Solo Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 (edited) I would like to load two missiles: AIM-7M and AIM-120C for my F/A-18D Hornet. My first choice was to take AIM-7 on station 4 or 6 (under air intake) and one AIM-120 under wing pylon (station 2-3 or 7-8). But now how to load that missile under pylon? Using just one LAU-127 launcher directly under wing pylon? Will it be all correct? My second choice is to load AIM-120 under air intake station (4 or 6), and AIM-7 use (together with LAU-115) under wing pylon. What option will be correct? Or maybe both, or none of that? Anyone can help? Edited March 18, 2022 by Solo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
usmcski6502 Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 If you’re looking to load an AMRAAM on a wing station, you’d need to mount two LAU-127s on the shoulder (side stations) of a LAU-115. The easiest play, in my opinion, is AMRAAMs on the cheek stations (4 and/or 6), and mount your Sparrows on the SUU-63s on a LAU-115C/A. Just the two cents of a Marine F/A-18 ordnanceman! Good luck with the build! Ski Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Solo Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 Ok, but what is SUU-63? I have got LAU-115 from Hasegawa US Air Weapons D, but what is that SUU-63? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
usmcski6502 Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 My apologies! The wing pylons on the legacy Hornet are SUU-63s (the centerline pylon is a SUU-62). Any Hornet kit should include the proper pylons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Solo Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted March 22, 2022 Share Posted March 22, 2022 On 3/19/2022 at 7:54 AM, usmcski6502 said: If you’re looking to load an AMRAAM on a wing station, you’d need to mount two LAU-127s on the shoulder (side stations) of a LAU-115. The easiest play, in my opinion, is AMRAAMs on the cheek stations (4 and/or 6), and mount your Sparrows on the SUU-63s on a LAU-115C/A. Just the two cents of a Marine F/A-18 ordnanceman! Good luck with the build! Ski Why would you have done/do it like that? An inquisitive mind would like to know is all )) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
usmcski6502 Posted March 22, 2022 Share Posted March 22, 2022 Just depends on the mission, to be honest. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ElectroSoldier Posted March 22, 2022 Share Posted March 22, 2022 So who would decide where what got loaded? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
usmcski6502 Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Generally, Ops would hash it out with Ordnance before the load outs got put on the flight schedule. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Why would a mission require both sparrow and amraams? Just wondering. Geoff M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Solo Posted March 24, 2022 Author Share Posted March 24, 2022 Good question. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Conjecture on my part but AIM-120 for a more tactical bandit and AIM-7 for a more strategic one ..? -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Does one have capabilities maybe the other doesn't. I always thought they were both a medium range punch in the nose as opposed to short range knife fight type missile. Geoff M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Are there pictures of a mixed AIM-7/AIM-120 load being carried operationally, or is someone just wanting to build a model this way because they think it looks cool? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 19 hours ago, Geoff M said: Why would a mission require both sparrow and amraams? Just wondering. Geoff M Get rid of old AIM-7 stocks. NDANG flew mixed loads after 9/11. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Solo Posted March 24, 2022 Author Share Posted March 24, 2022 1 hour ago, Dave Williams said: Are there pictures of a mixed AIM-7/AIM-120 load being carried operationally, or is someone just wanting to build a model this way because they think it looks cool? I am making comissional build of mentioned Legacy Hornet and my client wish to have both missiles under the wings. I have never found any picture with that kind of ordnance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 The customer is always right...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 Questions answered Geoff M Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Hingtgen Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 (edited) Does it have to be a single AIM-120?(I'm not even sure that's possible under-wing, dual-launcher or nothing AFAIK) Does it have to be a D model? I saved this file as being an Operation Iraqi Freedom load, but not what squadron. Edited March 28, 2022 by David Hingtgen Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 1 hour ago, David Hingtgen said: Does it have to be a single AIM-120?