Wild Weasel Wild Weasel is a code name given by the United States Armed Forces specifically the US Air Force to an aircraft , of any type , equipped with radar - seeking missiles and tasked with destroying the radars and SAM installations of enemy air defense system s . The Wild Weasel concept was developed by the United States Air Force in 1965 , after the introduction of Soviet SAM missiles and their downing of U . S . strike aircraft over the skies of North Vietnam . The program was headed by General Kenneth Dempster . Wild Weasel tactics and techniques began their developmment in 1965 following the commencement of Operation Rolling Thunder during the Vietnam War , and were later adapted by other nations during following conflicts , as well as being integrated into the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses ( SEAD ) a plan used by US air forces to establish immediate air control , prior to possible full scale conflict . Initially known by the operational code " Iron Hand " when first authorized on 12 August 1965 , the term " Wild Weasel " derives from Project Wild Weasel , the USAF development program for a dedicated SAM - detection and suppression aircraft . ( The technique { or a specific part } was also called an " Iron Hand " mission , though technically the Iron Hand part refers only to a suppression attack that paves the way for the main strike . ) Originally named " Project Ferret " , denoting a predatory animal that goes into its prey ' s den to kill it ( hence : " " to ferret out " " ) , the name was changed to differentiate it from the code - name " Ferret " that had been used during World War II for radar counter - measures bombers . In brief , the task of a Wild Weasel aircraft is to bait enemy anti - aircraft defenses into targeting it with their radars , whereupon the radar waves are traced back to their source allowing the Weasel or its teammates to precisely target it for destruction . A simple analogy is playing the game of " flashlight tag " in the dark ; a flashlight is usually the only reliable means of identifying someone in order to " tag " ( destroy ) them , but the light immediately renders the bearer able to be identified and attacked as well . The result is a hectic game of cat - and - mouse in which the radar " flashlights " are rapidly cycled on and off in an attempt to identify and kill the target before the target is able to home in on the emitted radar " light " and destroy the site . Equipment . Wild Weasel I . The Wild Weasel concept was originally proposed in 1965 as a method of countering the increasing North Vietnamese SAM threat , using volunteer crews flying the two - seat F model of the F - 100 Super Sabre ; while the United States Navy primarily relied upon the A - 4 Skyhawk . While an effective airframe , the F - 100F Wild Weasel did not have the performance characteristics to survive in a high threat environment . The first Wild Weasel squadron was the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron based at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base , Thailand . After 45 days of operations against North Vietnamese targets , the 354th had one airplane left and of the 16 aircrew members , four had been killed , two were POW ' s , three had been wounded and two had quit . Wild Weasel II and III . The Wild Weasel II version was the first unsuccessful attempt to use the F - 4C as the Wild Weasel platform . When that effort failed , the Wild Weasel role was then passed to the F - 105F in the summer of 1966 . The F - 105F was converted for the role and was designated Wild Weasel III . The F - 105F was equipped with more advanced radar , jamming equipment , and a heavier armament . Anti - radiation missile s were outfitted that could seek out radar emplacements . The F - 105F Wild Weasel airframes were eventually modified with improved countermeasures components in a standardize configuration and designated the F - 105G . The F - 105G was also designated Wild Weasel III ; 61 F - 105F units were upgraded to F - 105G specifications . Although in some documentation the F - 105F was referred to as an EF - 105F , that designation never existed in the operational flying squadrons . Wild Weasel IV . The F - 105 had gone out of production by 1964 . With severe combat attrition of the F - 105 inventory , the need for a still more sophisticated aircraft resulted in the conversion of 36 F - 4C Phantom II aircraft , designated F - 4C Wild Weasel IV . The F - 4C Wild Weasel IV was also not designated as an EF - 4C . Wild Weasel V . The F - 4E , the most advanced Phantom variant with extensive ground - attack capabilities and an internal gun , became the basis for the F - 4G Wild Weasel V ( also known as the Advanced Wild Weasel ) . This modification consisted of removing the gun and replacing it with the APR - 38 ( t ) Radar Homing and Warning Receiver ( later upgraded to the APR - 47 ) , and a cockpit upgrade for the back seat to manage the electronic combat environment . A total of 134 F - 4G models were converted from F - 4Es with the first one flying in 1975 . Squadron service began in 1978 . F - 4Gs were deployed to three active wings . One was stationed at George AFB , Victorville , California . as part of the Rapid Deployment Force ; one wing was assigned to USAFE ( US Air Forces Europe ) at Spangdahlem AB , Germany ; and the other to PACAF ( Pacific Air Forces ) at Clark AFB , Philippines . F - 4Gs from George AFB and Spangdahlem AB saw combat during " Operation Desert Storm " in 1991 , successfully protecting strike packages from enemy air defenses . During this conflict the F - 4G saw heavy use , with only a single loss : an aircraft from Spangdahlem AB crashed in Saudi Arabia while returning from a mission . After an investigation into the loss of the aircraft which occurred during several aborted landing attempts in a sandstorm , it was determined that a fuel cell was punctured by anti - aircraft fire . The pilot and EWO safely ejected after the engines seized when the aircraft ran out of fuel attempting to land at a forward