F/A-16C plugging the Fulda Gap

[+dtmdragon 2,693]

F/A-16C Block 30 Fighting Falcons from the 78th TFS 'Bushmasters' engaging Soviet armored columns in the Fulda Gap....

 

Had the A-16 or F/A-16 gone into production it would have had one of the first versions of a helmet mounted display with its Falcon Eye system...

 

[Stratos 3,188]

Nice loadout for anti-tank. 

[+daddyairplanes 10,118]

nice story, but i will disagree with you on this one.

138th TFS NY ANG had the GPU-5 pod when Desert Shield came up. they deployed without the pods. not sure if vibrations from firing were a reason, but couldnt have helped

 

the triple launcher for the Mav's while cool in amount, created drag to the point they were rarely carried. more realistic esp for Fulda Gap scenario is 4x CBU and two Mav's so they can keep speed up and inflict damage over a whole formation of tanks rather than 6 individuals.

 

again in service i dont think the gun pods would have been used much. poss replace by fuel tank or ECM depending on need.

[+dtmdragon 2,693]

nice story, but i will disagree with you on this one.

138th TFS NY ANG had the GPU-5 pod when Desert Shield came up. they deployed without the pods. not sure if vibrations from firing were a reason, but couldnt have helped

 

the triple launcher for the Mav's while cool in amount, created drag to the point they were rarely carried. more realistic esp for Fulda Gap scenario is 4x CBU and two Mav's so they can keep speed up and inflict damage over a whole formation of tanks rather than 6 individuals.

 

again in service i dont think the gun pods would have been used much. poss replace by fuel tank or ECM depending on need.

They used them for the first few days of operations and then ditched them for cluster bombs. The gun pods were extremely inaccurate as the force of them firing skewed thier attachment to the weapon pylon all over the place. Adding to that was the fact the software modification to display a correct CCIP hadn't been done. The best they could make use of the gun pod was as an area weapon apparently but like I said it wasn't used for very long. http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article18.html

 

Back to the 'what if' Fulda senario, what CBU would be the most likely used by the USAF in Europe in the late 80's/ early 90's? CBU-100?

Edited November 1, 2015 by dtmdragon

[+daddyairplanes 10,118]

CBU-87, introduced '86 but first major use in the first Gulf War.  CBU-97 was introduced mid 90s

[+dtmdragon 2,693]

Camouflage options...

 

 

 

 

Rain of fire!

 

 

 

[charlielima 328]

Yah that mount looks a bit shakey.

plane looks good in Green Lizard paint.

CL

[Stratos 3,188]

Does it have some kind of electro optical sensor on the nose?

[dsawan 624]

far out. Any ETA on this one?

[+dtmdragon 2,693]

Does it have some kind of electro optical sensor on the nose?

It was called 'falcon eye' It was an infrared camera slaved to the pilots helmet which had a helmet mounted display. Basically anywhere the pilot looked at night he would see the world in infrared. It was developed in the late 80's. The CAS A-16 also had a digital terrain system that provided a terrain following capability with the mission terrain map stored in the aircraft mission computer which tracked the aircraft's location via GPS and INS. Forward air controllers could also automatically hand off targets to the A-16 mission computer via data link. Targets, weapon delivery information, way points and terrain warnings would all be displayed in the falcon eye HMD. 

far out. Any ETA on this one?

Its sitting on my computer I just have to put it all together to upload when I get some time. I added it to the NATO Fighters 5 1986 campaign which has been a lot of fun to fly in. It could be added as a 'what if' to the Desert Storm mod to...

[Stratos 3,188]

It was called 'falcon eye' It was an infrared camera slaved to the pilots helmet which had a helmet mounted display. Basically anywhere the pilot looked at night he would see the world in infrared. It was developed in the late 80's. The CAS A-16 also had a digital terrain system that provided a terrain following capability with the mission terrain map stored in the aircraft mission computer which tracked the aircraft's location via GPS and INS. Forward air controllers could also automatically hand off targets to the A-16 mission computer via data link. Targets, weapon delivery information, way points and terrain warnings would all be displayed in the falcon eye HMD. 

 

This bird is far more advanced than I ever expected! Shame we cannot replicate those features in game. TK should rethink his relation with the series.

[+dtmdragon 2,693]

I reckon! Amazing that Falcon eye HMD was developed in the late 80's but a HMD aka JHMCS wasn't in widespread use on western fighters till the 2000's. The mission terrain map stored in the A-16 mission computer was so accurate that air-to-ground weapons could be deployed with the radar off with no slant range information etc and the CEP was only about 5-10 meters larger!

Edited November 28, 2015 by dtmdragon

[Stratos 3,188]

A fun plane, and really interesting avionics for such a early bird.

[+dtmdragon 2,693]

far out. Any ETA on this one?

Uploading now.....