One question that may have already come up:

If the Raptor is not as advanced in terms of avionics as the F-35, as some have suggested, why is there such a strong block to exporting the Raptor and yet the total opposite policy towards the F-35?

Does the USAF have an equiv missile to the ASRAAM on the F-15? And is the full capabilty of that missile now exploited on the F3?

I understand the ADV has ‘carefree’ handling, does this mean that the pilot can try and do what he intends, and let the aircraft ‘try’ to match the control inputs?

The radar in the in service Su-27 can track 10 targets, and engage 1 – is that correct? The ADV has ‘multiple engagement’, what does this mean? Does it mean the Su-27 has to destroy it’s tragets 1 at time? And the ADV can launch 2 AMRAAMs for instance, and the radar will guide both missiles ‘at once’?

What does the pilot or WSO see on his screen when looking at a target – say if you were to intercept a blackjack 50 miles away, what would it look like? Does anybody have a screen shot?

Basic questions I know, thanks

USAF carries the AIM-9X on some (Not sure what proportion) of its F-15s

About the radar guidance, this is only relevant to missiles that require radar guidance from the firing aircraft after lock-on, such as Skyflash/Sparrow. Whilst the firing aircraft can provide targeting updates to AMRAAM after it has fired (improving accuracy), this is not an absolute requriement; you can fire and forget if you want as AMRAAM can guide itself.

This is a huge benefit to the firing a/c, as it doesn’t have to sit there illuminating the target with its radar and accouncing its presence.

I think this thread would maybe be more suited as “Family Guy vs South Park” – both adult targeted shows. I keep up to date with both and still enjoy South Park, though I would sit down to an episode of Family Guy first.

I’m with you there, but I myself am firmly in the South Park camp. Although I do enojy Family Guy most of the time, I find the ‘manitee jokes’ rather tiresome.

Any news on the Toyota yet, Moggy?

Hopefully it will turn up abandoned and in one piece somewhere.

At the very least the Indian aerospace industry has gained some valuable experience at developing an indigenous aircraft. Shame they won’t be producing it though.

From what I understand the airframes (3?) will be drawn from existing USAF KC-135R stocks so they’ll hardly be spring chickens, I wonder if it would’ve made more sense to have sought a different airframe? 757, A320 etc. Although the 707/RC-135 is a mature technology/platform and therefore practically an of-the-shelf choice, I wonder if the long term benefits of a younger more modern airframe, in terms of both cost and maintenance, would outweigh the extra money needed to integrate the avionics on a newer airframe?

-Dazza

Simply not practical, given the money it would cost and the fact that the aircraft are needed right now. Its making the best of a bad job.

I just checked in case it was an RAAF or RAF regt. badge, but it doesn’t match up, could it be a RCAF badge or something?