Jump to content

A-6E Desert Storm weapons loadout


Recommended Posts

Going to be starting a Revell A-6E in 1/48 scale soon. Have some real cool Desert Storms decals for several different aircraft. Was thinking about AGM 123 Skippers (GBU 16 w/rocket motor)  on inboard pylons and Rockeye cluster bombs on a MER on outboard pylons. Was thinking 2 on the front shoulder positions and 1 on the rear lower position> Have seen a lot of pics with MER with just 2 rockeyes, 1 on each lower position. Did the Navy ever use TER's in Desert Storm? Cant find any pics of that. Have a lot of different armaments to chose from. GBU12, GBU16, GBU10, MK84's, MK 83's, Rockeye cluster bombs, AGM 88 HARM missiles...........

Any other options or ideas would be greatly appreciated

Jeff

Link to post
Share on other sites

My buddy flew in that squadron during DS1.

 

Two reasons....they didn't want to download the MERs. 

 

1.  The aircraft were using heavy MK-82/MK20 loads w/MERs so they kept them on the planes (much to the rejoicing of the AO's).

2.  Bring aboard weight (max trap) limit didn't allow full weapons load and enough gas "on the ball" after a traditional double cycle event.  Landing back onboard the ship with a huge weapons load means you have to have less gas in the aircraft to meet max trap weight (tradeoff).  I didn't deal with it much in the S-3 since even with 3-4k of fuel onboard (and full weapons) on the first pass to the deck we still have 4-5 looks at the back of the boat (because the S-3 has such efficient engines).  3-4K in a Tomcat or Hornet (or A-6/EA-6B)....not so much with those big thirsty noise makers.  

 

Cheers

Collin

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Collin said:

My buddy flew in that squadron during DS1.

 

Two reasons....they didn't want to download the MERs. 

 

1.  The aircraft were using heavy MK-82/MK20 loads w/MERs so they kept them on the planes (much to the rejoicing of the AO's).

2.  Bring aboard weight (max trap) limit didn't allow full weapons load and enough gas "on the ball" after a traditional double cycle event.  Landing back onboard the ship with a huge weapons load means you have to have less gas in the aircraft to meet max trap weight (tradeoff).  I didn't deal with it much in the S-3 since even with 3-4k of fuel onboard (and full weapons) on the first pass to the deck we still have 4-5 looks at the back of the boat (because the S-3 has such efficient engines).  3-4K in a Tomcat or Hornet (or A-6/EA-6B)....not so much with those big thirsty noise makers.  

 

Cheers

Collin

 

What kind of mission would use the agm 123 skippers and the rocketed cluster bombs? Armed recon, anti shipping? Thanks for the info

Jeff

Link to post
Share on other sites

AGM-123 Skipper II was a poor person's Maverick.  AGM-65F (IIR Maverick) was in development and testing during DS1 so nobody had it yet.  Skipper was used as a stand-off anti-ship weapon for the A-6's conducting SuCAP (Surface Combat Air Patrol).  

 

AGM-84 Harpoon, while capable, was tricky to use in congested waters (like the Gulf).  Skipper at the time was a better option and lower risk in some views.

 

MK20 ROCKEYE is always a good backup for dropping on a vessel at sea with a very capable # and size of small bomblets...and a sizeable pattern.  

 

GBU-12 was also a pretty standard weapon for anti-ship use, but limited standoff.  

 

Once IR Maverick became avail (on Hornets and A-6E SWIP)....Skippers were thrown in the trash because they were crap. 

 

Cheers

Collin 

Link to post
Share on other sites
3 hours ago, Raptor.777 said:

What kind of mission would use the agm 123 skippers and the rocketed cluster bombs? Armed recon, anti shipping? Thanks for the info

Jeff

Angles of Attack is a pretty interesting book by an A-6 pilot off the Ranger during Desert Storm.

 

At one point, he describes using the AGM-124 during SUCAP missions.

 

I would suppose where the carrier was stationed also effects the load out.  Would carriers in the Red Sea have flown SUCAP?

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

All carriers had an alert A-A and A-G (or anti-ship) load out. although the Red Sea presented a relatively low/zero naval threat. 
 

obviously the naval threat from Iraq was really Gulf-centric,  hence the dedicated airborne  SuCAP out looking to protect and neutralize. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
23 hours ago, Raptor.777 said:

Going to be starting a Revell A-6E in 1/48 scale soon. Have some real cool Desert Storms decals for several different aircraft. Was thinking about AGM 123 Skippers (GBU 16 w/rocket motor)  on inboard pylons and Rockeye cluster bombs on a MER on outboard pylons. Was thinking 2 on the front shoulder positions and 1 on the rear lower position> Have seen a lot of pics with MER with just 2 rockeyes, 1 on each lower position. Did the Navy ever use TER's in Desert Storm? Cant find any pics of that. Have a lot of different armaments to chose from. GBU12, GBU16, GBU10, MK84's, MK 83's, Rockeye cluster bombs, AGM 88 HARM missiles...........

Any other options or ideas would be greatly appreciated

Jeff

Aside from what everyone has said, I thought VA-35 had an interesting load out on their first low level attack, an ALQ-167 on outboard, MERs inboard with 5 Mk20 per rack.

 

I’ll be building a VA-75 jet next, with MER outboard with 3 Mk83 each, and 1 Mk83 on the inboard pylons.

Edited by Benner
Link to post
Share on other sites
5 hours ago, Collin said:

AGM-123 Skipper II was a poor person's Maverick.  AGM-65F (IIR Maverick) was in development and testing during DS1 so nobody had it yet. 

 

 

USAF deployed IR Mavericks during DESERT STORM.  If I remember correctly, A-10 pilots used them as "poor man's FLIR".

Link to post
Share on other sites
44 minutes ago, Reddog-03 said:

USAF deployed IR Mavericks during DESERT STORM.  If I remember correctly, A-10 pilots used them as "poor man's FLIR".

Correct....the AGM-65D IR variant was used by the USAF in DS1.  IR Mav was better than no FLIR at all (which was the case with the A-10's).  

 

USMC also used AGM-65E Laser Maverick in DS1.

 

As you know....the AGM-65F was a Navy specific variant of the E/D model, with ship-biased logic inserted to improve vessel tracking (but you still had to be careful of wake "draw off" when using it).  It was finishing up development in the very late 80's and wasn't on the CV/CVN's for DS1 just yet.  Hornets and SWIP Intruders (Harriers as well) got it after the war, followed by the P-3C AIP aircraft series starting in the mid-90's...and finally the S-3B Viking (via the Maverick Plus upgrade program where I was involved) in the late 90's (along with SLAM-ER and LASER Maverick).  

 

On a side note for you Reddog, since I know you worked A-7's...I think Hughes Missile Systems actually rented a A-7E to do the flying and carrier evals of the missile, even though the A-7's were literally on their way out the door (except for the two squadrons recalled for DS1 participation).  I remember reading that in one of the early AGM-65F DT reports.  I believe this is a photo of them flying off the CONNIE.  

 

 

USS Constellation CVA CV 64 Kitty Hawk class aircraft carrier US Navy

 

Cheers

Collin

Edited by Collin
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...