Quick Question

In the real F/A-18 are there different versions that do just AA or just AG and maybe always take off/land on land and others that just take off/land on a carrier.

Or are they all for land and carrier take off/land and all for both AA and AG?

No, the AG/AA role is a mission assignment. If you're loaded for AA got don't do AG ... If loaded for AG your AA is self defense against lower quality opponents or pushing them out of the way - maybe your AA escort somehow let them slip through. In general you would not do any AA, you would avoid it.

So it's mission specific and some squadrons may specialize in one mission type or another.

So, in DCS can someone specialize on AA and just do that with the F/A-18?

Of course you can. No one's going to force to do one role or the other.

Ok, thanks. Fighting appeals to me more than AG.

Ground attack is not everyone's cup of tea but...nothing more rewarding than getting weapons on target. Then recovering to the carrier a la Jane's F-18

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Ground attack is not everyone's cup of tea but...nothing more rewarding than getting weapons on target. Then recovering to the carrier a la Jane's F-18

 

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I prefer AG, but I'm wondering how often a Hornet would take-off and recover from a carrier when doing AG?

I'm currently reading some Hornet books in preparation, so maybe I'll find out soon enough!

Got to love that Janes F18:thumbup:

I prefer AG, but I'm wondering how often a Hornet would take-off and recover from a carrier when doing AG?

 

I'm currently reading some Hornet books in preparation, so maybe I'll find out soon enough!

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What is the better fighter? The F-15 or F/A-18?

What is the better fighter? The F-15 or F/A-18?

The F-15 has more power and higher speed, but I think the F/A-18 turns better. Apart from that, they should be pretty much on the same level (regarding weapons, radar, etc.).

Edit: You might find the following thread interesting, which has been started by neofightr, a retired F/A-18C pilot: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=190912

The F-15 has more power and higher speed, but I think the F/A-18 turns better. Apart from that, they should be pretty much on the same level (regarding weapons, radar, etc.).

They're not. The F-18 does turn better in that first turn, especially at higher altitudes one turn is what you get. The F-15 accelerates/climbs/sustains better in a very wide envelope, intercepts better, radars (heh) better etc.

They're not. The F-18 does turn better in that first turn, especially at higher altitudes one turn is what you get. The F-15 accelerates/climbs/sustains better in a very wide envelope, intercepts better, radars (heh) better etc.

Radars better against an APG-73?

They're not. The F-18 does turn better in that first turn, especially at higher altitudes one turn is what you get. The F-15 accelerates/climbs/sustains better in a very wide envelope, intercepts better, radars (heh) better etc.

That's what I was thinking too. I just wish the F-15 was up to DCS standards. Do you think that will happen in the not too distance future?

The F-15 has more power and higher speed, but I think the F/A-18 turns better. Apart from that, they should be pretty much on the same level (regarding weapons, radar, etc.).

 

Edit: You might find the following thread interesting, which has been started by neofightr, a retired F/A-18C pilot: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=190912

Well, I read the whole thread and watched most of the videos posted in it. I'll have to do some more thinking on it. It would be an easier decision to make if we had the plane now. Is there any expected time period until we get it?

If I decide to wait for the F/A-18 and fly it exclusively. What should I be flying now to help train me for the F/A-18? I have FC3 and the A-10C. I also have a bunch of WW2 planes, but they're on the back burner now.

I'd like to fully use all that's available for the F/A-18, so maybe train now on some of what the A-10C has and some fighting in the F-15 will help me towards learning the Hornet?

They're not. The F-18 does turn better in that first turn, especially at higher altitudes one turn is what you get. The F-15 accelerates/climbs/sustains better in a very wide envelope, intercepts better, radars (heh) better etc.

Well apart from the radar that's pretty much what I said (apart from the radar). The higher acceleration, climb rate and sustainment are a direct result of the more powerful engines compared to the Hornets engines. Regarding radar, how exactly does the F-15s radar make it a better fighter than the F/A-18? (not arguing, just curious)

Well, I read the whole thread and watched most of the videos posted in it. I'll have to do some more thinking on it. It would be an easier decision to make if we had the plane now. Is there any expected time period until we get it?

