The problem is that the mid-1970s F-14A and the circa-2004 F-14A are completely different aircraft, even though they look similar.
If the 2004 F-14A is the “late model”, that would basically be an F-14B with a TF-30, so different from the F-14A we have in the game, which lacks the TCS and ECM blisters, RWR fairing, “bombcat” upgarades etc.
I am gonna start off with this. For those who want a 12.7 hornet there is gonna be one in the TT lmao. My two cents to the situation is this, if aircraft like the Su-27, J-11, Su-33 can be at 13.0 with flat out better SARH missiles than the F/A-18 early, with more missiles than the F/A/18early , and arguably better airframes. Why not give the Premium hornet the 9Ms. There is already an American aircraft at 13.0 with comparable capabilities at 13.0 (Belgium F-16A) with the same amount of 9M the Premium hornet can carry, this isn’t a game breaking addition. For those who say the change isn’t needed facing Su-27s, J-11s, and Su33s with a way worse missile kit will not be fun. And at 13.0 it’s not just constant uptiers where only facing EFT & RAFALE, I have suffered through the F-4 ICE. The occasional uptier will happen but uptiers are never fun in any aircraft. I will say the missile kit makes facing these 14.0s time to time barable and do-able. And I can only image that with Hornet, it would be more than barable, it would be actually fun.
For me, the AIM-9P-5 would be right. It is used by Swiss Air Force on the F-5E and F-18C/D. Today we have AIM-9x too of course.
The AIM-9P-5 has IRCCM and would be the correct use for any early F-18C/D
AIM-9P-5 would not be correct for a US Hornet.
Why you want AIM-9P-5 even Navy used AIM-9Ms already in 1990s?
You can see HUD says hornet has x2 7Ms and x2 9Ms.
I would prefer the F/A-18A getting AIM-9Hs instead of 9Ls so it could go down to 12.3, but having the F/A-18C early going up with AIM-9Ms would also be fine
Lmao the fact that its a better f14b at a lower br is astounding. Gaijing for the love of god give f14b aim7p
The F-14B needs 9M and the F-14A needs 9L really
F14b ideally needs both. F14a needs ls.
IDK, how prolific was the AIM-7P? The F-14s always have the AIM-54 which has DL anyway.
I’m not opposed to the idea, I just think the AIM-9M is a more important upgrade
I mean it replaced the m and the f14 used it. Inertial fuidance would help sith the terrible radar the f14b has. Its necessary.
I mean, I don’t have the F-14B, but if I did have it, I would probably always take AIM-7s over the AIM-54s.
So getting the best possible AIM-7s on it would definitely be nice.
I usually being 2 aim54s cause i liked them. But 6 aim7 is more competitive
Late F-14A have avionics of B but not the upgraded engines
In-game F-14A is “early” because of the TF30’s
Eh, A should be in desert storm config (9M/7M/7P) and C early should be early 90’s (post DS) config with 9M, 7P
And decompress to 14.3 so they can go to 13.0 safely
I mean, we have different opinions on the final loadout (I would prefer one at the lowest possible BR because I hate the 12.7+ gameplay), but the F/A-18A and C early definitely shouldn’t be at the same BR.
Idk, they kind of have to be at least 12.7
Might as well get a time period accurate hornet
This is the core issue, whatever they do they should separate the two aircraft, it’s a joke that the premium one is just an objectively better version of the TT one
The F/A-18C early has to get a higher BR otherwise it would be another case of subtle P2W.
The F/A-18A has worse engines than the F/A-18C and it a lot more limited in A2G capability.
This is the same case as the F-4S being straight up better than the other naval Phantoms at the same BR.
Easy fix if they give tt AIM-7P and the full a2g stuff