- Yes
- No
Hello everyone and welcome to this new suggestion!
Today I’m presenting a new aircraft for the French armed forces, an aircraft that was already completely outdated even before it entered service: the F-8P.
In the late 1980s, the French Navy used various types of fighter aircraft from its aircraft carriers: the Étendard IV P for reconnaissance, the Super Étendard for ground attack, the Alizé for anti-submarine warfare, and the F-8E (FN) for air defense. While most of these aircraft were perfectly capable of performing their missions, the F-8E was already outdated and had been for years, as the Navy had never updated or improved them. Not having a sufficiently advanced air defense fighter to protect the naval task force, and facing this critical situation, the naval staff looked for a temporary solution to upgrade its fleet while awaiting the highly anticipated Rafale Marine (an option to purchase American F/A-18s was considered, but French industry lobbied for a French solution). The decision was therefore to modernize 17 F-8Es into F-8Ps, allowing them to remain in service for another ten years until the arrival of the Rafale Marine.
The modernization of the F-8 began in the early 1990s, and the first modified aircraft (serial number 35) was tested in 1993 aboard the aircraft carrier Clemenceau, after which it immediately entered service. The other modified aircraft were delivered shortly thereafter (the last delivery being in 1997). While this modernized version offered significant improvements over the original, it was still not up to the challenges of the time. Although a SHERLOC radar warning receiver was installed, the F-8P remained without any countermeasures, rendering it incapable of defending itself against enemy threats (it should be noted that at the same time, various navies around the world were using Sea Harriers, AV-8Bs, and F/A-18Cs armed with AIM-120 missiles). The aircraft was nevertheless deployed to numerous operational theaters, particularly in the Adriatic Sea, to protect French aircraft carriers from potential air threats. The “Crouz” was finally retired from service in 1999 after nearly 35 years of service with the French Navy (the last user of the aircraft).
Characteristics
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Length : 16.61 m
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Wingspan : 10.72 m
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Height : 4.80 m
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Mass :
- Min : 9,000 kg
- Max : 13,000 kg
The aircraft is powered by a Pratt & Whitney J57-P-20 jet engine, which allows it to reach a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and an altitude of 50,000 feet. Its operational range is 1,500 nautical miles, which it can cover in 2.5 hours.
Equipment
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Radar :
- AN/APQ 104 : The radar used is still the same as in the original version; this search radar, despite its limited capabilities, is still able to guide the missile’s seeker onto the locked-on target.
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RWR :
- Sherlock : The Sherlock RWR system is the same one used on the Super Etendard aircraft; it allows for the effective detection of enemy threats.
Weapons
The aircraft’s armament is rather limited; in fact, the R 530 and R 530E missiles had been withdrawn from the French arsenal at the end of the 1980s/ early 1990s (due to a disastrous success rate). Therefore, the F-8P does not carry any radar-guided missiles. However, it was decided to integrate the Matra Magic 2 missiles to enhance its combat capabilities.
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Guns :
- 4 x 20mm Colt Browing
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Missiles :
- 2 x Matra Magic 1
- 2 x Matra Magic 2
In the French tech tree, the F-8P would be an interesting addition following the base version of the aircraft, offering a fighter plane with greater capabilities, but still quite limited in combat effectiveness due to its lack of countermeasures.
