OLS-35:
Spoiler
Seems like the PIRATE is 60kg
8kg did seem too fantastical …
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Yes, looks like that value was only for the sensor head. I don’t know why this value was so easy to find while that 60km figure was hidden in an Italian brochure
It’s a Spanish newspaper
But the value seems more logical for the whole system
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Whoops, saw Leonardo and went Italian. Sorry to anyone I might have offended lol
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One of the brochures has it at 48Kg, but unsure if that was just a typo.
Spoiler
48Kg
8Kg
Systems like OSF as you said is one complete drop in unit, the processing power included for both optics. PIRATE system weight appears to just be the sensor head, likely the compute element is done by the EFT’s own systems.
Also here’s another slightly different angle to the sensor head;
Spoiler
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Maybe the 48kg and 60kg are 2 different variants ?
Also, if the computing is done by a different system, it makes me wonder how plug and play it actually is. Thinking about German typhoons specifically. Since they don’t use the IRST, could it be that it the jets would need a significant retrofit to install the rest of the necessary equipment beside the sensor block ? Or is it already installed and just « dead weight » ?
If it makes use of the same systems that handle the CAPTOR-M/E, the DASS, etc. Then it wouldnt be dead wieght and you could be relatively plug and play. I guess the main thing required might just be firmware.
There’s definitely a system that handles all the data feeds and shares them where they need to be shared, but usually there are some initial computing/filtering/digitalizing the output etc… module that then send that information to the central module. From the size of the Pirate in the pictures above, I’m not sure this is handled directly on device (like it is for the OSF).
Maybe it’s part of said central module and raw data from the IRST is sent directly to it but just isn’t used by the German. It’s probably only a few kilos so not much « dead weight » but definitely makes their variant more expensive for nothing
Unless those internal modules normally used for handling Pirate can be re-tasked for something else and give the CAPTOR-M a little more processing power or something.
A lot of possiblities. As it stands anyway, Im fairly certain the German Typhoons have a ballast in place of the Pirate as the F-B-W would be off-balanced without, so either way, in terms of weight, there isnt any difference between German and Italian Typhoons. They just dont have the maintenance cost of the PIRATE and the slightly less drag
and Britain was considering not having a gun iirc, but again would have needed a ballast that would have cost more than just leaving the gun (I’ll need flame to double check whether im remembering that fact correctly or not)
I have numerous secondary references to PIRATE getting upgraded, including my recent FOI confirmed the latest version of the RAF’s doc on PIRATE was from Jan 2025.
So any information we have is either mixed for various versions or just out of date.
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Yeah, so it’s similar to the OSF for the rafale. We do have the names of the various variants, but often times sources will just state « OSF » and it makes things harder to differentiate in their capabilities, especially when the second iteration of the OSF did not feature the IRST, but apparently was still somehow capable of using its TV sensor as a basic IRST.
Does anyone know how fast the Eurofighter could climb with a payload? Around half of max weight (~10,000 pounds).
brakes off to 30kft and mach 1+ with a light combat load (2+4) I think was 2 minute 30?
Edit, yep:
Thanks. Very interesting!
While it’s kinda late for Victory in Europe Day, I made skin for you all Britishbros Eurofighter main.
It is inspired from the German Eurofighter Luftwaffe 60th Anniversary Livery
If you are interested you can check my post:
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Really nice, def gonna take screens with this :)
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That sounds like something that would be done on ru planes.
Why use ballast if you can spend another gajillion euros recalibrating the FBW?
Id guess because they dont want to have to do the recalibrating twice every time there is an update. Its safer and easier to just do the one
I really hope they finally address Aim-9M lock ranges,
Because its driving me nuts that you sometimes cannot fire until the target is fast approaching the minimum launch range
The bot jets are going at like 50% throttle, which makes them pretty cold and hard to lock with any ir missile (i think)