Also F-15Js with some kind of new French livery?
Those are pictures of the nozzles with the external fairings still on. From what I’ve seen, there were several issues with them including maintenance complexity and that they would sometimes fall off during flight and were expensive to replace. After some testing was done, it was shown that the absence of the fairings really didn’t add any significant drag to the overall profile of the F-15, so they were eventually removed.
Also, here’s another pretty cool livery that I saw on the internet:
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Ah that makes sense now.
Also yeah I hope Gaijin doesn’t mess up the potential skins these can get lol
There’s just so many good skins that the F-15J could get and it really would be a shame if they neglect to add some of these cool ones.
Do you know when this picture was taken? I tried looking a bit earlier today but couldn’t really find anything about what the markings are supposed to represent. It does looks like there’s some text on the fuel tanks that indicates what the livery is for but obviously it’s pretty much impossible to make out from the image quality.
My favorite F15J skin by far
Spoiler
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I figured the livery was for some sort of joint exercise but I wasn’t entire sure about it so I guess that explains it.
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And just after the new French livery for the joint exercise it seems next up is Italy! With a tease today for a Italy theme livery for a upcoming italian Japanese exercise
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May be a RWR antenna.
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I think generally that style of RWR antenna is a radar based MAWS system, it will be able to ascertain whether a missile has hard locked you or if a radar is actively guiding an SARH missile.
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Added F-15J Pre-msip suggestion :)
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Next new skin…Australia!
Spoiler
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https://www.mod.go.jp/asdf/special/download/gaiyou/pdf/gaiyou2023.pdf
It seems pretty clear that the F-15J with AAM-4 capabilities can also use the AIM-120. I thought it was only for some test aircraft, but it wasn’t.
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Thank the lord we wont have to suffer without ARHs
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In the process of changing from XAAM-4 to AAM-4, the connector seems to be the same standard as that of AMRAAM
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That seems to be the case based on the AAM-4 socket here being identical apparently.
On the F-2 I don’t know about the socket setup, but there are certain toggles for each missile that need to be set.
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Yeah F-15Js shouldn’t really have any difficulties using AMRAAMS they should also be able to use them on the wing rail launchers since they have been seen with lau-128s
Here is a list of items they requested back in 2015. Credit to @tanuki10 for showing it to me a while back. The list shows the procurement for LAU-128 rails
https://www.mod.go.jp/atla/souhon/pdf_choutatsuyotei/13_yuchou_r05.pdf
This site shows Mod buying the parts and launchers
And some F-15Js have been spotted with lau-128
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AAM-3 literally replaced AIM-9L and M from Japanese service
AAM-3
Weight: 91kg
Max Speed: Mach 3.5
Range: 7km
Max G Limit: Unknown but said to be distinctly superior to AIM-9L
Warhead: 15kg High Explosive Fragmentation
More Information:
The AAM-3 uses an all-aspect
IR homing seeker having better (in the area of three
times wider) off-boresight capabilities than the AIM-9L
Sidewinder. This seeker was developed in cooperation
with NEC (Tokyo, Japan). Maneuverability has also
been improved to follow the new generation of highly
agile combat fighters. Mitsubishi Precision provides the
missile’s gyro unit.
The technical research pertaining to the
AAM-3 (now designated Type 90) commenced in
FY74, with three successive research programs
conducted since FY78. The missile replaces the
AIM-9L Sidewinder currently in Japanese inventory.
The AAM-3 is said to be the Japanese equivalent to the
United Kingdom’s ASRAAM , previously under development by a NATO
consortium. The AAM-3 is highly agile and capable of
engaging close-in targets at supersonic speed. It has a higher turning rate than the AIM-9L, as well as a better
hit probability. The missile’s off-boresight acquisition
capability is said to be three times better than that of
current-generation infrared-homing air-to-air missiles.
The AAM-3 also includes infrared countercountermeasures and self-search/detection capabilities.
However, U.S. Navy officials have remained skeptical
of such Japanese claims.
Actual AAM-3 technical development started in FY86.
During that year, the first prototype development was
conducted at a cost of JPY6.610 billion. The contract
was awarded to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The
second prototype development contract, worth
JPY3.371 billion ($46.9 million), was signed with
Mitsubishi in FY87. Three models were subsequently
tested.
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force planned to conduct
air-launch tests and operational trials in FY88 and FY89
at a cost of JPY2.9 billion. This was the third phase of
an effort to develop an indigenous air-to-air missile. A
total of 18 prototypes were fired during the operational
test phase, which was completed in February 1990.
Deliveries began in the Japanese fiscal year of 1992
(although the missiles probably did not reach the
military until calendar year 1993).