Your Nation's Air Force Mark III: Best Korea Edition

[Gallia-]

What do you think took over F-111's low level penetration mission...

[Zhouran]

What do you think took over F-111's low level penetration mission...

The F-15E, though the F-111 has a higher ordnance payload and longer range. Here in Australia, our F-111C was to be replaced by the F-35, but since our government wanted to quickly retire the F-111C, the F/A-18F was acquired as an interim replacement before the arrival of the F-35. Pretty much the F-111's replacement are smaller and shorter-range, except if we include the B-1B which replaced the F-111 in the supersonic bomber role.

[Theodosiya]

Do you really need "F/A-50" when you have F-16 and Su-25? One does the "smol jet" part and the other does the "trainer" part.

Su-25 CAS, F-16 bulk fighter, FA-50 Trainer. Decided that a Lightweight Fighter might have more marginal use than pure LIFT.

[Gallia-]

What do you think took over F-111's low level penetration mission...

The F-15E, though the F-111 has a higher ordnance payload and longer range. Here in Australia, our F-111C was to be replaced by the F-35, but since our government wanted to quickly retire the F-111C, the F/A-18F was acquired as an interim replacement before the arrival of the F-35. Pretty much the F-111's replacement are smaller and shorter-range, except if we include the B-1B which replaced the F-111 in the supersonic bomber role.

F/A-18F didn't interfere with acquisition of F-35 so Australia is not hurt by it in the slightest. On the contrary, Australia is actively re-arming.

B-1B didn't replace F-111 any time after the 1980s. Only F-15E can match F-111's ability to strike Warsaw and Gdansk with B-61s at low altitude.

Do you really need "F/A-50" when you have F-16 and Su-25? One does the "smol jet" part and the other does the "trainer" part.

Su-25 CAS, F-16 bulk fighter, FA-50 Trainer. Decided that a Lightweight Fighter might have more marginal use than pure LIFT.

All of these aircraft except Su-25 do the same things.

Su-25 just can't really stand up to things like MiG-29.

[Zhouran]

F/A-18F didn't interfere with acquisition of F-35 so Australia is not hurt by it in the slightest. On the contrary, Australia is actively re-arming.

B-1B didn't replace F-111 any time after the 1980s. Only F-15E can match F-111's ability to strike Warsaw and Gdansk with B-61s at low altitude.

It's a shame though that the F/A-18F is only an interim measure. I kinda like the plane, especially seeing them fly past my neighborhood during winter and spring. Also, F-15E would definitely be more survivable than the F-111, it's smaller in size and has better avionics. The Su-34 is technically the only Russian equivalent to the F-111 since the Su-24's shorter-range makes it more comparable to the Panavia Tornado than the F-111 that many people compare it to.

[Gallia-]

I was implying that F-111 had nothing useful to offer anyone these days, actually. All it has, really, is range, and that can be acquired with something like B-21.

[Zhouran]

I was implying that F-111 had nothing useful to offer anyone these days, actually. All it has, really, is range, and that can be acquired with something like B-21.

From what I heard, the F-111 was also maintenance-intensive and expensive, including its Pave Tack. It's a shame to see the F-111 retire though, at the time of their introduction the F-111 would of been a pretty hi-tech combat aircraft especially for the mid-60s. I can still remember my first and last time seeing the RAAF F-111C do a dump-and-burn in person, it was a time when the planes were a few months away from being retired by December 2010.

Anyway, since the B-21 would replace both the B-2 and B-1B, would the F-35 replace the F-15E in the deep-interdiction role or would the B-21 perform that role instead? The F-35 has a pretty short range and lighter ordnance payload than the F-15E, although its stealthiness makes its suitable for the F-15E's interdiction role. The B-21 is slower but has longer range and possibly a higher payload since it is a heavy bomber.

[Gallia-]

F-15E stays around until the 2040s or so. Further if they SLEP it.

Whether or not "silver bullet" type distribution of VLO aircraft or going all VLO is better is an open question. Only really small, unimportant air forces and really big, mega rich air forces can do all VLO though.

