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Japanese F-15 carrying experimental Air-Launch Multi Purpose UAV


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Great photo! :woo: Thanks for linking! :cheers:

Another pic of the UAV on the ground can be found HERE (scroll about three quarters down). Three more, pretty large pics of the UAV on an F-15J can be found HERE (about half-way down). Both links were found by Deino and posted in other threads.

One of the pics suggests there is a camera behind the faceted windows. Very interesting to see a UAV on a fighter.

This would be a Hasegawa special I'd buy in a heartbeat. Come on, Hasegawa, you know you want to. Release your F-15J with a sprue for this UAV included twice. :D

Edited by ChernayaAkula
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This must be something new or low-key because it's just about impossible to find any info in english about this UAV program other than this YouTube Link that shows that they prolly are UAVs, unless Cruise missiles have landing gear

Looks pretty cool, but why the Air Launch, and moreover, why on the f-15J as oppossed to their specialized Recon Phantoms?

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<...> why on the f-15J as oppossed to their specialized Recon Phantoms?

Maybe ground clearance issues? Looks pretty big the high-winged Eagle. It must sit very, very near to the ground on an F-4. Besides, a recon version of the F-15J is supposed to take over the recon role from the RF-EJs. Maybe they figure it isn't cost-effective to trial it on a Phantom (if at all possible) when it will be phased-out soon.

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Okay, apparently it's called TACOM and can be carried on F-4EJs. CLICKY.

Even more pics in THIS THREAD (about a third down), along with pics of the next-generation anti-ship missile. Another PIC (one UAV in grey camo). Still MORE PICS.

Okay, why do I get this idea these things will fly into a target area and transform into small robots. :woot.gif::rolleyes:

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Sorry for responding yet again to this thread (:wave:), but I find this very interesting. HERE are two more shots of that UAV on the F-15J, one of them from an angle not yet seen (and some more pics of F-2s with XASM-3).

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operationally makes alot of sense to me..

the f-15 motherbird acts as the UAV's extended legs, providing the long range and high speed entrance into hostile territory, or at least bringing them into the target area at high speeds, thus saving on fuel and time taken for each mission.

the small size of the uavs make them difficult to hit, so the motherbird f-15 would be able to launch these drones ahead of herself, without risking enemy SAMs or the whole barrage of defences.

tactically, i can think of one possible scenario.

the f-15J® would fly from their airbases in south japan across the sea of japan at crusie speed of mach 1.4 at 30,000 feet. approximately 50-100miles away from hostile land, the motherbird releases the uav drones, which then fly toward predetermined target areas to look for possible nuclear test facilities and missile launching sites. speed of the uavs is probably more than 400km/hr given that these UAVs look more like missiles than the prop driven 'norm'. enemy defence pick up the f-15j on their radar shortly after, and begin interception procedures. meanwhile, their radar is unable to track the tiny highspeed UAV, which have already begun storing valauable enemy radar detection frequencies and wavelengths for future countermeasures.

the f-15 breaks for home, not wanting to risk getting shot by primitive but deadly SAMs.

the UAVs arrive at the target area and loiter around the sites for 30-60minutes taking photoshots, instantly relaying back to base via satellite link. and then they bug out at high speed again towards the sea. with landing gear deployed they are able to land at the nearest airbase. or onto a barrier net that can be set up on the flight decks of the ticonderoga class cruisers patrolling in the seas.

ok. that's just my vision of how they work anyway. i hope no japanese secret police come knocking on my door tomorrow!

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You know what they look like to me???

Small F-16s... look at the configuration!

:blink: My thoughts exactly! :monkeydance: Save for the dorsal intake and double vertical stabs, that looks like a little Viper.

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I dunno.. Kinda looks more like some sort of sub scale test program than a true UAV.

Does anyone have any info on what role is planned for this? Doesn't look like it would have particularly long range.

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and moreover, why on the f-15J as oppossed to their specialized Recon Phantoms?

Well, first of all, that F-15 belongs to the Air Proving Wing/Technical Research and Development Institute.

2nd of all, when Japan gets round to buying a replacement for their F-4s, one squadron of F-15s is planned to re-role to recon.

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operationally makes alot of sense to me..

ok. that's just my vision of how they work anyway. i hope no japanese secret police come knocking on my door tomorrow!

Whiny.jpg

I am Sato, Kempeitai... You teru me what you know. :woot.gif: Wakarimashita ka? Otherwise, I make rife velly uncomfotable for you. Make you see my good fliend; Japanese bodyguard, Yumi...she very good at bleaking arms.

yumiSekineCalves.jpg

------------------------------------------

Those UAVs look like baby AS-4 Kitchen missiles, but those suckers are larger than the UAVs pictured on the F-15J Kai.

Incidentally, there was some English stuff from the Strategycenter website.

http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pub.../pub_detail.asp

A model of the TRDI Unmanned Aircraft Research System seen in early November 2007. Source: RD Fisher

20071206_08a.jpg a model

Edited by The_Animal
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Hi all.

That thing is called UAVX-2. It is a recce UAV, intended to be carried by an F-15 (and also by MSDF's P-3?). After its release, it will fly a pre-planned route (no guided capability), with GPS to correct its position. Landing is done automatically.

Measures are: lenght, 5.2m; height, 1.6m and width 2.5m.

Apparently it has some stealth capability and its maximum flight altitude is about 12000m.

Four machines are to be developed by 2009 on a 10.3 billion yen programme (numbers 1001 to 1004?)

1002

:worship:

Edited by tengu
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