Dragon029
Posts: 76
Joined: 10/31/2015 Status: offline
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2 part request: 1. I noticed that the 6x internal AMRAAM loadouts for the F-35A were removed, but the F-35C still has a "2023, 6x AMRAMM" (there's a typo there as well with AMRAAM) and also features a 2025, 6x JATM loadout. Could we have those loadouts mirrored over to the F-35A? Also while the F-35B will not be getting 6x internal AMRAAMs (as noted in a previous comment in this thread), could we add a 4x JATM loadout as well? I'm not sure that the USMC will explicitly be getting JATMs in Block 4, but JATM is meant to replace the AMRAAM in the long term, so they'll have to integrate it at some point. 2. Seeing as we've got JATM, could we also get a (even if hypothetical) 12x internal Peregine and/or CUDA loadout for the F-22 and F-35A/B/C? Not sure if the B would carry 12 or 8 internally; they use a stack similar to that of SDBs, but they might need a longitudinal offset / stagger to avoid having fins overlap, which might possibly make the arrangement too long for the F-35B's truncated bays. If we were to integrate Peregrine or CUDA, their hypothetical performance specs would be roughly: - AIM-120C5/7 range (60nmi currently in the database) - No warhead for the CUDA, a blast-frag warhead (perhaps AIM-9X-like) for the Peregrine. - Home On Jam (HOJ), Anti-Air All-Aspect, Anti-Air Dogfight (High Off-Boresight), Capable vs Seaskimmer, Lock-On After Launch, CEC-Capable, Level Cruise Flight properties. - They would be capable of engaging the same targets as AIM-120s (planes, helos, cruise missiles). - Peregrine has a "tri-mode seeker" which presumably means AESA + IIR + HOJ, CUDA is unknown (and mock-ups of both just show a white point dome [which might be jettisoned to reveal an IIR seeker when they go Pitbull], but it'd certainly at least have an AESA seeker + HOJ. - Peregrine is 1.8m long and 68kg, CUDA is 1.78m long presumably roughly the same weight. Just as a reminder too; both of these weapons are concepts / proposals that technically don't have a program of record, but it's clear they're both competing for the final contract of the USAF's Small Advanced Capabilities Missile (SACM) program (which has even previously used CUDA concept art). Raytheon were awarded an initial SACM R&D contract a few years ago, but that was just to increase tech readiness levels, and it's expected that in the early 2020s we'll see either an official tender or there might just be an announcement of the winner of some previously classified or semi-hidden competition like with the AIM-260 JATM contract award to Lockheed. Edit: While there's no exact year when we can expect SACM (Peregrine / CUDA) to enter service with the F-22 / F-35, an AFRL presentation from 2015 suggests that it'll enter service somewhere in the 2025-2028 region. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/raytheon-unveils-peregrine-new-medium-range-air-t-460891/ https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/29895/is-raytheons-pint-sized-peregrine-the-air-to-air-missile-the-pentagon-has-been-waiting-for https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/details-emerge-about-lockheeds-cuda-missile-382670/ https://aviationweek.com/awin/lockheed-reveals-new-air-launched-missile-concepts
< Message edited by Dragon029 -- 11/16/2019 1:45:34 AM >
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