F-18

[lowtimedriver]

How good of a dogfighter is the F-18? Can it keep up with an F-16? I think an F-15 would wax it, but I could be wrong.

 

[pilotyip]

It is a F/A-18, it is an attack airplane

 

[lowtimedriver]

It is a F/A-18, it is an attack airplane

Understand that Yip, but the USN doesn't have anything else for CAP. So I am asking what the capabilities of the 18 are as a dogfighter in the event that they would have to use it in this role.

 

[SIG600]

Yip has no idea what he's talking about. The F-16 could just as easily be given F/A-16.

Having fought many Vipers and Eagles... It has nothing to do with the airplane and the man in the seat. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses, it's up to the guy flying to fight with or against them.

As a point defense fighter, the AESA equipped Superhornet is the best thing out there that isn't an F-22. It just needs about 20% more thrust.

 

[pilotyip]

Yip has no idea what he's talking about. The F-16 could just as easily be given F/A-16.

Right, forget about the attack role, the only reason for an airplane to fly is to be a dog-fighter. It replaced the A-7 and F-4, it is an attack airplane. It has far as I know only a few aerial victories as a fighter and those came at missile engage range, but it is very good a blowing things up. Reference the USMC vs ISIS BTW Fighters are not a threat to an aircraft carrier, submarines are

 

[SIG600]

Right, forget about the attack role, the only reason for an airplane to fly is to be a dog-fighter. It replaced the A-7 and F-4, it is an attack airplane. It has far as I know only a few aerial victories as a fighter and those came at missile engage range, but it is very good a blowing things up. Reference the USMC vs ISIS BTW Fighters are not a threat to an aircraft carrier, submarines are

USN 18's have been bringing the hate to ISIS. The F-4 was as much if not more of an attack airplane as it was a fighter.

 

[lowtimedriver]

BTW Fighters are not a threat to an aircraft carrier, submarines are

ALCM's launched from multi-role aircraft are in fact a huge threat to any naval vessel.

 

[pilotyip]

USN 18's have been bringing the hate to ISIS. The F-4 was as much if not more of an attack airplane as it was a fighter.

Marines are flying off the boats doing the same mission

ALCM's launched from multi-role aircraft are in fact a huge threat to any naval vessel.

Subs can launch the same weapons,

 

[lowtimedriver]

As a point defense fighter, the AESA equipped Superhornet is the best thing out there that isn't an F-22. It just needs about 20% more thrust.

Thank you sir. I hope that others chirp in.

 

[SIG600]

Marines are flying off the boats doing the same mission


Subs can launch the same weapons,

You were a patrol guy, from what the wooden tall ship era? You ever even trap on the boat in anything painted grey? No shlt there are marine squadrons on the boat, I was in an air wing that had a Marine squadron... What Marine squadron is in CVW-8?

 

[pilotyip]

You were a patrol guy, from what the wooden tall ship era? You ever even trap on the boat in anything painted grey? No shlt there are marine squadrons on the boat, I was in an air wing that had a Marine squadron... What Marine squadron is in CVW-8?

"USN 18's have been bringing the hate to ISIS. The F-4 was as much if not more of an attack airplane as it was a fighter" You posted this, I was just replying what I saw on TV, that the Marines were also flying missions. I spent my time flying off the boat in the C-1A as sheep's company on board CVAN-65.

Cannot answer what Marine squadron is in CVW-8 and I doubt you can answer what F-14 squadrons were in CVW-14

You still to know a lot about CVs what is your background?

 

[SIG600]

Unless there is another boat/air wing other than the Bush and CAG 8, or the Marines are flying from one of the shore based fwd deployed locations, it's all USN TACAIR.

The Enterprise dropped the A from the designation a LOOOOONG time ago. She was a fast boat, but hell of a burble and that gnarly angled deck compared to a Nimitz class.

 

[pilotyip]

Unless there is another boat/air wing other than the Bush and CAG 8, or the Marines are flying from one of the shore based fwd deployed locations, it's all USN TACAIR.

