USAF on speed

[weselfluren]

Listening to BBC Radio 5 Live last night, there was a claim that "some USAF Pilots (Long range Aircrew?) were given doses of Speed (can't spell amphetemines....) prior to missions". :8

Apparently this was also done during WWII with Bomber crews to keep them awake during the long haul to the Reich and back.
They alledged that the RAF denied doing anything similar to our own Aircrew only a couple of weeks ago.:hmm:

Now it was close to April 1st (about 23:20), but surely the BBC wouldn't stoop this low for an April Fools - not now there's a conflict going on with certain accidents occuring.:mad:
Would anyone like to shed light on these accusations? I for one can't believe it, as usually airforces don't want you using too many drugs before strapping into a fast jet.........:D

P.S. Good luck to all the Servicemen & women out there right now. Get home safe and soon.:ok:

[Steepclimb]

In fact it's not an accusation as you put it but a fact. Certainly not an April fool's joke. Actually it's standard practice these days for night missions. The very last thing you need is drowsy aircrew. It was commonly used during GW1 too.

Naturally it's all carefully controlled and administerd by flight surgeons. This is not some sort of street drug. The idea is to stay awake and alert not gain some high.

In fact as far as I'm aware it's not just long range crew but attack pilots too, certainly that was true of GW1.

[Bubbette]

If you do a pprune search, i think you'll see that this came out during the court martial of the US pilots who killed the Canadian pilots in a friendly fire case in Afghanistan.