RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) has two canards and a rifled launch tube which spins the missile. The two canards are used as rudder or elevators as required.

RAM Block 2 has 4 fins and the plan is to remove the helical lands (rifling from the launcher).

I’m fairly sure the Kh-101 uses TERCOM and DSMAC which means land attack only.

How much work would it be to re-equip the entire fleet with actual Hose and Drogue system on centreline boom?

No need as they have hose drogue units under the wings. Not suree if they have the clearance to tank 3 Hornets at once in any case.

The RAAF wanted about double the number, but were limited by budget.

They can carry 293 passengers and 8 pallets. They are not MRTT as the upper deck is currently passenger only – again a concession to budget. They have provision for an upper deck cargo door, so probably in the future along with comms relay and hardened upper deck floor.

They are due to be fitted with Link 16 and LAIRCM (IR jammer).

The 5 aircraft order covers two deployments, each two aircraft plus one spare. This is also as two fighter CAP orbits at 216 nm (5 fighters) and deploying 12 aircraft to Butterworth.

F-111 goes 2010, so it might miss. Still leaves F-18A/B, C-17 and Wedgetail, F-35A.

Depending on future purchases also F/A-18F, F-35A and P-8A Poseidon is fitted to be refuelled. I’m fairly sure the KC-30B can also refuel another KC-30B

Probably a little out of date, but a few years back (before 1999) with 35 DDG/FF provided for 7 escort sized commitments:
1) Standing Naval Force Atlantic (withdrawn in March 2004)
2) Standing Naval Force Mediterranean
3) Fleet ready escort (UK waters)
4) Atlantic Patrol North – Caribbean
5) Atlantic Patrol South – Falklands, West Africa
6) Gulf
7) Indian Ocean

In more recent times this is:
1) Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (probably to NRF)
2) Fleet ready escort (UK waters)
3) Atlantic Patrol North – Caribbean (July to October Hurricane season)
4) Atlantic Patrol South – Falklands, West Africa
5) Gulf/Indian Ocean

1) & 5) are possibly C1 taskings; 2) could be anything; 3) & 4) are C2 & C3

Thanks for that Peter, do you mind if I ask what your source is? I assume that the internally carried Kh-55’s were to be carried on rotary launcher modeled on the one from the Tu-160. Does anybody know if there are any images available of this aircraft?

I assume that you mean NK-32 engine as the NK-93 is propfan?:confused: Furthermore I have never heard of a Kh-57, the Kh-65/Kh-SD would seem appropriate.

Piotr Butowski’s article in Air International December 2007.

Its definitely the Kh-57, which would have longer range compared with the Kh-65 – in any case both were canceled.

Yeah is would be NK-32 engines….

Finally!

Italian Navy AV-8B+ with AMRAAM: http://digilander.libero.it/en_mezzi_militari/html/av8b/av8b-06.jpg

Currently the F-35B is expected to have a 920 km radius with 2 GBU-32 and 2 AMRAAM, withe the same weapons the F-35C is expected at 1190 km (F-35A is 1160 km). Or a 270 km difference….

The Lightning II in RAF/RN service is programmed to carry:
Internally: ASRAAM, AMRAAM, Paveway IV, Brimstone (dual or triple carriers), SPEAR (possibly Paveway IV with wingkit)
Externally: AMRAAM, Storm Shadow, Paveway IV, Brimstone, drop tanks, SPEAR

The PWIII/EPWIII is to be retired 2017 and cannot be carried internally by any F-35 versions- the smaller GBU-31 can be carried internally by the F-35A/C.