With the introduction of the F-16C Block 50 and the F-16D Block 40 this patch Israel still manages to go without a competent top tier BVR platform.
Some kind of explanation is needed as it is incomprehensible as to why the the devs could have decided to give Israel the F-16D with only AIM-9s in it’s A2A arsenal.
Surely Israel would have been better served with an F-16C, with the Python 4 missiles that would have been a solid addition to help alleviate a gaping hole in Israel’s top tier air?
Still weird that it has no Pythons
I mean just give the F-16D access to AIM-7Ms, I can’t see how that would cause any issues.
Just AIM-7Ms please.
Agreed tbh
Fr, Gotta say the new F16 with AIM9L is just going to be a worse version of the old, already existing F16 for israel.
It makes 0 sense. Sure, the Block 50 loses the target illuminator required for the Sparrows, but the US gets Sparrows as placeholders until the Amraams, why can’t Israel eh Gaijin?
Also does make no sense that it doesn’t have Python 3s, I’ll chalk that one up to it being incomplete at the moment.
Exactly, the Block 40 could definitely use Sparrows and the F-16D is hardly going to be OP so I don’t see why it doesn’t have them.
I would kinda get not having Python 3s and AIM-7s if the MiG-29SMT wasn’t flying around with R-73s and R-27ETs but the fact that these two aircraft are the same BR is just mad.
Also curious how the IAF F-16D doesn’t get the Mavericks either, I’m not the most informed on Israeli F-16s so I can’t exactly say for certain, but I’d be surprised if they couldn’t use Mavericks on the Block 40s when the earlier Block 10 has access to the AGM-65Bs and the Kurnass 2000 has the 65Ds.
Yeah that is odd, maybe the F-16D only ever used the laser guided Mavericks? Honestly I have no idea, I’d say it feels like an afterthought but they made a whole new model specifically for it so god knows what was going through their heads.
Just checked and the F-16D has the exact same radar as the F-16C in game, no reason at all why it couldn’t use Sparrows then.
Pretty sure they even both have the SARH illuminator
The Block 50/52 removed the target illuminator from the radar as it was intended to solely carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM, but the Block 40 should still have it since the Block 40 was put into service 3 years before the AMRAAM and Block 50/52 was introduced into service for the US.
Some Block 50/52 aircraft that were exported to other nations had the TI still by request of the nation, but I’m not too sure Israel was one of them. But the Block 40 should still have it either way.
I find it kind of funny how they removed the Kurnass 2000 sparrows they gave it (Because it used Amraams IRL) yet they give the US F16 sparrows even knowing it used amraams… Like what? Remove one nations only top tier bvr plane because, reasons. But the US who doesnt have BVR issues gets it because, reasons.
And the Barak II with only aim-9Ls? Like what? No Mavericks? No Pythons? Its legit worse than the Netz other than the 200 CMs. (Which the Netz is still missing the extra CMs)
Kurnass 2000 didn’t use AMRAAMs
Kurnass never used AMRAAMs nor was it ever planned to use them. The Kurnass 2000 program was a way to extend the life of the Phantoms they still had in service, but mainly keep them in the backline while the newer F-15s and F-16s focused on air combat. The Kurnass 2000 was only ever equipped with Python 3 and Python 4 missiles in that regard, focusing more on ground combat than anything.
That’s also why the F-4 Terminator for the Turkish doesn’t have the capability to use AMRAAMs either, the Terminator is an upgrade developed by Israel based off of the Kurnass 2000, with the main difference being that the radar is switched for the one planned to be used on the Lavi.
It would be better to compare it to the J-8F really, that could only use the PL-12 which isn’t ready yet and while they toyed with the idea of giving it the PL-11 they didn’t because it couldn’t use it.
Now they’re going back on that decision with the F-16C Block 50 for reasons unknown as they could have just picked the Block 40 which as far as I know is still AMRAAM compatible and is also compatible with the AIM-7. It’s just a whole mess and I really hope they sort it out before patch day.
The point still stands that Israel is the only nation lacking a BVR capability at top tier. Regardless of the historicity of the K2K carrying Sparrows, Israel is not balanced at top tier gameplay capability wise. The F-15A would have been a better choice instead of multi-role F-16s (especially since the K2K is now a dedicated ground pounder).
The F-16A Netz is fine for the current patch, but with the MiG-29SMT and it’s R-73s and R-27ET/ERs even the USA looks lacking now, Israel is in a even worse state.
Block 40s weren’t initially AMRAAM compatible, most were later modified to carry AMRAAMs including the ones in Israeli service. But I can only assume that’s also why they had said something about the Block 50 possibly not being the version the US actually gets in the update. Which is stupid to even bother with the Block 50 if they had 0 intention of adding the AMRAAM this patch.
My bad about the amraams on the Kurnass 2000. I thought I saw in the bug reports a few months ago it should have had them. But the Kurnass 2000 still used Sparrows, no? No where can I find does it say they stopped using them. Most info still states the 2000 using sparrows at least.