I suspect the G, even with all the crap hanging off it, will still be more user friendly behing the boat than the B.
I suspect the G, even with all the crap hanging off it, will still be more user friendly behing the boat than the B.
What I meant to say was that even though the Super Hornet airframe can go faster and sustain more G, the Growler's limitations are probably similar with stores due to the limits the pods have.
The nice thing about the EF-18 is you COULD become the proverbial triple threat:
1. Jam 'em on the way in ...
2. Blow the shit out of the gomers on the ground w/ your ordnance ...
3. Shoot some 3rd world jet-jock in the face on the way out ...
Life is good ....
So how long until someone says," Hey, these old pods don't stand up to the performance of our new(ish) airplane, it's time to redesign."?
You know more about the current -18 bird missions than I .... but those "limitations" were seen as "opportunities to excel" in the Attack community ...With a .86 Mach limitation, you're not going to shoot much. And ... if you find some third world jet jock between you and the boat, something has gone terribly wrong....
You know more about the current -18 bird missions than I .... but those "limitations" were seen as "opportunities to excel" in the Attack community ...
I have heard rumblings about trying to test the pods out further; dunno if the Pax or China Lake guys ever ran with that.Won't the airspeed limitation be the ALQ-99 RATS? Unless they changed it they were .86/525 kts IIRC
I have heard rumblings about trying to test the pods out further; dunno if the Pax or China Lake guys ever ran with that.
And that would cost $$$. I know some people that have "unofficially" tested the pods above .86 IMN.
-ea6bflyr
... And with 1 AIM-120 available, if you find some third world jet jock between you and the boat, something has gone terribly wrong.....
If there is a red air threat between a Growler & the boat, the Growler had better be more concerned with throwing out every tron possible because it won't be the bad guy fighter he has to worry about, it's all the converging Squid & Zoomie fighter dudes trying to get a kill.
S/F
The real capabilites of this thing when the technology matures have yet to be fully exploited, but the potential is freakin' eyewatering... and I ain't talkin' speed and G.
I have heard rumblings about trying to test the pods out further; dunno if the Pax or China Lake guys ever ran with that.
So how long until someone says," Hey, these old pods don't stand up to the performance of our new(ish) airplane, it's time to redesign."?