F/A-18C (confirmed) Armament thread

What about AIM-9P and P5?

In the Hornet Introduction video Wags posted on facebook he mentioned that the whole AIM-9 series will be modeled for the aircraft.

So they might include the AIM-9P and P5 version.

iirc wags said the entirety of the hornet's loadout but there's some wiggleroom in there, we don't know if it is the entirety at a specific point in time (imo most likely) or through its entire lifetime.

i dont believe the 9p was used by the navy.

i do wager we'll be seeing a 9L sooner or later, if not with the hornet, then with the tomcat. whether or not we'll be able to fit it onto the bug is another matter.

AIM-9P4/P5 was USAF only.

USN Used the AIM-9M, AIM-9L and AIM-9X,

AIM-9R was Cancelled.

In the Hornet Introduction video Wags posted on facebook he mentioned that the whole AIM-9 series will be modeled for the aircraft.

 

So they might include the AIM-9P and P5 version.

iirc wags said the entirety of the hornet's loadout but there's some wiggleroom in there, we don't know if it is the entirety at a specific point in time (imo most likely) or through its entire lifetime.

i dont believe the 9p was used by the navy.

i do wager we'll be seeing a 9L sooner or later, if not with the hornet, then with the tomcat. whether or not we'll be able to fit it onto the bug is another matter.

Thanks for the input Texac, but like Probad said, there's likely some wiggle room.

We know we're getting almost everything up to the AIM-9x, but as people here like to know each type's specific capabilities, unless I can get a quote the 'AIM-9P5 is getting moddelled', I'm reluctant to include these.

I'd like for every single variant of every single weapon to get posted here, not mavericks or harpoons in general (like the fact the SLAM-ER(AGM-84H/K) is a subtype of the main designation AGM-84 Harpoon)

So we are probably getting GBU-35s?

This is the Super Hornet but still, amazing loadout.

AIM-P and subvariants were USAF inventory. US Navy never own this missile.

An AIM-9M-8 is more suitable

So we are probably getting GBU-35s?

 

This is the Super Hornet but still, amazing loadout.

 

Epic picture, thanks for sharing!

The source I listed for GBU-xx series is a bit vague and frankly against a lot of my moderation in this thread. That said, in the listed spoiler is a bit more speculation on my end:

does anyone know what variant(s) of the JSOW we're getting? if its an A variant than its essentially a glide CBU-103 while the C variant is a bunker buster with terminal guidance.

AIM-9P4/P5 was USAF only.

 

USN Used the AIM-9M, AIM-9L and AIM-9X,

 

AIM-9R was Cancelled.

Thank you for the answer.

So Hornet can't carry rear aspect only AIM-9?

I would expect A A1 and C since all are used by the navy. And if they model one, the difference really isnt that big anymore and offers more benefit in terms of having more options.

Thank you for the answer.

 

So Hornet can't carry rear aspect only AIM-9?

The 'Lima' all-aspect variant was in full production by 1977, the Hornet had a first flight in 1978 en was introduced in 1983, with the 'Mike' variant being introduced around the same time. I'd assume there would be no reason to match the Hornet with dated rear aspect missiles.

Interesting. :)

Thank you everyone.

does anyone know what variant(s) of the JSOW we're getting? if its an A variant than its essentially a glide CBU-103 while the C variant is a bunker buster with terminal guidance.

No specifics on the variants, though I personally hope for the C-variant.

What about the AARGM or the AIM-120D? With the latter ain't nothing else in the skies will be able to challenge the Hornet till the F-14 rolls around with the AIM-54.

What about the AARGM or the AIM-120D? With the latter ain't nothing else in the skies will be able to challenge the Hornet till the F-14 rolls around with the AIM-54.

If we get a early to mid 2000's F/A-18C as is indicated by the software load then I wouldn't get my hopes up for those two weapons to be included.

I was told that only the Super Hornets were capable of using Delta models.

What about the AARGM or the AIM-120D? With the latter ain't nothing else in the skies will be able to challenge the Hornet till the F-14 rolls around with the AIM-54.

If we get a early to mid 2000's F/A-18C as is indicated by the software load then I wouldn't get my hopes up for those two weapons to be included.

+1

Wouldnt the AIm120D performance be kinda classified with ED having to do too much guesstimation.? Its a brand spanking new AMMRAM, which is only around in smaller numbers since 2014. Its not expected to enter full scale service till about 2022.