 

If I decide to wait for the F/A-18 and fly it exclusively. What should I be flying now to help train me for the F/A-18? I have FC3 and the A-10C. I also have a bunch of WW2 planes, but they're on the back burner now.

 

I'd like to fully use all that's available for the F/A-18, so maybe train now on some of what the A-10C has and some fighting in the F-15 will help me towards learning the Hornet?

Training BFM with the F-15 definately helps to prepare for fighting with the F/A-18 and with the A-10C you can learn to manage modern avionics and HOTAS systems, which will also help with the F/A-18. The exact flight characteristics and systems will differ of course, but the basics are the same or similar at least.

As others have said, the F15C should be better suited for AA simply because that's what it was designed to do from the get go.

The Flaming Cliffs F15C flight model is up there with the very best, it just lacks the cockpit functionality/fidelity.

Actually, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the supersonic flight model of the F15C in DCS was the cornerstone that had to be achieved, before the F18C's flight model could be worked on.

Regarding release dates, only ED knows. But if something is released this year, then remember it will be ALPHA (early access) so don't expect AG radar or other advanced features/ordnance in that initial release. If you want a fully functional Hornet (out of Beta), you will have to wait until Christmas 2018 - that's my personal bet, again, nothing official.

Well apart from the radar that's pretty much what I said (apart from the radar). The higher acceleration, climb rate and sustainment are a direct result of the more powerful engines compared to the Hornets engines.

More powerful engines does not say much in itself, since the F-15 is a much bigger aircraft - what you need to look at is the TWR, but even that does not tell the whole story - the airframes of the F-18 and F-15 are optimised for their respective intended roles and have very different characteristics.

The F-15 was designed as a pure AA fighter with no compromises for anything else, while the F/A-18 was designed:

a). for aircraft carrier deployment.

b). as a true multi-role fighter with a fifty-fifty emphasis on AA/AG.

...with all the compromises that entail.

Regarding radar, how exactly does the F-15s radar make it a better fighter than the F/A-18? (not arguing, just curious)

For a start its larger(antenna diameter of some 900mm versus ~675 mm) - i.e. more radar power. AFAIK it also has more AA special modes, although that may be something of a moot point in the sim(since a lot of them aren't modelled - FC3 level).

Itael..........Wow! That long huh? I wasn't expecting that. Ok, i'll keep myself busy until then.

My bear hunting season starts in 3 weeks, so that's pretty much my priority for now.

APG-73 uses APG-63/70 bits. So while they might be on part on some level, the F-15 at least has a much, much larger dish.

Radars better against an APG-73?

Is a clickable cockpit in the future of the F-15?

More powerful engines does not say much in itself, since the F-15 is a much bigger aircraft - what you need to look at is the TWR, but even that does not tell the whole story -

For clarity I would add that that the moving intake ramps make a huge difference at speed and altitude :)

For a start its larger(antenna diameter of some 900mm versus ~675 mm) - i.e. more radar power. AFAIK it also has more AA special modes, although that may be something of a moot point in the sim(since a lot of them aren't modelled - FC3 level).

APG-73 uses APG-63/70 parts. Not sure which/when, but I wouldn't be surprise if they're all sort of 'on level' for a bunch of things. You're right about the dish of course. :D The rest is guess work - I know the F-15 radar updates never stop but that's probably true for the hornet also.

Is a clickable cockpit in the future of the F-15?

Belsimtek stated that they were considering it, but that was around three years ago.

That doesn't sound good.

For clarity I would add that that the moving intake ramps make a huge difference at speed and altitude :)

Indeed - but again related to the aircraft's intended role, which leads me to..

APG-73 uses APG-63/70 parts. Not sure which/when, but I wouldn't be surprise if they're all sort of 'on level' for a bunch of things. You're right about the dish of course. :D The rest is guess work - I know the F-15 radar updates never stop but that's probably true for the hornet also.

The APG-73 is essentially a deep upgrade of the APG-65, which as you say, uses various parts from the APG-70(I believe) and I am sure you are right that they are on par on some levels. But that does not necessarily mean that the APG-73 got all the AA "tricks"(operating modes) of the APG-63/70, just as the F-15C didn't get A/G modes although these were introduced with the APG-70 on the F-15E :) .