Tomcat Sunset Ceremony

[HeyJoe]

UAV Thread

Like every program that has yet to hit the fleet....
I'll Believe it when I see it...

There's a thread already debating the future of UAVs and whether aviators should start looking at being the folks that fly them: http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14277

Seems to me that UAVs of all sizes and shapes are everywhere you look and the UCAS program (X-45 for USAF and X-47 for Navy) may supplement manned aviation, but itsn't ready for prime time quite yet. Awesome for persistent ISR though.

 

[Fre@kshow!!]

Well, you might notice that I did not include the Hornet as there are some raging threads going on concerning whether the "Legacy" Hornet is "JV". I've also heard called the "Bug", which would make the E/F the "Super Bug"

It'd be interesting what specifically those calling the "C" JV are talking about.
What are the MAIN differences?
Less internal gas
Slightly shorter range radar
Two less wing hardpoints

That's really not enough to me to consider it any less capable for real world missions. It still carries the same weapons. I've never, even during the EF and OIF seen a Rhino take off with anything on the third wing stations. I believe it's more fuel efficient and is just as fast or isn't any slower to speak of, take your pick (a Hornet guy can correct me). Not having that extra internal gas hurts sometimes, but that's why we have Rhino tankers.
So in the A/A arena, yes, maybe a slight disadvantage, but certainly not in the A/G arena. And now that most "C" Hornets either have or are on timeline to have L-16, they kind of even up. Any pointy-nose guy want to chime in here. I'm just a controller after all.

A better comparison would be the Tomcat against a new "F". Now we've got somthing to talk about!!! A Turkey with it's big radar, huge fuel and speed, Phoenix(I know, I know, let's not get into a Phoenix debate), TCS, L-16, and was decent as a striker with LGB's... Would anybody consider (strictly looking at it as a weapon) the Tomcat JV to a Hornet "F"?