Italian Falcons and how to improve the weak ADF

spacesoldier117 · December 30, 2023, 10:50pm

Would you like to see the AIM-9L/I added to the italian F-16A ADF?
Yes
No

0 voters

Hello everyone,
with the latest update, Air Superiority, the gap between italian top fighter and the competition feels wider than the last patches therefore I want to propose some changes to our F-16 ADF and the possible introduction of at least another one so to improve the overall health of the TT.

Italy loaned 34 airframes through the Peace Caesar program:

26 F-16A Block 15 ADF
an F-16B Block 15 ADF
3 F-16B Block 1, 5 and 10
4 F-16As to use as spare parts

F-16A ADF improvement:

Spoiler

That said, as of right now, the italian F-16 ADF is armed with AIM-9Ls and AIM-7Ms, seeing how the adversaries now mount more advanced IR missiles, I propose to switch its AIM-9Ls with the more advanced AIM-9L/I.
These are, ingame, modeled exactly like the AIM-9Ms and wouldn’t disrupt the META.
Ofcourse this would mean a slightly a higher br of 12.3 but with a way more enjoyable loadout.

Note: the AMI introduced the AIM-9Li in active service since the F-104S ASA/M:

F-16B Block 10 as substitute of the improved F-16A ADF:

Spoiler

With the F-16A ADF moving to 12.3, this leaves open to the introduction of the F-16B Block 10 used by AMI mostly for training.
As these weren’t upgraded to the ADF standard, they could also air to ground armament thus improving the TT with more diversity as it currently doesn’t feature an multirole supersonic jet.

Here you can see the MM7269, as you can notice it doesn’t have the distinctive clipped elevators:
https://www.f-16.net/g3/var/resizes/f-16-photos/album37/album46/aab.jpg?m=1371932155

F-16B ADF as future premium or event vehicle:

Spoiler

The last aircraft I’d like to see ingame is the F-16B ADF as a possible premium or event vehicle as it would be otherwise redundant and simply an heavier F-16A ADF.
You can notice the clipped elevators:
https://images-ext-1.discordapp.net/external/s1o5FGmjvLKBJxHn4A5xx5ebR0HU8APUMI5x6iIHAwU/https/theaviationist.com/photobucket/cenciotti/2010/Cervia%2520Specials/IMG_3444.jpg?format=webp&width=720&height=480

Resources:

Spoiler

F-16.net - The ultimate F-16, F-35 and F-22 reference
Coccarde Tricolori Speciale 7 F-16A/ADF
Italian Aviation Series - F-16A Air Defence Fighter
Misc italian aviation documents

Il_Signor_Regio · December 30, 2023, 10:56pm

https://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/91/
here is a link with the info about the Block1

Il_Signor_Regio · December 30, 2023, 10:58pm

https://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/592
here is the info about the Block5

warhead_beast · December 31, 2023, 12:11am

They already denied versions like the 9L/I

spacesoldier117 · December 31, 2023, 12:14am

I haven’t seen anything like that tbf do you have a source?
Especially considering that it was already confirmed that the RB74M on the swedish Gripen is the AIM-9L/I.

dotSHINI · December 31, 2023, 12:19am

where lol ? that was never confirmed

warhead_beast · December 31, 2023, 12:19am

They said it in a Q&A, give me some time to find it
The RB74(M) is not a 9L/I, it’s a 9M. The 9L/I did not have a smokeless motor, it only replaced the seaker and improved IRCCM

dotSHINI · December 31, 2023, 12:20am

they said they arent implemented in the game yet, they arent denied, just didnt bother adding them yet, just dont ask me why the tornados would benefit a lot from them as well

spacesoldier117 · December 31, 2023, 12:23am

Yeah I know the difference between Li and M but one technical moderator confirmed said so during dev server.
Dunno if he ever went back on it tho.

dotSHINI · December 31, 2023, 12:24am

the standard phrase in those cases, pls find the quote or it didnt happen

spacesoldier117 · December 31, 2023, 12:24am

I’ll search for it.

spacesoldier117 · December 31, 2023, 12:45am

Just for sake of clarity, I’ll remove the reference to the Gripen till I find again the source to my claim.

warhead_beast · December 31, 2023, 8:51am

https://forum.warthunder.com/t/panavia-tornado-uk-versions-technical-data-and-discussion/473/1419https://forum.warthunder.com/t/panavia-tornado-uk-versions-technical-data-and-discussion/473/1415

Found the thing I was looking for, but I was wrong they were not outright denied

dotSHINI · December 31, 2023, 9:16am

Yeah that was about wing modification purely, didnt include aim 9l(i) which have a complete new seeker

S_bastienZ88 · December 31, 2023, 11:44am

Have you found the differences between the Aim9L/I and Aim9L/I-1?

For the F104S-ASA M on the flight manuals it uses only the Aim9L/I-1 and it should have been used on the F16A ADF too, if I’m not mistaken.

I could only find these sources about the AIM-9L/I(I-1). I don’t know if it could help you.

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/783258352188129280/1214900191002365992/IMG_0238.jpg?ex=65facaf9&is=65e855f9&hm=174b624e616f963f90e6fbce1d3503ca4a3e4f44a55f20d38e640dc38a0adf3c&

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/783258352188129280/1214900193896566824/IMG_0241.jpg?ex=65facaf9&is=65e855f9&hm=7cc7459d341b27268215aeae9c8e13fca14b9a2ce0c310a539d03581c6aaad04&

Godvana · December 31, 2023, 11:59am

It’s hard to find any info on the BGT/Diehl Sidewinders

I found this, which just mentions an upgraded seeker

thisconnect你好 · March 19, 2024, 6:27pm

with ARH coming next patch (june) did italian ADF got any radar upgrades? or is it just gonna be a fancy sparrow

spacesoldier117 · June 8, 2024, 7:05pm

Finally we have it.

dotSHINI · June 8, 2024, 8:55pm

u are very late xD, general consensus and david himself said that it is more likely they have it wrong and that they need to give sweden smoke

Ricky_27 · August 20, 2024, 4:43pm

Here on August 2024, after the Update of the ARH missile, the Italian F-16 got no shit, always the lame ass Sparrows. Which is weird since Italy brought the F-16 and the Tornado ADV as a “Test Bed” for the AMRAAM.
GAIJIN WHERE IS MY AMRAAM FOR THE ITALIAN F-16?!