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NAS Jacksonville Visit


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A huge thanks to a certain central Floridian resident (:() and his making my visit happen on 15 November.

Also, huge thanks to "Big John" and Master Chief Dave for their superb hospitality, especially for a last minute request. Can't thank all of them enough either.

LANTIRN pods from the F-14 community are being added to the S-3

LANTIRN_NASJAX_15Nov2006_Middleton_01.jpg

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s-3b_NASJAX_159760_AA00_VS22_15Nov2006_Middleton_01.jpg

note the license plate

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s-3b_NASJAX_160588_AA03_VS22_15Nov2006_Middleton_01.jpg

s-3b_NASJAX_160588_AA03_VS22_15Nov2006_Middleton_09.jpg

Edited by Ken Middleton
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Outstanding shots, Ken! Looks like NAS Jax was really cool about getting you on the line. I wonder when we'll start seeing those LANTIRN pods *on* S-3s and where they will be mounted?

Already seen a few mounted on the starboard side pylon.

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A huge thanks to a certain central Floridian resident (:cheers:) and his making my visit happen on 15 November.

Also, huge thanks to "Big John" and Master Chief Dave for their superb hospitality, especially for a last minute request. Can't thank all of them enough either.

Ken, I'm really glad things worked out for you on this after the false start. Big John say's you're welcome back anytime and that we'll have to come up together. I didn't get a chance to go over to the LANTIRN mod hanger. Mauler 705 came in with the LANTIRN pod during Friday's fly in. There are only two jets right now mod-ed for it, but more very very soon as you saw. The jet with the Florida plate is a former VS-30 jet as all of them had it when they came back from the gulf almost two years ago. Good to see they left it. Did you geta close up of it.

20060905-NASJax-0168.jpg

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LANTIRN, Surplus from the retired F-14 Fleet

whoops, it would have helped if i read the original post. haha :cheers:

What weapons does the S-3 carry that makes use of a LANTIRN pod? And can these weapons be carried internally or only on the wing?

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From navy.mil:

"LANTIRN provides the aircraft with new capabilities, such as Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR), live video feedback to the ship for real-time use, and video recording for later intelligence debriefing. Future models of LANTIRN will include laser designation capabilities.

This sophisticated sensor pod mounts on the aircraft's wing station and is operated by the naval flight officer (NFO) in the right front seat of the aircraft.

LANTIRN will allow VS-32 to keep a closer eye on vessels near the carrier and its strike group.

“It gives us the capability to stand off and observe vessels from a distance,†said Lt. Matt Russell, of VS-32. “We're the first S-3 squadron to get it, so we're the first-generation experiment.â€

“The amount of detail and the distance we can see with LANTIRN are both big advantages to the system,†said Russell. “The clarity and range are phenomenal. These advanced abilities translate into a real-world payoff for the Enterprise Strike Group as it continues its mission in the 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO)."

As of now I don't think they are using it for weapons delivery.

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From aerospaceweb.org:

ARMAMENT:

Gun: none

Stations: four hardpoints in two internal weapons bays and two external hardpoints.

Air-to-Air Missile: none.

Air-to-Surface Missile: two AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-65 Maverick.

Bomb: up to twelve Mk 82 GP, Mk 84 GP, up to two B-57 nuclear, cluster bombs.

Other: up to six Mk 54/57 depth charges, up to four Mk 46 ASW torpedoes, up to six Mk 53 sea mines, Mk 36 destructors, up to 60 sonobouys, rocket pods, wingtip ECM pods.

Edited by David Walker
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thanks! Also, one more question (sorry, i dont mean to be off topic with the thread), but what weapons can an S-3 carry in its bays?

BombBays: MK-82 slicks, MK-48/50 torps (yes, they can still carry them). Assorted cross country items like a crate of lobsters and such suspended from the BRU-14 racks.

Cheers

Atis

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Assorted cross country items like a crate of lobsters and such suspended from the BRU-14 racks.

LOL. reminds me of the Alpha jet that had to make an emergency landing because of a "hydrolic leak". Seems every possible place in the airframe was stowed with wine and liquer and they broke at altitude. CC's were p*ssed as h*ll!

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