It won’t be able to self-designate until the (ATFLIR / LITENING TGP, depends on if USMC or USN Hornet is modeled) (-A+ / -C) and later turn up, as the Basic NITEHAWK is a navigation pod, only getting designation capabilities much later, in terms of air to ground ordnance the F/A-18A does not improve sores capability over the A-7E.
There is also the fact that the basic F/A-18A was not yet equipt with AMRAAMs, so at least for a theoretical introductory configuration it really isn’t pushing the meta forward, so i wouldn’t be surprised to see it somewhere in the 11.x BR range.
They are probably going to skip the F/A-18A, it would probably sit at 11.3~12.0 and be fairly underwhelming for a new addition (just look at the F-20, people already want it to go down in BR), since it doesn’t have access to any new A2G ordnance over the A-7E, or a Laser designator for GBU, and even when it eventually does(F/A-18A+ / -18C), it doctrinally was not allowed to use the NITEHAWK to self designate.
Also capabilities will vary significantly depending on if they give us the USMC or USN stores, or a franken plane.
I was really meaning which set of utility stores (Targeting pod / ECM pod / External Fuel tank, etc.), not really ordnance directly as they are unlikely to duplicate them.
As there is a large gap in performance between the ATFLIR (USN) / Late NITEHAWK(USN) and LITENING(USMC) pods.
Biggest issues with the potential ordnance set for the F/A-18A is that it doesn’t really have anything with a 2000lb class warhead, outside the Walleye II.
And lacks access to the LAU-88A/A & HEAT Mavericks so loses stowed kills if it takes guided ordnance.
I really hope not. On the quiet I am a bit of a fan of the Hornet A fit and would like to see it as TT, despite being miles off even being able to get it at the minute.
They could also split it with a two seat / single seat, and not add A2G ordnance to the single seater the same way they did with the F-16A-15ADF and F-16A-10.
I think you would see prototypes like the F/A-18L, F-16/79, F-16/101, F-16XL, (F/)A-16, A(V)-16, as the next step forward for Premium / Event / Squadron aircraft.
The A+ refitted the -C’s radar(AN/APG-73) and included AMRAAM / AGM-65 / TGP capability to the F/A-18 airframe.
The differences are the Engines & CM count, and are otherwise a number of small or otherwise yet to be implemented features; like the ASPJ (ECM jammer) and two color MFD console(s) / electronic moving map.
Honestly just add both variants in the same update, no point in giving us one that’s dead on arrival and making people wait for one capable of dealing with the meta jets it would be facing anyway…
(Also adds another step to the grind for a top tier hornet in the same update and I’m sure gaijin would love that lmfao…)
I know many people who wouldn’t want a dead on arrival hornet…
The problem is, it is still debatable about performance of Hornet w/ 10x AMRAAM. It’s possible that the Gaijin won’t mind at all, as the F-14 and Su-27 did, but there are no guarantees.
They need a specific launcher rail for that, and I want to say its either LAU-115 or LAU-127. I suppose you could have an “early” and “late model” Hornet, one with and one without the Dual racks which would limit you to 6 Radar Guided Missiles, plus the Winders on the Wingtip stations.
By the sounds of it they were only around by the time the C variant made it into service, so potentially balancing…?
