Thata unfortunate.
There were actually plans to move to IIR and away from radar MAWs according to Eurofighter consortium
Full coverage is based on number of antennas, wouldn’t really have anything to do with whether or not it is ESA.
There are 3 antennas, each would need to cover a minimum of 60 deg in azimuth, likely more to remove the risk of missing a missile at the extremities of each search angle, which would be pretty hard to do without an ESA, seeing as they don’t appear to have any moving components. Each antenna would also need to be able to track multiple targets accurately enough to provide TTI for potential incoming missiles. I could be wrong but I find it somewhat dubious that all that’s being done with a regular non-ESA radar, particularly since, once again, ESA antennas were already being used for the jammers.
In the end, theres no definitive proof for either sides, with arguments for both camps, but I’m not exactly sure why you guys care SO much about what exact kind of antenna is used on the EFT, particularly since your original point was that the EFT’s makers did not have the tech to miniaturize ESA’s in the first place, which has already been proven wrong.
I’ll also add that there is a really nasty habit of misrepresenting sources in this threads community for some reason, both to the detriment of competitor aircrafts, and the benefit of your own, which seriously puts into question your credibility/integrity at this point in my eyes.
That doesn’t say the radar MAWS is going away, it could mean a passive MAWS would be added in addition to the radar one.
Consider me corrected on that front.
TTI seems to be provided by the Harrier GR.7’s MAWS as well no? What is the coverage of Harrier GR.7’s MAWS?
I didn’t dispute the jammers being AESA, only that I wanted some sources for it. Didn’t find it dubious as the jammer pods were quite large and on the wingtips as opposed to conformal antennas which are harder to do. The MAWS on the EFT are conformal and that is harder to achieve for AESA antennas and that is what I had disputed.
Oooo using the LWR mounts for a hybrid LWR/PMAW is a interesting idea.
I think its more speaking of removing the current LWR and replacing them with IR MAWS sensors tbh.
Your point before it was mentioned the jammers were definitely ESA’s was that no other aircrafts had ESA’s at the time, much less miniaturized ESA’s.
You then asked for a source on the claim for the jammers, and changed your tune on the jammers, but remain convinced the MAWS arent ESA’s due to size constraints, which you could’ve checked isnt an issue, seeing as the wing root (where the MAWS are located) are of similar thickness as the wingtip pods.
This is also just ignoring the fact that the size of the wingtip pods clearly isn’t dictated by the antenna size, but by the boxy ESM computer components, which in the pic of the MAWS components, can clearly be seen not to be directly attached to the MAWS antennas, instead seemingly using wired connections.
Idk anything about the Harrier’s MAWS system barring that its an older PD MAWS system, so I can’t comment on it.
I should note it was said specifically AESA. PESA had already been on the Mig-31 and Rafale in the 90’s for example, so saying ESA wouldn’t have been right. I don’t even know if Rafale had PESA jammers or not at the time as well, just knew it was not AESA. Just to make a distinction since you had been stating ESA and not AESA which is important to clarify.
Asking for a source on the claim of the jammers doesn’t necessarily mean I cast doubt on the jammers FYI. Anyone asking for a source on a claim doesn’t mean they’re on a particular side. I was already vocal about my doubts of AESA maws.
I’ll have to look more into this.
Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t the F-111A have an IR MAWS?
I wouldn’t know. When was it introduced out of curiosity?
F-111A introduced 1967
Im fairly sure the AAR-34 wasn’t retrofitted, it was on there when it entered service afaik
Which really makes the EFT look bad, I mean this thing is a replacement for a century series jet and it has IR MAWS
Lets remember to keep this thread on track and not go off topic.
I wonder why Mulatu Astatke comments are always flagged 🤔
It is as much a clone of the EFT as the AMX 30 is the leopard. France got what they needed out of both programs, both programs did not continue to meet French needs, they developed their own solutions from what they found useful in each program.
“Clone” is a very askew way to term it.
they were there long enough to get the valuable base. as far as I can tell the only major difference is the rafales are also naval aircraft.
its a split in the path more than a clone true. Its just very french to storm out of a joint project only to do basically the same thing and then claim its totally different because its french
France/Dassault had been making deltas for 50 years prior to the Rafale, and the Mirage 4000 which is a delta with moving canards (although not to the extent of Rafale/EFT) already existed prior to the two aircrafts.
Would make a lot more sense to call the Rafale a copy of the M4K and not EFT.
where and when?
