Gary North 19th FS MiG-25 Foxbat Killer

Description

On 27 December 1992 Lt Col Gary North, Commander of the 33rd Fighter Squadron from Shaw Air Force Base, shot down an Iraqi Air Force MiG-25 Foxbat fighter violating the Operation Southern Watch No-Fly Zone boundaries. Firing an AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile or AMRAAM at the Foxbat, Lt Col North watched the missile go down the right engine intake of the Foxbat and fuse. The AMRAAM warhead tore the jet into pieces. This was the first use of an AMRAAM in combat and the engagement pitted an Air Force Viper Squadron Commander against the Iraqi Air Force Foxbat Squadron Commander.