Zephyr Net

Technically the underwing sidewinder stations on the F-15C aren't double rails - they're just stations. Most of the times they carry a mix of AMRAAMs and Sidewinders. Besides, among other aircraft the F-18s can also carry SRAAMs on double rails on stations 2,3,7 and 8.

If the maximum number of weapon slots is an issue I could suggest eliminating the singles, since SRAAMs are almost always carried in pairs anyway... or you could model the weapon stations to simulate double rail usage on other aircraft as well. Either way I'd like to carry a couple more heaters on my Hornet

I can tell you have either done very little editing of aircraft hardpoints or none at all, as all are usually done in pairs...

You only get 6 total hard points per aircraft that can be used for multiple weapons at the laodout screen. This limitation is hard coded into the game...

On my F-15C...

1. Internal Cannon with 20mm ammuntion
2. Forward pair of under fusleage mounted radar missles (Sparrow or AMRAAMs -This allows the aircraft to mix Sparrows with AMRAAMs, which is the current SOP for F-15Cs)
3. rear pair of under fusleage mounted radar missles (Sparrow or AMRAAMs -This allows the aircraft to mix Sparrows with AMRAAMs, which is the current SOP for F-15Cs)
4. inner pair of missles on wing hard point (AMRAAMs or Sidewinders)
5. Outer pair of missles on wing harpoint (AMRAAMs or Sidewinders)
6. Pair of external fuel tanks on under wing hardpoint. (pair 600 gallon fuel tanks - this is optional, and this hardpoint is empty, so you can add these tanks at the loadout screen)

7. (non editable) Centerline fuel tank (a single centerline 600 gallon tank, you can not remove this and it does not appear on the loadout screen)

Plus other internal hardpoints for radar, jammers, etc...

So what you are asking for is a way to simulate loading 2 Sidewinders on a single hardpoint...

Since we can not switchout launch rails, I agree this is probably the only way to simulate this on the F/A-18.

However, with only 1 available weapon slot I will have to think about this before I commit to doing this in this release of FAF...

But it would be a welcome option if I were to choose AIM-9P rear aspect missiles to put on the twin rail instead of, say the AIM-9M, because when flying online most players like to use tail chase only missiles when flying head to head in human vs human combat because both can choose this same weapon layout for identical capabilities that allows both players to avoid nose on engagements...

Thanks for the recommendation, and BTW I already have this option for TERs on the F-18 for AMRAAMs...

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AMRAAM TERs?

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2 AMRAAMs on a single hardpoint. I guess I should of said AMRAAM TLR for Twin Launch Rail instead of TER for Twin Ejector Rack...

Just like this...

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Well, TER actually stands for Triple Ejector Rack (BRU-42 holds up to three 1000lb dumb bombs, or two GBU-12s in a slant load), while MER stands for Multiple Ejector Rack (BRU-41 holds up to six 500lb dumb bombs) which is no longer used by USAF. The double bomb rack used by the Hornets is called Vertical Ejector Rack or VER (can carry two 1000lb bombs). A new smart bomb rack is now being deployed in the form of BRU-55/57 for double carriage of GPS guided weapons such as JDAM or JSOW. The twin carriage of Sidewinders or AMRAAMs is by a combination of two LAU-127 launch rails attached to a LAU-115. LAU-88 is the triple launcher for the AGM-65 Maverick

Anyway: MER=6, TER=3, VER=2 (for bombs)

My experience with editing FA is quite limited, since all I can do with the editor is edit pilot data. However my experience with weapon stations in game leads me to think you can set limits to both the number of weapons per station as well as weigth; you can for example load four 500lb bombs or two 1000lb bombs (if I understood it correctly).

Now let's take the legacy Hornet's example again. Its underwing pylons can each carry a double load of AMRAAMs, Sidewinders, Mk82s, Mk83s, Rocket pods and CBUs, but only single loads of Mavericks, AIM-7s and HARMs. The problem is how to make it carry only single loads of the lighter weapons.

That is true but the USN doesnt use Triple Ejector Racks or multipacks now... So I called them TERs for Twin Ejector Rack, so the average player can understand the loadout as they would not understand what a VER acronym stood for.

Though that will likely change with the quad rack for the SDB... Plus the USAF still uses the BRU-42 Triple Ejector Rack so I guess I should use TER only to represent that type of loadout to avoid even worse confusion....

BTW you left off the Douglas MBR (Multiple Bomb Rack) that can house various numbers of bombs. And the LAU-128/A CRL Common Rail Launcher for AMRAAMs and Sidewinders for F-15s and F-22s. And the LAU-142/A AVEL (AMRAAM Vertical Eject Launcher) for the AMRAAM on the F-22 carreid in the internal bay. Plus the M299 quad launcher for the Hellfire Missile, etc etc..

And no that isnt a problem for the loadouts you describe above and has already been solved many years ago. IIRC you can only load a single item on the hardpoint at the loadout screen, if your default loadout weapon is a single item, up to the max weight of the hardpoint...

BTW loadout rack names dont help in FA as you can not select the type of launch rail or ejector rack to determine what weapons you can carry like in Falcon 4...

You also have very little space for the weapons loadout name to fit the loadout screen limits, if you make the name to long to include rack numbers or names you will over run the length limit and screwup the loadout screen...

I already use the MER, TER, and SBR designations for various loadouts that I have in FAF...

With your input I will change the Twin launcher to VER and since I will be using that vertical launcher acronym I will add the AVEL for the f-22s bay carriage of the AIM-120...

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Just call them x2, x3, and x4 for clarity! Besides, the Russian counterparts don't mount on "MER" or "TER"

What I meant to say was that being forced to mount single loads of Mavericks, HARMs or Sparrows while still being able to load double loads of Mk83s, Mk82s or CBUs etc. is a problem without creating double carriages of these weapons.

Yes I agree it would be a problem but in FAF I have the (per your designations) X6, X4, X3, X2, etc already in place so you wont be stuck wth a single when there are other ejector racks for the specific aircraft you choose...

I get around the limitations of the multiple AMRAAMS on the F-18 hardpoints by making the weapon non selectable on the regular weapons load screen, but putting them by default on the Hornet, thus giving you the option to load it and use it, but only on that specific aircraft...

If will not appear as an option in the F-15, F-16 or F-22 unless you choose the weapons cheat option on the loadout screen...

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btw the original double rack for Hornet was HER hoz ejector rack.
What do you mean the "Ruskies don't mount MER or TER"?

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I think he meant they dont refer to their racks by those terms...

Personally I like to refer to racks that are D sized or bigger myself!

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That's because you have mommy issues, I say "more than a handfull..."

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Say what?

Dude that is not funny...

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lol psych books are full of that kind of important data.

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Doesnt make your joke funny...

BTW your 7th year anniversary as a member of this forum is just 2 days away...

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I rock.

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