[Kanugues Wed]

Since my AESA radar for my uber-tigershark is not AIM-7 capable, as I upgrade to the new standard, I realized that I'll have a big stockpile of AIM-7's sitting around. What should I do with them? Maybe stick a few in an APC and make more AA (I'm thinking of putting launchers like this on the back of this truck inside the rear of an M113, how does that sound)? Or make them into sea sparrows?

[Zhouran]

Since my AESA radar for my uber-tigershark is not AIM-7 capable, as I upgrade to the new standard, I realized that I'll have a big stockpile of AIM-7's sitting around. What should I do with them? Maybe stick a few in an APC and make more AA (I'm thinking of putting launchers like this on the back of this truck inside the rear of an M113, how does that sound)? Or make them into sea sparrows?

I'm not sure about directly converting AIM-7s into SAMs, but do you have older compatible fighters in reserve? You could either sell them or sell them for scraps.

[Kanugues Wed]

We do have AIM-7s capable reserves (F-20s), but we’re trying to replace them with our newer, ultra tigersharks. I’m thinking as I bring early model tigersharks out of service and sold/boneyarded them, I’d move their AIM-7 inventory into conversion.

I mean, AIM-7s became the Sea sparrow, and I’m not really sure what beyond software prevents launching them from land.

[Zhouran]

I mean, AIM-7s became the Sea sparrow, and I’m not really sure what beyond software prevents launching them from land.

I was assuming that Sea Sparrows are manufactured as Sea Sparrows rather than being AIM-7 conversions, but since the AIM-120 AMRAAM can be used in a SAM role (SLAMRAAM, NASAMS) with minor modifications, the same could be said with the AIM-7.

[Kanugues Wed]

What would you do to them anyways to make a SAM? What’s different between the AMRAAM and SLAMRAAM missiles?

Mostly I’m thinking of sticking them on M113s and maybe BMPs to give infantry some long-range organic air defense.

[Connori Pilgrims]

What would you do to them anyways to make a SAM? What’s different between the AMRAAM and SLAMRAAM missiles?

Mostly I’m thinking of sticking them on M113s and maybe BMPs to give infantry some long-range organic air defense.

At the most basic, reprogram them to take into account the fact they're launching from the ground as opposed to launching from the air, which changes the dynamics of the missile's flight profile a lot (for one, the missile will have much smaller effective range when launched from the ground as opposed from the air).

Then of course, they'll need software changes to adapt them to a different fire control set up AND the aforementioned flight profile. Although if you're one of those users of Link16 or some other force-wide datalink then presumably they can accept targeting data from most any platform.

[Kanugues Wed]

What would you do to them anyways to make a SAM? What’s different between the AMRAAM and SLAMRAAM missiles?

Mostly I’m thinking of sticking them on M113s and maybe BMPs to give infantry some long-range organic air defense.

At the most basic, reprogram them to take into account the fact they're launching from the ground as opposed to launching from the air, which changes the dynamics of the missile's flight profile a lot (for one, the missile will have much smaller effective range when launched from the ground as opposed from the air).

Then of course, they'll need software changes to adapt them to a different fire control set up AND the aforementioned flight profile. Although if you're one of those users of Link16 or some other force-wide datalink then presumably they can accept targeting data from most any platform.

We’ve got a Force-wide datalink on our newer kit (SLAMRAAMS, late-model older aircraft and newer aircraft, etc) but it’s not present on all equipment. So it’s mainly a software issue (my nation loves when software is the issue because we let software developers do their mandatory service by writing software for us on the cheap)?

[Gallia-]

Since my AESA radar for my uber-tigershark is not AIM-7 capable

F-20 was always AIM-7 compatible...

We do have AIM-7s capable reserves (F-20s), but we’re trying to replace them with our newer, ultra tigersharks.

Is it really an improvement if it's worse than the most basic Tigershark?

[Zhouran]

Would conducting a surprise airstrike on a foreign target without declaring war on the particular nation (something like Operation Opera, Operation Orchard, and Operation Wooden Leg) be considered "acceptable" by the international community? Let's say there is a third-world nation that's hostile to my nation, and they're currently building a nuclear power plant, would it be "reasonable" to bomb their nuclear power plant under the buzzwords of "armed self-defense" and "involuntary nuclear disarmament"?

