Boeing Flies EA-18G Wingtip and Jamming Pods for First Time

[Super Hornet 88]

Talked to a ECMO who was at TPS last year and I asked if they had looked a the effect of the canted pylons on the pods, will it stress them? (They ain't that sturdy to begin with...) His response "that is a good question". I repeated the question and he said "that is a good question, I wonder if anyone has looked at that" with a really big smirk on his face. He said that no one had really looked at it in depth and he and the other VAQ types at Test had asked the question but had not gotten an answer. Don't know if has been looked at since.

I heard they (Boeing) were going to use an adapter to correct the canted pylons so the pod could face straight.

 

[Brett327]

Talked to a ECMO who was at TPS last year and I asked if they had looked at the effect of the canted pylons on the pods, will it stress them? (They ain't that sturdy to begin with...) His response "that is a good question". I repeated the question and he said "that is a good question, I wonder if anyone has looked at that" with a really big smirk on his face. He said that no one had really looked at it in depth and he and the other VAQ types at Test had asked the question but had not gotten an answer. Don't know if has been looked at since.

I know they've flight tested them > M1.0, but don't know the details. I'm sure they'll figure it out.

@ Super 88: Where all the jets are is a pretty fluid thing, but bottom line is that deployers get 4 jets in order to complete their T & R requirements prior to cruise. That means the RAG or non-deploying squadrons might have to move jets around and have less at certain times. That is generally the case across other communities as well.

Brett

 

[nittany03]

Here's a question. May or may not be answerable on a public forum, but what the heck. Prowler only carries pods and HARM, but I've seen some powerpoints online saying the Shocker will carry Rockeye as well. Any idea if it will take a more "in your face" SEAD role versus the Prowler (i.e. dropping said Rockeyes)? Or is that need-to-know stuff?

 

[Brett327]

Here's a question. May or may not be answerable on a public forum, but what the heck. Prowler only carries pods and HARM, but I've seen some powerpoints online saying the Shocker will carry Rockeye as well. Any idea if it will take a more "in your face" SEAD role versus the Prowler (i.e. dropping said Rockeyes)? Or is that need-to-know stuff?

First I've heard of the Rockeye thing - probably bad gouge. There is talk of J-WEPS (JDAM/JSOW) capes for future upgrades offered up by Boeing, but I don't think anything for that has been funded. Also, a pair of AIM-120s will be part of the standard combat loadout. IMO, the biggest advantage of the G will be its ability to self-escort and have uber-SA with all of its sensors and link capes.

Brett

 

[nittany03]

First I've heard of the Rockeye thing - probably bad gouge. There is talk of J-WEPS (JDAM/JSOW) capes for future upgrades offered up by Boeing, but I don't think anything for that has been funded. Also, a pair of AIM-120s will be part of the standard combat loadout. IMO, the biggest advantage of the G will be its ability to self-escort and have uber-SA with all of its sensors and link capes.

Brett

Not surprised; the thought of a Shocker/Growler rolling in hot on a target always seemed a little weird to me . . .

 

[Brett327]

Not surprised; the thought of a Shocker/Growler rolling in hot on a target always seemed a little weird to me . . .

Did someone select Prowlers?

Brett

 

[nittany03]

Did someone select Prowlers?

Brett

No, but selection time is coming up in a month or so . . .

 

[A4sForever]

Not surprised; the thought of a Shocker/Growler rolling in hot on a target always seemed a little weird to me . . .

Ummmmm ..... No way the USN is going to "risk" their high-end $$$$ Tactical EA-jammers rolling in "hot" on a SAM site with ROCK's ..... which are, by the way, possibly one of the finest "dumb" munitions goin' ....

 

[invertedflyer]

Canted pylons were due to worries about weapons separation. Vibration issues arose after the pylons were canted...causing lots of weapon/launcher redesign. Pretty amazing when you consider the canting was done to appease a single senior engineer who folks were afraid to defy (according to what I've heard over the years). Now it's too expensive to change the design to straighten them back out. At least they don't move around like the F111 pylons!

Thats lame that they did that to appease one engineer (if the story is true)...Yeah I heard the canted pylons create a significant amount of drag on the aircraft... any truth to this?

 

[Blutonski816]

Thats lame that they did that to appease one engineer (if the story is true)...Yeah I heard the canted pylons create a significant amount of drag on the aircraft... any truth to this?

There is a reason the Rhino is considered the slow fat kid in the the TacAir inventory...


this is just one of many...

 

[Brett327]

There is a reason the Rhino is considered the slow fat kid in the the TacAir inventory...


this is just one of many...

I thought that was the Prowler.

Brett

 

[TurnandBurn55]

Ummmmm ..... No way the USN is going to "risk" their high-end $$$$ Tactical EA-jammers rolling in "hot" on a SAM site with ROCK's ..... which are, by the way, possibly one of the finest "dumb" munitions goin' ....

I dunno about "rolling in" with Rockeyes, but I don't think it would be inconceivable at all for them to have JASSM or JDAM on board to acheive a hard-kill from a level laydown.

 

[TurnandBurn55]

There is a reason the Rhino is considered the slow fat kid in the the TacAir inventory...

By who? Yes, you've probably read the propaganda from ADM Gilchrist and the "sob, sob, the Tomcat is gone" crowd. I can tell you from personal experience that many of the allegations they make are simply false.

Yes, it's probably the slowest 4th Gen fighter in the inventory. So what? Unless you want to spend $250M (and counting) on supercruise, you're going to need burners to get fast anyways, and that's just dinosaurs into noise. Besides, you can't turn with a lot of speed. Try putting your Corvette in a tight parking spot at 120mph.

The bottom line is that there's a "middle ground" airspeed that's actually practical, and the Rhino can get there and stay there easily. Yes, if I were ruler of the world, I'd like 70,000 pounds of thrust on my plane too. I'd also like a threesome with Jessica Alba and Lindsey Lohan in a foam room. But you're not going to b!tch about a girlfriend who likes pink fuzzy handcuffs, are you?

 

[FlytheBall]

Speaking of shocker check out this article in approach magazine. I saw the picture then noticed the callsign before i read the article and almost peed myself. Page 13 of the PDF file

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/media/approach/issues/mayjun06/PDF/Approach_MayJune06.pdf

 

[FMRAM]

Speaking of shocker check out this article in approach magazine. I saw the picture then noticed the callsign before i read the article and almost peed myself. Page 13 of the PDF file

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/media/approach/issues/mayjun06/PDF/Approach_MayJune06.pdf

Did you like his watch A4's?