A-6e tram intruder weapons loads

[ElectroSoldier]

On 1/20/2022 at 7:34 PM, Dave Roof said:

Not Navy, but an interesting load on a Marine Intruder at Sheik Isa during ODS. Starboard side was also a TER with two slant loaded LAU-10 (outboard) and a GBU-12 (inboard), based on the note I received from the Marine that sent to the photo.

 

 

What is that AIM-9L?M mounted to?

 

The A-6E must be top of the tree for shall I say "interesting" load-outs.

From an AIM-9 to its own jet engine for servicing.

[GW8345]

8 hours ago, ElectroSoldier said:

What is that AIM-9L?M mounted to?

 

The A-6E must be top of the tree for shall I say "interesting" load-outs.

From an AIM-9 to its own jet engine for servicing.

Honestly, there's no way to tell from that photos and here's why;

 

By the late 80/early 90's the AIM-9L was authorized to the same rocket motor as the AIM-9M so the only difference between the was two seeker head and externally, they looked the same (depending on what rocket motor the missile had, there were 5 different motors authorized for the L/M at the time the Lima's were in service with the USN/USMC) . The only way to tell the seeker heads apart was by their designation stenciled (painted) on it, the AIM-9L used the AN/DSQ-29 while the -9M used the WCU-4 Series.

 

So, unless someone can blow up that photo and read what is written on the seeker it could be a Lima or Mike.

 

With that said, I will add this, early Lima's (before the Mike's came out) did not have an arming key on the rocket motor, after the Mike's were released to the fleet the Lima's started to get the same (upgraded) rocket motors that the Mike's used so by the late 80's you couldn't tell the two apart except by the seeker head (and you had to read what type it was). If you are doing a late 70's / early-mid 80's Lima, don't put an arming key on the rocket motor, after that, they probably had an arming key.

 

By the type of arming key that Sidewinder has, I'd say it's a Mike. I'm guessing that for that time frame the Lima's did not have the "late style" type of arming key and were probably still configured with the "early type".

 

For those wondering what the difference was between the "early style" and "late style" arming keys was, the early style was removable (like the kind you see on an AGM-88 HARM) while the late style was basically a T-Handle that rotated and was not removable.

 

gw

[tomthegrom]

Hi everyone,

I am planning to build another intruder again soon. Probably a jet from the 90s. 

 

I am wondering if the A6 was a TALD carrier? If it was what else would likely be loaded with it?

 

Again I am looking for something interesting. I have TACTs pods, CBU, LGBs, mavericks, snakeyes, MK83 with conical fins, rocket pods etc in the stash. Please suggest something cool!

 

Cheers

Tom 

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by tomthegrom

[Collin]

I would search through the threads on this site, lot of past discussions on Intruder weapon loads. 
 

TALD was authorized (AFAIK) but never saw an A-6 carry them, baby Hornets would drop them for A-A weapon shoots, or maybe an S-3 if they were lucky. F-18/S-3/A-7 dropped them during ODS. 
 

Cheers

Collin

[tomthegrom]

Hi Collin,

Cheers for the info on the TALD. 

 

I will trawl through some of the other A6 threads. When I created this thread a few years ago, you and GW gave me some great ideas and I ended up building the boomers CAG with a SUCAP load out. Hopefully I can find something else as interesting. 

 

Maybe a tacts pod or maverick or even some para flares could be cool.

 

[GW8345]

The A-6E TRAM was authorized to carry and employ ADM-141A/B TALD as follows;

 

A) Station 1/2/4/5 MER/BRU-41 IMER shoulder stations (for composite wing aircraft, aft outboard shoulder stations shall remain empty)(FOR BRU 41 IMER,  

                                                                                              FORWARD SHOULDER STATIONS SHALL BE EMPTY)

 

or

 

B) Stations 1/2/4/5 IMER centerline stations

 

or

 

C) Stations 1/5 IMER outboard stations and Stations 2/4 IMER centerline stations

 

For load "A", the following weapons are authorized to be loaded on stations 2/4 with TALD loaded on station 1/5; 

MK 81 HD/LD. MK-82HD/LD, MK 83 HD/LD. MK 20, CBU-99/100, GBU-12, GBU-16.

 

For Load "B", the following weapons are authorized to be loaded on station 1/5 with TALD loaded on stations 2/4;

AGM-45, AGM-65, AGM-84/84F, AGM-88, WALLEYE I ERDL, AERO-1D. MK 81/82/83/84 HD/LD. MK 20. GBU-12. GBU-16.

 

For Load "B", the following weapons are authorized to be loaded on station 2/4 with TALD loaded on stations 1/5;

AGM-45, AGM-65, AGM-84/84F, AGM-88, WALLEYE I ERDL, AERO-1D. MK 81/82/83/84 HD/LD. MK 20. GBU-12. GBU-16. GBU-10

 

For Load "C", the following weapons are authorized to be loaded on station 2/4 with TALD loaded on stations 1/5;

AGM-45, AGM-65, AGM-84/84F, AGM-88, WALLEYE I ERDL, AERO-1D. MK 81/82/83/84 HD/LD. MK 20. GBU-12. GBU-16. GBU-10

 

I've never seen the A-6's carry TALD for actual tactical missions, only for training/missile shoots. When they did carry them they never carried anything else, just the MER/IMER with TALD loaded.

 

hth

GW

[tomthegrom]

Thank you fornthe exceptionally detailed answer. It is fascinating reading. I would like to load more than just a TALD so I might save those for something else. 

 

What else was typically loaded when the intruder carried the AGM-65?

 

Thank you all for your expertise.

 

Tom

[Collin]

14 hours ago, tomthegrom said:

Thank you fornthe exceptionally detailed answer. It is fascinating reading. I would like to load more than just a TALD so I might save those for something else. 

 

What else was typically loaded when the intruder carried the AGM-65?

 

Thank you all for your expertise.

 

Tom

Only late model SWIP-modified A-6E aircraft carried Maverick…either AGM-65E (laser) or AGM-65F (Navy specific IR variant). So if you are doing an aircraft in the 1992 and beyond timeframe…Maverick was carried. 
 

In our Airwing we had IR Mav loaded on our legacy Hornets and Intruders typically paired with a GBU-12, maybe a ROCKEYE or two on the Intruder. 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Collin