On the launch rack, yes. Target designation is via laser. (That’s the reason I said back then it is a problem, since in esp urban terrain line-of-sight can easily be broken).

So when Starstreak is used as a MANPAD there is no thermal imager and it cannot be used at night? I’m surprised the British Army went with such a limited system.

Btw, if that above sounds a little bit like Starstreak? Yip, but that laser-guidance is suspect, both due the needs for real good training and the line-of-sight requirements which is a problem. The missile alone weighs 14kg, plus the sighting unit is quite heavy and bulky. And used as a pure MANPADS it’s not really night-combat capable.

It has a thermal imager, doesn’t it?

I dont know whether the old ones would fit, remember that the SHAR’s and GR-3’s had a different airframe.:confused:

I read somewhere that they considered it, and while theoretically feasible, it was deemed to “high risk”. Sounds like it would have eneded up costing a fortune.

You can’t kill Russian stuff with SDBs because all the Tunguskas will shoot them down.

Ok so technologically speaking its all singing & all dancing and on a good day might make the pilot a cup of tea aswell and maybe even scratch his nose but to design an aircraft to be physically incapable of flight WITHOUT its miriad of computers defies all logic, specially in a fighter plane that might just get shot at and get a bit broken.

LOL, bring back the Spitfire! :rolleyes:

What’s the large scope in the middle? Map display?

The WW2 spitfire was powered by a water cooled engine. Why? Because RR knew water cooled engines best and within the short R&D time they had, they simply couldn’t do it better than that.:diablo: :diablo: :diablo:

And the Spitfire was a terrible ground attack platform precisely due to its water cooling. One rifle round could drain the coolant and cause the engine to sieze.

It’s not entirely clear to me why a water-cooled engine would be less visible to IR missiles than an aircooled one in the first place.

The Apache in particular would be a horrible choice for the USMC in my opinion……

What makes you say that?