FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1983
1983 - 1268.PDF
STAR '83 Right and below Two-dimensional vectoring nozzles could be retrofitted to F-15s and F-16s to provide short-field performance for operation from damaged runways including 2,0001b more internal fuel and a 68,0001b maximum take-off weight. These latest Eagles can carry Fast Pack conformal fuel pallets, and F-15C/Ds assigned to support the Rapid Deploy ment Force carry both conformal tanks and multiple ejector bomb racks. The F-16 MSIP is a more extensive affair, and introduces an improved West- inghouse APG-66 radar compatible with Amraam and with new air-to-ground modes. The F-16C (and two-seat F-16D) enters production in 1984. In addition to the new radar, the aircraft will have provision for ASP J internal electronic countermeasures, Seek Talk, and Jtids. Lantirn multisensors As a multirole fighter, the F-16 is replacing the F-4 Phantom. The A model is limited to daylight bombing, so an important part of the MSIP is to give the F-16 a night/poor-weather ground-attack capability in the form of the Martin Marietta Lantirn low-altitude navigation and targeting multisensor system. To be introduced in 1987, Lantirn comprises two pods, one housing a naviga tion and targeting forward-looking infrared (Flir) sensor and laser rangefinder/designator, the other a terrain-following radar. The principal armament will be the Hughes AGM-86D Maverick missile with imaging infrared seeker. To help the pilot cope with the night attack mission, a new cockpit has been designed, based on multifunction dis plays. The primary flight instrument is a wide-angle holographic headup display (Hud) on to which is projected Flir imag ery, superimposed on flight data and terrain-following steering cues. Two head- down CRTs display radar, Lantirn targeting Flir, and Maverick seeker images. The cost of incorporating these new systems may result in F-16Cs being equipped for either beyond-visual-range air-defence or all-weather ground-attack. In both cases aircraft will retain the abil ity to perform either role to a certain extent because of the radar's multimode capability. The extent to which F-16As and Bs are refitted with Amraam and Lantirn has also to be decided. The US Air Force plans to buy 1,452 F-15s and 2,165 F-16s, to include 400 dual-role versions capable of long-range air-to-surface missions in addition to air defence. The dual-role fighter will replace the F-4 and augment the F-lll on day/night, all-weather, deep-penetration strike missions, while continuing to assist in maintaining battlefield air superiority. The Service will take either the F-15 or the F-16 and equip it for the air-to-surface role while retaining the original's air- defence capability. To this end the Air Force has evaluated both the F-15 and the cranked-arrow-wing F-16XL, represent ing different approaches to the dual-role requirement. The dual-role F-15E, as it would be designated, would be structurally identical to the F-15D, but with a new two-place integrated cockpit bringing together the various systems and sensors required to perform the task. The proposed rear cock pit features four CRTs, a central pair presenting radar and Flir imagery flanked by slightly smaller digital moving map and threat warning displays. The front cockpit is dominated by a wide-angle Hud showing navigation Flir imagery, below which are two CRTs for radar and Flir and a third displaying the digital moving map. Synthetic aperture The primary sensor for the dual-role fighter is Lantirn, although the Air Force has evaluated both the F-lll's Pave Tack targeting pod and a modified version of the F-18's Flir pod as alternatives. High- resolution synthetic-aperture ground mapping by the Hughes APG-63 radar is available as a growth option, as is a flight- control system modification which enables the F-15 to release bombs in a turn. General Dynamics has elected to improve the overall performance of the F-16 in the ground-attack role by install ing a new cranked-arrow wing. With 120 per cent more wing area and two fuselage plugs to accommodate the longer root chord, the double-delta F-16XL carries 82 per cent more internal fuel. Stores are carried tangentially to the wing undersurface on 17 hardpoints, and drag fully loaded is some 60 per cent less than with conventional carriage. Radar cross-section is also halved. The reduction in drag and the greater fuel capacity has 140 FLIGHT International, 16 July 1983
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