[Kanugues Wed]

Since my AESA radar for my uber-tigershark is not AIM-7 capable

F-20 was always AIM-7 compatible...

We do have AIM-7s capable reserves (F-20s), but we’re trying to replace them with our newer, ultra tigersharks.

Is it really an improvement if it's worse than the most basic Tigershark?

It’s not worse, it’s just that like every other nations airforce we’re replacing them in the aviation role with AIM-120s. We put on a new, far more capable, radar from our indigenous fighter and it’s not AIM-7 capable (the Uber Tigershark is meant to be cheap, changing up the radar to work with AIM-7s is too expensive)

[Crookfur]

F-20 was always AIM-7 compatible...



Is it really an improvement if it's worse than the most basic Tigershark?

It’s not worse, it’s just that like every other nations airforce we’re replacing them in the aviation role with AIM-120s. We put on a new, far more capable, radar from our indigenous fighter and it’s not AIM-7 capable (the Uber Tigershark is meant to be cheap, changing up the radar to work with AIM-7s is too expensive)

Honestly I don't know why your radar wouldn't be capable of providing illumination for AIM-7, pretty much all the current AESAs do and its a much cheaper and easier feature to incorporate than AMRAAMs 2 way data link.

Anyway I don't see the issue. Frankly you it unlikely that you will have enough missiles to outlast the AIM-7 capable fighters in your service and if you do it's probably just easier to give those pilots plenty of warshots against drone and targets. Before disarming what few you have left for museums and recycling.

[Connori Pilgrims]

Would conducting a surprise airstrike on a foreign target without declaring war on the particular nation (something like Operation Opera, Operation Orchard, and Operation Wooden Leg) be considered "acceptable" by the international community? Let's say there is a third-world nation that's hostile to my nation, and they're currently building a nuclear power plant, would it be "reasonable" to bomb their nuclear power plant under the buzzwords of "armed self-defense" and "involuntary nuclear disarmament"?

If that nation is either isolated or ostracised and you have a powerful backer/or are the resident hegemon and have ability to influence world opinion, you could get away with only harsh words and empty condemnations and threats.

Of course, that assumes you live in a world that makes some sense...

[Gallia-]

F-20 was always AIM-7 compatible...



Is it really an improvement if it's worse than the most basic Tigershark?

It’s not worse, it’s just that like every other nations airforce we’re replacing them in the aviation role with AIM-120s.

And like every other nation's air force you have oodles of AIM-7s which are perfectly fine.

So it's worse.

[Kanugues Wed]

We also have plenty of AIM-120s than are better than perfectly fine. I’m not talking about completely eliminating the AIM-7 capable aircraft, it’s just once I’ve gotten rid of a few hundred aircraft you don’t want to have to store enough AIM-7s for 800 airplanes when you’ve only got 200, and they’re reserve.

What actually makes a radar capable of launching a specific missile anyways? Is it software or hardware? If it’s software I might just let the fuckers work

[Gallia-]

It's both.

A modern radar has no trouble guiding AIM-7s though. AIM-7R would be considered a top missile had it been built, since it would be better than AMRAAM.

[Zhouran]

So apparently Finalnd's National Defense University says that the Baltic Air Policing is untenable in the event of war due to a) lack of hardened aircraft shelters in Siauliai and Amari, and b) air-defense in Kalinigrad can stop NATO air operations in the Baltics. Wouldn't the Baltic Air Policing be more of a symbolic action in which NATO will protect the Baltic states and always keep an eye on Russian planes flying in and out of Kalinigrad? The number of fighter jets deployed for BAP is generally at a small level, with the latest deployment being only four Typhoons from the Italian Air Force since January 10.

If that nation is either isolated or ostracised and you have a powerful backer/or are the resident hegemon and have ability to influence world opinion, you could get away with only harsh words and empty condemnations and threats.

Of course, that assumes you live in a world that makes some sense...

Well my nation doesn't always airstrike third-world dictatorships everyday, just somedays. Other than that, my air force does air-policing abroad under the pretext of "non-aligned neutrality", and with territorial disputes like the South China Sea situation, "supervision of freedom of navigation".

[Taihei Tengoku]

The Baltics in general are untenable in the event of war. BAP is there so that it can prevent salami-slicing from total inaction.