The first one that you think might come. Also, are there early service variants that can’t use Fox-3s?
First Hornets went into service with Fox-1 missiles, although i dont have clear information if they had capabilities to use Fox-3’s without any software/hardware upgrade.
I believe F-18C will be the first model we recieve and it will most likely come with Fox-3 capabilities.
Alright thanks for the info.
Yeah, initial 18A Hornets were Fox 1 only
Fox 3 was later available with 18C and 18A+ (both of which use the APG-73 radar, instead of APG-65)
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APG-65 suppose to be capable with Fox-3 munitions as far as i know, tho as i said before it might need certain modifications for it.
Just software update. But apg 65 is able aswell
Though I have no clue when the update came as I don’t have the software configuration doc.
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All I need to know is the following.
A Legacy hornet will be slower in top speed compared to a Phantom. Other than that can I expect it to otherwise kick a Phantom’s teeth down its throat?
I assume the answer is yes, but I just need to know if we expect a hornet to be a “bus” or not
It will very easily win a dogfight with a Phantom.
Theres talk in other threads on “potentially adding a swiss F18c hornet to Germany”
And there its also stated somehwere that the performance between an F18c and the F4F ICE wouldnt be all that different because the hornet would “still be a bus”.
I don’t know much about hornets but the above statement seems unlikely to me. So that’s why I asked.
Hornet has way better thrust to weight ratio with greater STR and ITR performance. Lower top speed is due to wing design I believe, it’s not designed with extremely high speed in mind. Long story short; Phantom will be faster on deck and high altitude but it will take quite some time for it to overtake a Hornet. I also expect Hornet to be (practically) faster at mid altitude thanks to it’s better acceleration, at least in the current game meta.
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slower and probably worse for climb/accel atleats in some conditions, but easily wins in a dogfight not even close.
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I’m not well versed in the technical terminology. Whats ITR and STR?
The Hornet is not considered as high performance as other top tiers, but in return it gets a good radar and 10 AMRAAM as well as 2 sidewinders.
The F-15 is considered the best top tier in the game and it only carries a maximum of 8 missiles, the flight performance of the F-15 is relatively good some of the best but the main things making it relevant is the radar and missiles right now.
The Hornet has a lower thrust to weight, but its a lower drag design, it has exceptional ability to point its nose like on a Mig-21 an easy to aim gun and it can outrate some of the best aircraft in the world at lower speed ranges.
It will be a good plane.
ITR: Instantaneous turn rate, which is basically the fastest turn circle you can pull
STR: sustained turn rate, which is the fastest turn you can make without losing any speed or altitude, usually they are both calculated with degrees per second. I’m pretty sure you can find some values regarding both aircrafts performance on the internet.
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That gells with what I have read elsewhere.
IIRC
A hornet cant outrate an F16 but perhaps it can do a tighter radius? So go 1 circle with it?
I have no idea about what to do against an Eagle. Perhaps a hornet CAN outrate that?
Thank you. I’d done a short look but couldnt find anhly good numbers quickly. I’m sure a more extensive search would yield results.
The key feature of a Hornet would theoretically be comparatively advanced A2G ordnance variety (JDAM / JSOW / Walleye ERDL / SLAM / SDB-I & -II / HARM etc., though may lack LGBs), while retaining a basic A2A ordnance capacity, with the existing F-14 / F-15 / F-16s otherwise being limited to 2x or 3x A2G stations at the expense of some missiles / options (The F-16C could have the BRU-57, which allows for 2x 1000lb JDAM / JSOW stores per station, or BRU-61 for 4x SDB / AGM-187A per station) Where even the basic Hornet has 5x A2G, and 4 + 2 A2A stations.
The -18A would probably suffer, or be otherwise fairly unremarkable in comparison to other Teen series offerings due to a lack of HMD / TVC missiles, and having otherwise average ordnance fit for the BR (~11.3 to 12.0) of AIM-7F / -7M / -7P, AIM-9L / -9M combined with a bad radar and subpar acceleration / drag. And has similar A2G ordnance to the A-6E or A-7E
The -18A+ or -C fixes most of these things (HMD, Radar, Engine improvements) but still lacks standout ordnance (unless they throw an AIM-9R or even the -9X basic into the mix and even then, it will still retain issues with drag if fully loaded with AIM-120s) or allowed to be the pacing threat with access to the -120C-5 or later.
(The performance of the radar also depends on the specific configuration the US receives as some USMC Hornets were equipt with the APG-79(V)4 which while a fairly advanced AESA radar, has few advantage larger systems like the APG-70 / -82 of the F-15E, and other issues like the use of which set of Targeting / FLIR pods, since there is a significant variance in performance and capabilites).
The -E/F while yet further advanced still retains a similar evaluation to the earlier Hornets in comparison to the yet to be added cutting edge Variants of the Teen series (F-16C-70 / F-15E Late). While retaining an edge within WVR, is generally let down by the lacking radar and tradeoffs required for naval use. Is able to basically be hard countered by simply not engaging with them in a dogfight and retaining range on them and forcing them to close the distance.
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He asked in relation to the Swiss F/A-18C, which had it;s A2G capabilities removed.
AFAIK Drag of weapons stores is not properly modelled and it is primarily related to weight.
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I did indeed ask specifically about a Swiss F18C. One that specifically has been modernized with a better radar and does have a HMD too apparantly. Lack of ground ordonance is fine with me I dont play ground battles
I should say, thanks for the rundown though, I’m not the most up-to-date on F-18s