There is nothing about this aircraft that warrants it being 12.0 - with only two glide bombs, no other precision or standoff weapons, and mediocre air to air armament, it is incapable of competing with Pantsirs or other fighters at that BR. It should be 11.7 in GRB.
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Yeah I feel like 11.7 would be more appropriate of a BR. Only having 2x Walleyes does not make it good CAS, and it would only really be decent as CAP/anti-CAS.
Maybe if it got 4x AGM-65Bs it would make sense at 12.0, but at the moment it does not.
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Yeah… I’m not sure the Navy or Marines ever used 65Bs, but that would make it a lot more competitive, at least on par with the Gripen A/F-16A etc… a pair of Walleyes just aren’t gonna cut it.
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Depending on the variant (and if it’s being held to some arbitrarily defined configuration) of the F/A-18, the AGM-65(E/F) capability was introduced in 1991 to all F/A-18 Airframes that could use the AN/AAS-38A (NiteHawk TGP w/ Laser designator; introduced in 1989) and later AAS-38B.
Which would provide capability for up to 4x LAU-117, and includes Targeting pod slew and designation / handoff functionality.
11.7BR for F/A 18A makes no sense for ground, also tracking range is about 3kms in clear weather for the Walleyes which is terrible. 11.0/11.3 makes a lot more sense.
F/A 18C Early should be 11.7 considering you have a max of 5 useful ATG loadout (3 x Mavs, 2 x GBUs) +3 ATA loadout. Definitely not worth being 12.3 considering EFs, Rafale, Su34, Su30sm, F16C, F15E, are 12.7.
Also Due to F111F with 8 ATG loadout (6 x Mavs, 2 x GBU15) and AV-8B NA with 6 ATG loadout (3 x Mavs, 3 x GBUs) +2 ATA both sitting at 11.7.
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11.0-11.3 would be way too low for its air to air capabilities, though. It doesn’t need to be facing 10.0-10.3 planes in GRB. It’s gonna have a pretty weak CAS load no matter how you slice it, but 11.7 would be acceptable, I think.
In GRB CAP capabilities are considered less in choosing a BR of a jet, look at the F4S, it sits at 11.0 with PD radar and sparrows while also bringing in dumb bombs and rockets like Zunis. Don’t forget that the Su39 with 2 x r-73s and 2 x R-60ms with 2 x Kh-29TEs, 2 x Kh-25MLs, 16 x Vikhrs with a jammer sits at 11.3.