airstrip . After " Desert Storm " , some of the George AFB aircraft were assigned to the 124th Wing of the Air National Guard at Boise , Idaho , 190th Fighter Squadron . Aircraft from Spangdahlem , Clark , and the remainder from George were assigned to the 57th Fighter Wing ( Active AF ) assigned to Nellis AFB at Las Vegas , 561st Fighter Squadron . The aircraft remained in service until 1996 , with both squadrons participating in frequent deployments to Saudi Arabia and Turkey in support of Operation Provide Comfort , Operation Southern Watch , and Operation Vigilant Warrior enforcing the no - fly zones over Iraq . By this time the F - 4G was the last operational variant of the Phantom II in the US forces . Many of the airframes were later used as target drones and Aircraft Battle Damage Repair training aids . Current . A change in aircraft design theory to stress versatile multi - role aircraft meant that the F - 4G was the last aircraft specifically outfitted for the SEAD role . The Wild Weasel mission is now assigned to the F - 16 Fighting Falcon , using the Block 50 and Block 52 , with production beginning in 1991 . The single - seat Block 50 / 52 F - 16C is specifically tasked with this mission . The pilot now performs both the role of flying the airplane and targeting and employing against ground threats . Other aircraft , such as the F - 15E Strike Eagle and A - 10 Thunderbolt II " Warthog " , while capable of engaging mobile SAM launchers and anti - aircraft artillery ( AAA ) in a CAS role lack the avionics to perform a true SEAD mission . The F - 35 Lightning II is slated to gradually replace these aircraft for various air - to - ground roles , including SEAD , beginning with its introduction in 2016 . Its stealth capabilities promise a significant increase in effectiveness against air - defense radars , though to maintain its lowest radar signature , its payload capacity would be limited to the internal weapons bays , reducing the number of missile site attacks per sortie . However , it can carry more or larger air to ground weapons internally than even the F - 22 and is more advanced in a ground attack capacity , potentially making it the best manned aircraft for destroying sophisticated enemy air defenses . Mission tactics . In 1966 over North Vietnam , Wild Weasel flights of four aircraft sometimes were led by a single F - 105F / G two - seat aircraft ( aided by its Electronic Warfare Officer ( EWO ) with his electronic receivers & analyzers ) plus three F - 105Ds . Sometimes two " F " s , each with a " D " wingman , operated independently . The Wild Weasel mission was to precede strike flights , sanitizing the target area of radar guided Surface - to - Air Missile SA - 2 ' Guideline ' threats , leaving the threat area last , which sometimes would result in 3 . 5 - hour missions , before returning to Royal Thai Air Force Bases . This was achieved by turning toward the air defense site in a threatening manner , firing radar homing missiles at the site , or visually locating the site to dive bomb it . These tactics were attempted while under attack by MiGs and anti - aircraft artillery . The F - 105F did not utilize radar jamming device s since its purpose was to provide a decoy target , protecting the strike flights , and encouraging SAM launches that generated enough bright smoke to make possible seeing the SAM site for immediate dive bombing attack . With multiple incoming missiles in visual sight it was possible to dive abruptly or sharply break to avoid them . Failure to see the missiles approaching at three times fighter cruise speed would result in the destruction of the aircraft and failure of the mission . Vietnam War tactics of utilizing " Hunter - Killer " teams , where an F - 4G Wild Weasel would be teamed with one or more conventional F - 4E Phantoms were improved upon with the newer equipment . The Wild Weasel would destroy missile radar emitters , clearing the way for the F - 4E ' s to destroy the rest of the missile site using cluster munition s . A tactic used during Operation Desert Storm was known as " " Here , kitty kitty " " , wherein one Weasel would get the attention of a SAM or anti - aircraft artillery site while other Weasels would then sneak up behind the site and destroy it . In one of the Wild Weasel concept ' s most famous uses in military operations , five F - 105Gs , using the call - signs " Firebird 01 – 05 " , provided support for the Son Tay P . O . W . Rescue Mission , which was conducted in the early morning hours of 21 November 1970 . One of these aircraft was shot down by an SA - 2 surface - to - air missile , but its crew ejected safely and was rescued by the HH - 53 " Super Jolly " helicopters that also participated in the raid . None of the aircraft of the raiding force protected by Wild Weasels was lost to enemy action . Motto and traditions . The unofficial motto of the Wild Weasel crews is YGBSM : " You Gotta Be Shittin ' Me " . This appears prominently on the logo patch of some squadrons . As the story goes , this was the response of Jack Donovan , a former B - 52 EWO ( Electronic Warfare Officer ) : This was the natural response of an educated man , a veteran EWO on B - 52s and the like , upon learning that he was to fly back seat to a self - absorbed fighter pilot while acting as flypaper for enemy SAMs . His exact words were : " You want me to fly in the back of a little tiny fighter aircraft with a crazy fighter pilot who thinks he ' s invincible , home in on a SAM site in North Vietnam , and shoot it before it shoots me , you gotta be shittin ' me ! " The " WW " tailcode of the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing and the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing derives from their Wild Weasel heritage . " The first Wild Weasel success came soon after ( the first Wild Weasel mission 20 December 1965 where both air crewmen were either captured or killed ) , when Captains Al Lamb and Jack Donovan took out a site during a Rolling Thunder strike on the railyard at Yen Bai , some 75 miles northwest of Hanoi . "