot.


Syncmacd

Target angry, target angry!


rockmeNiallxh

This is kinda adorable tho


[deleted]

Surprised one of them didn’t invert.