(I'm not even sure that's possible under-wing, dual-launcher or nothing AFAIK) Does it have to be a D model? Swiss Hornets commonly carry single AIM-120s under each wing, so it is possible. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swiss_AF_Boeing_FA-18D_Hornet.jpg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 On 3/27/2022 at 10:22 PM, Dave Williams said: Swiss Hornets commonly carry single AIM-120s under each wing, so it is possible. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swiss_AF_Boeing_FA-18D_Hornet.jpg If I may; That configuration is not authorized for USN/USMC F-18A-D's. The pylon the Swiss use is a locally manufactured pylon. to my knowledge they are only used on stations 2 and 8 and differ from the regular SUU-63 pylons. The look more like the SUU-80's used on the Super Hornet. If you are doing a USN/USMC F-18A-D you have to use a LAU-115/-127 "Monster" launcher with 2 x AIM-120's loaded. For the AIM-7 Sparrow, you have to use a LAU-115 with 1 x AIM-7 loaded. The above applies to the F-18C/D/A+/A++/C+/DRC, authorized stations for the A/B are slightly different. GW Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ALF18 Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 On 3/24/2022 at 1:00 PM, Geoff M said: Does one have capabilities maybe the other doesn't. I always thought they were both a medium range punch in the nose as opposed to short range knife fight type missile. Geoff M AIM 7 and AIM 120 are quite different, actually. The AIM 7 is a 'semi-active' radar missile, meaning that the launching aircraft has to maintain a radar lock (single-target track, or STT) on the target until the missile hits the target. This robs the launching fighter of the ability to use its radar to scan for other threats. When I flew CF-18s operationally (from 1987 to 1996), we only had AIM 7M and AIM 9M, no AIM 120. Years later, I instructed in the CF-18's upgraded simulators. I learned to employ the AIM 120 from that. It is not semi-active - it is a hybrid between semi-active and active tracking. If fired at very long range, it is guided by the launching aircraft's radar through datalink commands. When the missile gets close enough to the target, the radar on board the missile turns itself on, paints the target, and self-guides to the target (without the need for the launching fighter to have a radar contact of the target at this point). When an AMRAAM (AIM 120) is launched, it does NOT require STT. It is usually launched from TWS (Track While Scan), which is a small search volume within which the radar can detect any targets that might be in that volume. The reason STT is not required for the AIM 120 is that the missile only needs approximate guidance to get close enough to the target, to the point that it can track the target with the missile's on-board radar. This allows the launching fighter to launch more than one (and theoretically many) missiles at more than one target. In the simulator, I would generate 'track files' in TWS, and click my cursor on the target I wanted to shoot first. I'd then squeeze the trigger on the stick, and an AMRAAM would launch toward that target. I could then either click on another target, or click the 'undesignate' switch on the lower front of the stick. That caused the 'Launch and Steer' target to change to the next highest priority target, as calculated by the Mission Computer. Pressing undesignate to change targets was called 'stepping.' I could launch at the first L&S (launch and steer) target, step to make the next one the L&S, launch another AIM 120, step to the next, launch another, and so on. The ranges at which each missile could be launched are classified. The number of AIM 120 missiles that the APG-73 radar in upgraded CF-18s could guide at once is classified. Generally speaking, though, the AIM 120 is longer range than the AIM 7. Because the AIM 120 does not regard STT, it allows the fighter to maintain more situational awareness, and attack multiple targets. So, let's draw some conclusions as to why a military might load both AIM 120 and AIM 7 on the same aircraft. The person who said 'strategic vs tactical' was giving you a good clue. If I had a war stock of missiles, including both types, I would use the AIM 7 on targets in a lower threat environment, where situational awareness or multiple targeting is not a problem. I'd save my more-capable (and more expensive) AIM 120s for higher-threat scenarios. If the situation might present me with targets that can't shoot back as easily (like a Bear bomber, for example), and some fighter escorts, I would want both types of missile on board, or only AIM 120s if that was feasible. Hope this helps. ALF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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