 As an example, one USAF aircraft was shot 19 times while overflying Iraq, but managed to land safely because of the ESF.However, most accepted that there was a degree of military risk in their jobs, and like Steady and his crew, got on with it.At the inquest, an Air Force witness who remained unidentified and was called 'EA' admitted that he had sacked a US Air Force pilot who had refused to carry out daylight low flying.