The Enterprise dropped the A from the designation a LOOOOONG time ago. She was a fast boat, but hell of a burble and that gnarly angled deck compared to a Nimitz class.

yea it was 1975, when we evacuated Saigon, and the answer to the question is VF-1 and VF-2 the first F-14 deployment. They flew combat missions covering the evac routes and did return fire at least once. Still what is your back ground?

BTW I remember you had to add 2"s when the island hit the horizon.

 

[SIG600]

yea it was 1975, when we evacuated Saigon, and the answer to the question is VF-1 and VF-2 the first F-14 deployment. They flew combat missions covering the evac routes and did return fire at least once. Still what is your back ground?

BTW I remember you had to add 2"s when the island hit the horizon.

USN Hornets.

Stateroom was on O-3 level on big E, on that centerline Pway that went to the fwd ward room. Right above Airops.

2" to what and why were you looking at the island that close in the groove?

 

[trip]

2 inches of manifold pressure, duhh.

 

[DevilDawg]

Back to the original question. All 3 planes are very good at fighting, but in very differnt ways. I've fought them all. My background is F/A-18 A-F. You have to know the goods and others of your jet and the one you are fighting. I know I'm slower, but have the alpha to out maneuver the hight T/W. I'll bait them into my fight, 50ft above the deck and as slow as I can get them, one circle flow. Once they go full burner and climb around towards my control zone I've got them. 9x lock with the helmet... Fights over, I win. 90% of the time a hornet can get the first shoot off, but will sacrifices good follow on BFM.

 

[trip]

You will never get an Eagle driver down there, they loiter @FL500 and shoot everything out the sky before they even get to the fight.

 

[pilotyip]

2 inches of manifold pressure, duhh.

yet that is just a little, when we deck launched, from abeam the island we used 59.5" of MAP.

 

[SIG600]

Back to the original question. All 3 planes are very good at fighting, but in very differnt ways. I've fought them all. My background is F/A-18 A-F. You have to know the goods and others of your jet and the one you are fighting. I know I'm slower, but have the alpha to out maneuver the hight T/W. I'll bait them into my fight, 50ft above the deck and as slow as I can get them, one circle flow. Once they go full burner and climb around towards my control zone I've got them. 9x lock with the helmet... Fights over, I win. 90% of the time a hornet can get the first shoot off, but will sacrifices good follow on BFM.

If you have helmet and 9x, what are you doing on the deck trying to bait anyone? Try that against a Viper guy that knows where your alpha limits are, you'll die every time. He'll bow tie back there all day long and you'll guns D until you're a rocks kill or he runs you out of gas.

One circle flow doesn't occur at the Hornets slowest speed on the deck. You can be in the "race to the wall" fight at 75 knots on the deck (I've done 73 knots and held it there Hornet v Hornet, he was at 72) but if you're outside of 1/2 a turn radius from your opponent you're in a one circle fight in which case you better be in that 120 knot regime. Go back and study your EM diagram, when you get a Hornet below 120 the turn circle begins to grow again and with it your bubble, and his play ground if he's behind you.

Baiting them to get behind you so you can 9x them when they plug the blowers because you're on the deck out of energy.... Ya TOPGUN does not recommend.

BTW, the Viper with a good pilot is just as good if not better than the Hornet in one circle flow. A Hornet pilot in a Viper will demonstrate that. Go fight the NSAWC/N7 dudes at NFL for demo.

 

[DevilDawg]

Sig, if you want to talk the in and outs of BFM I would be glad to talk to you in person. Next time you're in Fallon stop by the fishbowl at N5. Im the only Marine that works there.

 

[SIG600]

Hope they put you through ViperU. I hear things have gotten rough around there recently.

 

[DCAA320]

Pilots being equal F-16 beats F-18, as far as the F-15, they are so old and G limited their tails might fall off.

