TBH, it is now in this quite awkward situation. The Hornet now sits at a BR of 13.0 ARB (will be adjusted to 12.7), which is 0.3 above (or the same) as the F16A Block 10, which is significantly inferior to the Hornet, having access to a potent amount of AIM-7P and AIM-9L, but the uptier experience is highly problematic also, facing multiple threats with capable FOX 3s and IRCCM missiles. There are many ways to differentiate the Hornet C (Early) from the Late, such as different lot numbers, having a downgraded F404 engine instead of F404-402, having the APG-73 radar instead of APG-73 RUG phase I. But for now gaijin seemed to take the lazy option, take away AIM-120s and AIM-9M, gave the hornet C a radar that it never used (all hornets upgraded to the F/A-18C had the ability to used AIM-120A and AIM-9M) and put it at 12.7, which ruins it for the F16A players, The Top tier players, and the Hornet players themselves, deprived of the BVR capability that the FA-18C originally had. So my suggestion would be to give back the AIM-120A (as the FA-18C would have access to those after 1992, the AIM-9L can be retained) and move it to 13.7 or 13.3
It’s almost like it’s the dev server and things are subject to change or something yknow
It’s fine, it will be nerfed as well as the F-15E/I on second day after release
10 AIM120’s at 13.3 definitely wasn’t on my update bingo list
It’s true, but given that F-14A IRIAF is at 13.0, and considering uptiers, 10 AIM-120A at 13.3-7 seems resonable, not to mention that the F/A-18C lot 14 is capable of carrying AIM-120As
The F-14 doesn’t have aim120’s
It is true, however, the Fakour-90, given its range, speed, and the F-14 carrying it is still highly formidable, and give that the FA-18C (Early) has a lower climb rate and thrust, a 13.3-7 ARB BR is reasonable
The F404-400 is the upgraded engine, and what makes the F-18s perform better than the F-16C.
F-16A is a slightly better airframe with a similar weapon capability.
F-18C with AIM-120s means 14.0, not 13.3 or 13.7.
The reason it’s not getting 120 is it’s the 18 from the late 70s early 80s
The F-404-GE402 is the upgrade of GE400, a variant developed based on Swiss requests to have a better engine for their aircraft, giving it more WEP thrust, as you can see through the game stats
Incorrect, the F-18C is developed in 1987, so there is no such thing as the “late 70-80s hornet”, secondly, the F-18C early in game is a Lot 14 hornet, given by its ability to use the AN-AAS38A targeting pod - a feature intergrated in the Lot 14 upgrade, and its engine being the F404-GE-400, instead of the GE402 that was implemented post Lot 15 hornet. Since all Lot 14 hornet are costructed after the 1992 Fiscal year, it is reasonable that the premium hornet is a post AMRAAM hornet