EECH and Sidewinders

[Uhu]

Hello!

 

I've reflected about the weaponry of the Apache. According to Wikipedia, the AH-64D is capable of carrying and using AIM-9 Sidewinders.

My question is if there is any way to emulate this in the game, if there is a tweak of some files like those usable for enabling different weapons for aircrafts in the Thirdwire sims.

I would find it really convenient having Sidewinders if you are tasked to fly a CAP or something equivalent.

 

Greets,

 

Uhu

Edited March 25, 2009 by Uhu

[JediMaster]

AFAIK no Apache has ever carried AIM-9s operationally. The Army itself has no stockpiles of the weapon. I believe there were trials undertaken so that if the USMC had bought the AH-64 (which they never did due to the higher cost over the Huey Cobra) they could've put the AIM-9s they already had stocks of on there.

The Army used 4 Stingers on the wingtips instead, although again I don't know if this was ever done operationally or only in testing.

[Uhu]

Even if no Apache has ever carried Siedewinders operationally, it would be a nice thing to have in the game (where we can find the RAH-66, who has never gone farer than prototype status...) I've found another source than wikipedia that says something about AIM armament: http://www.janes.com/defence/air_forces/ne...01013_1_n.shtml (2/3 down the page).

By the way, another question: normally, infgrared search and tracking missiles should be able to lock on any heat source (if I'm not mistaken, some Delta Daggers or - Darts have "put ut" camp fires of Viet Congs in Vietnam with AIM-4), so is there a way to override the "invalid target" of the Stingers and fire them at e.g. taxiing aircraft or helos starting up?

 

Greets,

 

Uhu

[JediMaster]

While that would be possible in reality, most sims don't give you that ability. I don't recall the Stingers in EECH ever locking onto anything other than an air target, no matter the circumstances.

 

Of course, when EECH was made the RAH-66 was only a few years away from entering service, so it wasn't a big deal. Likewise there were F-22 sims in the 90s even though the plane wasn't declared operational until 12/07! Oh, and Eidos' JSF sim that had both the X-32 and X-35 in it even though there are even now only like 4 F-35A/B in existence and no C at all. Or ED's Su-25T in LOMAC:FC, a plane which I believe had all of a dozen built.