 

[lowtimedriver]

Pilots being equal F-16 beats F-18, as far as the F-15, they are so old and G limited their tails might fall off.

Good to know that our air superiority fighter is g-limited. What a great thing obama did canceling the 22.

I could be wrong, but the 35 doesn't look like a good replacement for the USAF.

 

[DCAA320]

I could be wrong, but the 35 doesn't look like a good replacement for the USAF.

If they can't solve the engine problem it's not going to be a good replacement for anyone.

 

[Traderd]

If they can't solve the engine problem it's not going to be a good replacement for anyone.

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/09/15/bo...4235793&rank=7

"The U.S. Defense Department official in charge of the F-35 fighter jet program said he hopes to have a fix in place for a defective engine part by the end of the year."

"We're hoping before the end of the year, we'll have at least the prototype," he told reporters after a presentation on the acquisition program." If the prototype works, we'll put that in."

"Three weeks before the F-35A conventional Air Force model aircraft caught fire during takeoff June 23 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, it was flown in a manner designed to test the performance of its g-force, roll and yaw within designed limits known as the flight envelope."

"While the maneuver only last two seconds or so, it triggered an unexpectedly high level of rubbing between the titanium blade in the fan section of the F135 engine and the polyamide. The metal reached temperatures of as high as 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit ? compared to the normal level of about 1,000 degrees ? and resulted in micro-cracking."

 

[lowtimedriver]

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/09/15/bo...4235793&rank=7

"The U.S. Defense Department official in charge of the F-35 fighter jet program said he hopes to have a fix in place for a defective engine part by the end of the year."

"We're hoping before the end of the year, we'll have at least the prototype," he told reporters after a presentation on the acquisition program." If the prototype works, we'll put that in."

"Three weeks before the F-35A conventional Air Force model aircraft caught fire during takeoff June 23 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, it was flown in a manner designed to test the performance of its g-force, roll and yaw within designed limits known as the flight envelope."

"While the maneuver only last two seconds or so, it triggered an unexpectedly high level of rubbing between the titanium blade in the fan section of the F135 engine and the polyamide. The metal reached temperatures of as high as 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit ? compared to the normal level of about 1,000 degrees ? and resulted in micro-cracking."

One would think that P&W has learned how to build a MIL engine by now. Apparently not.

 

[Traderd]

One would think that P&W has learned how to build a MIL engine by now. Apparently not.

I know what you mean. I'm not that familiar with the AF procurement history, but it would seem the 35 program has been far less than stellar.

 

[Traderd]

Possible end of production in 2017

http://www.dodbuzz.com/2014/09/19/re...2887570&rank=3

"The world's largest aerospace company may stop building the F/A-18 in 2017 and the F-15 in 2019 amid a slump in demand for the military aircraft in both the U.S. and abroad, according to an article published Thursday by Doug Cameron and Robert Wall of The Wall Street Journal."

They are still pushing the EA-18G Growler.

"Earlier this year at the Navy League's annual conference outside Washington, D.C., Boeing touted the effectiveness of its fourth-generation EA-18G electronic attack plane over Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 stealth fighter. In presentations and advertisements, the company argued the Growler is more equipped than the Joint Strike Fighter for operating in areas with sophisticated enemy air defenses, known in military parlance as anti-access, area-denial, or A2-AD, environments."

?Stealth is perishable; only a Growler provides full spectrum protection," stated a slide in a briefing given by Mike Gibbons, vice president of F/A-18 and EA-18G programs for Boeing, in a not-so-subtle dig at the radar-evading, fifth-generation jet made by Lockheed."

 

[lowtimedriver]

I believe that the general feeling by mil aero experts is that the new generation of Russian fighters can outfly and outfight the F-35. That is a major concern to me. I hope that the cancellation of the F-22 doesn't come back to haunt us.

 

[DCAA320]

They just put the F-22 to work.

http://theaviationist.com/2014/09/23/f-22-isis-compound/