I think it would be pushing our luck wanting the Aim120D for a legacy hornet. It already will be lethal with off bore sight HMCS and the aim9x block 1. for close quarters encounters and still nothing to scoff at at BVR with aim120C's even though its no Eagle.

at the end of the day itl be a a MId 2000s Hornet with the Avonics suites and software its getting which already is fantastic.

Remember that ED ( as evidenced by early 3d cockpit work on on fourms and facebook) they were initally aiming for earlier lot Hornet Circa 1990s with the Nitehawk pod.

SO we should be happy they reconsidered to give us a 21st upgraded Legacy Hornet with more goodies.

Id be happy if they just updated the current in game AIM-120s for the F/A-18C. perhaps utilize some CFD simulations like Leatherneck did with the AIM-54 to get accurate lift/drag coefficients, and add the missing lofting guidance techniques.

Id be happy if they just updated the current in game AIM-120s for the F/A-18C. perhaps utilize some CFD simulations like Leatherneck did with the AIM-54 to get accurate lift/drag coefficients, and add the missing lofting guidance techniques.

Just wildly guessing here, but it's likely during the Hornet project, be it pre-release or a year later, they'll take a look at the weapons it carries to make sure they're up to snuff.

EDIT: Or maybe just after the unification process, since they have a lot of different builds of the game atm, putting effort in new weapon code and skins would just be a waste of time.

EDIT: Or maybe just after the unification process, since they have a lot of different builds of the game atm, putting effort in new weapon code and skins would just be a waste of time.

I don't think it would be a waste of time, it's probably more of a working through a priority list. We simply don't know where improvements to munitions falls.

SO we should be happy they reconsidered to give us a 21st upgraded Legacy Hornet with more goodies.

More like "they got permission to do it because it´s been recently retired and we got lucky" but I get the sentiment XD

Remember, the dev "wanting" to do something and being "able" to do something are two sides of the story that don´t have to align :music_whistling:

More like "they got permission to do it because it´s been recently retired and we got lucky" but I get the sentiment XD

 

Remember, the dev "wanting" to do something and being "able" to do something are two sides of the story that don´t have to align :music_whistling:

well thats true too, but not applicable in this case. the publicly available Natops manual for that Lot circa 2008 which ED relied on as one of thier prime sources for Research.

and the Fleet of Legacy hornets isnt recently "retired" . the US navy still operates Legacy C hornets that are still more or less comparable to what we are getting from ED ( ok perhaps we dont know of exact software updates applied since then). Technically speaking the USMC arguably has thier hornets a bit more modernized with the A PLUs plus and C + such as having LCD Left and right displays, whilst the navy still has Monochrome Green CRT's for thier F/A18C's.

The Legacy fleet isnt expected to be retired until at least 2022.

Even VRS had successfully developed a BLock 1 F/A18E superhornet ( for another sim far earlier than ED got thier License for the legacy Hornet.) , which isnt a huge leap, but still nonetheless a newer Airframe, with some newer avionics over the LEgacy Hornets.

So I do not consider ED "lucky" chance the with a 21st century Legacy Hornet, ( alt least not any more than a 3 lettered sim was "lucky" that included a 21s Century MLU interation of the F16C Block 50/52, with similar stuff like the HMCS and aim9x) .

Lucky would be getting SUperhornet Block 2 ( whats really classified here is primarily the AESA radar and IRST , otherwise if you take that away its bascially just a block 1 super hornet, but with Colour LCD's) , or a EF typhoon. ( The latter is a military contract from VEO, that is going to be dumbed down for a Civilian Grade product. but i digress)

POint is i think reason for this is there is a popularity for more modern capable aircraft. You can't satisfy everyone ( Different people want various models of an aircraft, or entirely different aircraft altogether) but I think some people would be salty if we only got a 90s Version, without modern GPS, or Link 16 SADL, with crappy Nitehawk pod. IF that happened. It would end up less capable in PGM based target acquisition compared to the A10C. The F/A18C is supposed to be the next "flagship" module after all.

Does anyone know if the Harm ingame will be able to lock and launch against airborne radars?

During the Gulf War, the HARM was involved in a friendly fire incident when the pilot of an F-4G Wild Weasel escorting a B-52 bomber mistook the latter's tail gun radar for an Iraqi AAA site. (This was after the tail gunner of the B-52 had targeted the F-4G, mistaking it for an Iraqi MiG.) The F-4 pilot launched the missile and then saw that the target was the B-52, which was hit. It survived with shrapnel damage to the tail and no casualties. The B-52 was subsequently renamed In HARM's Way.