Zephyr Net

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/c ... t05283.xml

I haven't read it yet but when skimming I saw that it is not designed to carry strike weapons such as the JDAM, just HARMs.

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"Smile, AMRAAMs love you!"
"May the PATRIOTS down the FROGS!"
1Lt. Centurian57_76/369th

For all your FA needs and Game Remod 6 visit

It says they will be using the ALQ-99. Any idea how they solved the problem that the propeller could not sustain the speed of the F18?

as you guys both know, it's not at all unusual for an aircraft to start out with clearance for only a few weapons, then get upgrades later if needed. The Growler will probly only carry HARM on the outer (new) pylons which are only rated for like 1,000lbs, the other pylons will likely carry the AN/ALQ-99 and fuel for loitering for long periods. Hopefully AARGM will be ready to go by then, the HARM is only a little bit more than useless these days.

The prop fix should be a VERY simple mod(if needed), and I dont really see a need for Growler to go supersonic unless it gets into trouble. The pods themselves may not even be capable of going Mach1 without damage.

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If the pods themselves cannot handle supersonic I bet they make a reshaped one. Any news on the "EB-52" or will the USAF wait for a JSF variant, or even a future drone based on the X-45?

Zephyr

Doubtful anybody knows about the EB-1, EB-52...would be cool to load them with JDAM e-Bombs.

_________________
"Smile, AMRAAMs love you!"
"May the PATRIOTS down the FROGS!"
1Lt. Centurian57_76/369th

For all your FA needs and Game Remod 6 visit

dont know anything but I bet they use the Growler like the prowler Tri-service, so they dont have to spend on the EB-52 which the Buff would be awsome in that role with something like SLAM or JASSM to help things out LOL

_________________
Fighting for justice with brains of steel

Let your anger be like the monkey which hides inside the piniata.

I think the B-1 would be better suited in the EB role. It can carry more weapons and is stealthier, thereby make it that much harder to kill. A B-52 has a lot of ECM on it but if she gets bounced by a missile it's going to be a very big mess to clean up. Can't shoot what you can't see and being that the B-1 is 1/100th the size of a B-52 on radar, I gotta go with that. Plus it's faster and a lot more modern.

_________________
"Smile, AMRAAMs love you!"
"May the PATRIOTS down the FROGS!"
1Lt. Centurian57_76/369th

For all your FA needs and Game Remod 6 visit

yeah but the whole idea is to barrage jamm or at leaste spoof for strike and recon assets, so stealth wouldent be a consideration unless you wanted to invent the MOAW mission role.

_________________
Fighting for justice with brains of steel

Let your anger be like the monkey which hides inside the piniata.

I think all of you are missing the point on what the EB-52 is supposed to be... It isnt an escort jammer like the EA6B or like the EA-18G will be...

It is a stand off jammer that will have tremendous power..

Cent incase you didnt understnad what that means, when a jammer is activated everyone within range of the signals, even far distances away outside the effective range of the jamming signals, will know exactly where you are. Stealth would be a total waste since you will be plotted on everyones C3 and will be counted as a high value asset to kill if you ever come close enough to be in range.

THe reason they need the EB-52 is not to house any weapons, but to have enough room to carry enough equipment to be effective against the SA-10,12, and following systems that have far longer effective ranges then the current jammers in the USAF inventories...

I think a nuke would be best suited for this role, don't you?

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Aviation week has an article on the B-52 jamming program. The plan is to add stand off jamming capabilities to the existing B-52s, and not create a new model per se. A certain number of the fleet would be equipped to carry various underwing pods containing equipment to jam radars or communications. It is hoped to also acquire a new communications jamming pod for the B-52 in place of that on the EA-6B Prowler, as there is concern about the age and parts supply for that pod. The crew of the B-52 would not be changed, and models with jamming capability would retain full strike capability. It is hoped that this mod, along with UAVs and the AESA radars of the F/A-22 and F-35 in the future can develop a USAF jamming network to defeat S-300 and later series SAMs in integrated defensive systems.

Zephyr

Yes I understand Cag but what good is a jammer that can't to its destination because it got shot down?

_________________
"Smile, AMRAAMs love you!"
"May the PATRIOTS down the FROGS!"
1Lt. Centurian57_76/369th

For all your FA needs and Game Remod 6 visit

Cent... A stand off jammer is not ever close enough to be targetted.. what is going to shoor it down? Its onboard electronic jamming is of such power as to kncok back the radars of the enemy so much it leaves huge gaps for regular stealth aircraft to fly to targets undetected and unintercepted..