Oh great teachers of modern weapontry and guidance, can you tell me what is required for an F-18C to carry and launch an AGM-65E? From what I can tell, it’s fire and forget, but is an external pod required on this aircraft to target and fire the weapon?
Also, would mk-82’s and AGM-65’s be considered a real world loadout?
Thanks.
Bones, the AGM-65E is laser guided but that doesn’t mean the launching jet has to be the one laseing the target. A ground unit or another aircarft can lase and another jet fire the mav. Normaly aircraft carrying 65Es will have the capibility to lase their own targets but like I said it not a MUST.
The A-10 carries both mavs and MK-82s on the same load, the mavs can be used on SAM/AAA or armor in the stand-off mode and once the target area is clear, or the armor is destroyed, they can then use the MK-82s on “soft targets”.
Thanks Dice. Based on your comments, I think I will load her with MK-82s and AGM-65s.
Thanks again. [:)]
Isn’t there a TV-guided version of the Mav? Like those that were used in the 1st GW?
Are you putting the triple racks of MAvs on the -18 Bones? I have one made up in VMFA-232 colors with LGBs and sidewinders. They are some aggressive birds.
I’ve got an A-6 sitting at home that I’m going to put a full load on, I was thinking JDAMs, Rockeyes, and maybe a SLAM or two? I want a good “Iron Hand” loadout for this baby…
Mr. Bones,
An F-18C carrying AGM-65 Mavericks would be loaded with a single Mav to a rail. The rail designation escapes me but I am sure someone out there knows. Other weapons may include GBU-12/16 laser guided bombs or Mk-20 Rockeye. It depends on what mission and time period you are trying to portray.
For missions, several Hornet pilots have told me they would carry a single Maverick on one of the outboard stations, “goofy gas” which is an external tank on one inboard and the centerline, and GBU-12s on the other side for both surface CAP (SUCAP) or CAS missions. This would be considered a more “modern load” (Opeation Iraqi Freedom type load). During Desert Storm, I talked to one of the first US Marine Corps pilots on scene of the Iraqi retreat out of Kuwait City. They had two loads which became their standard conventional load toward the end of the war. Lead would have AGM-65 Maverick on a single rail launcher on the left outboard, an external fuel tank on the left inboard, a Mk-20 Rockeye on the centerline, an external tank on the right inboard, and an AGM-88 HARM on the right outboard. Two’s load was very similar but with a Mk-83 1000 pound bomb substituted for the Mk-20 Rockeye on the centerline. Dave Roof could update you on these loads as he was there at Shaik Isa. I had the pilot’s “Yearbook” from his squadron deployment to Desert Storm in my hands as he went through these loadouts with me. They really look cool on a jet of that time period.
If you are really in for a thrill, try this one on for size. The Med carriers during Iraqi Freedom had two neat loads which would look great on a jet. There are plenty of decal sheets for the Bulls of VFA-37 and VFA-105 Gunslingers to pull this off. They had a CAS load out of 2 x GBU-12 on the left and right outboard, AGM-154 JSOW on the left inboard and goofy gas. An AIM-120 AMRAAM was hung on the right fuselage station and the Nighthawk FLIR was on the left fuselage station. AIM-9M Sidewinders were standard on the wingtips. A variation to this load was 2 x AGM-88 Harms and an AGM-154 JSOW for the suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD…pronounced “seed/deed”) missions. The JSOW had the CBU-87 bomblets in the warhead so they could use it on just about any enemy defensive system they needed.
Food for thought on your quest for the most accurate Hornet loadouts. Bottomline, the standard USAF Weapons School answer applies here…“depends…” on what you are doing. Any more questions, just let me know. The current Bulls and Gunslinger squadron Commanding Officers are good friends of mine and they are 10 minutes from where I am sitting. [;)]
Mr. LemonJello,
Wanted to answer something you said seperately. An A-6E cannot do JDAM. The A-6s were retired before we started dropping JDAMs. As a mater of fact, A-6’s were used for TARGETS in several of the JDAM tests. As with the Hornet answer above, loadouts depend on what your mission is and what you are after (the old “It Depends” Weapons School answer here again). For an interesting Iron Hand load, it would depend on the time period. Congressman Randy Cunningham’s book “Fox Two” has a great picture of an A-7E loaded for Iron Hand with AGM-45 Shrikes and Mk-20 Rockeyes. This was a similar load for A-6 Intruders during the Vietnam War I have been told by a few folks who flew them during that time period. If you do a Desert Storm load, AGM-88 HARMs and Rockeye would be the way to go. More likely, it would be HARMs and GBU-16s. Lets be precise here if you are going to make me tangle with the SAMs and guns. They would be loaded with HARM on the outboards and Rockeyes on the inboards. I also saw an all AGM-88 load on one of the Red Sea Intruders (3 x AGM-88 and two external tanks). I have heard of a HARM/SLAM load too but I would have to see pictures before I would put that on a model for a contest or a show somewhere. Anyone out there reading this confirm that kind of a load? If you did this, you do not necessarily have to put the guidance pod on the centerline of the jet as someone else can drive the SLAM, which they often did during Desert Storm. It would look something like AGM-88s on the outboards, SLAM on the inboards and a centerline bag for gas. Again, I would have to see that on film first before I used it or at least heard from two or more guys who flew A-6s to confirm this for me. Another Vietnam load was AGM-45 Shrikes on the outboards and AGM-78 Standard ARMs on the inboards of the A-6s doing Iron Hand. The centerline had a gas tank. A few “improvements” you would have to make to the interior adn exterior of the A-6 for the jet to be accurate but Can Do…Easy with the Squadron Signal book on Wild Weasels as they show the cockpit and the ECM lumps and bumps in several pictures.
One thing you have to remember…“Bombing a SAM site…” Just SAY the words and your insurance rates go through the roof! It was done this way (they even went after the Triple A guns with Rockeyes, as Congressman Cunningham was tasked the day he got three MiGs) but that was a scarey proposition. Technology has changed all of this as we can do it with JDAM, WCMD, and JSOW from miles away now. [;)]
Very nice! Thanks allot for your insite and info!!
Next question: Does anyone know if there are Rockeyes out there in 1/32? [:D]
Thanks, sluggo357, for the info. Does anyone make a conversion for the 1/48 A-6 to make a TRAM version?
I was leaning toward the JDAMs since they came with the kit (I think), but if they were never hung on the Intruder…well, I guess I could do a “what-if” kind of load…
Mr. Bones,
The Tamyia F-15E has Mk-20 Rockeyes in 1/32 scale. Why they are in the kit, I don’t know. They carried them for a short while during Desert Strom and then went to other weapons. Night Three of Desert Storm I was tasked to refuel a four ship of Strike Eagles (Buick Flight) going after SCUDs. What pulled up out my window were six white Rockeye bombs! It was that dark outside. The Beagles turned their llights on after they all formed up. Pretty amazing watching this. Later in the war, they went with lead carrying four GBU-10s, two each on the bottom rows and -Two carrying 6 CBU-87s; three on a side on the bottom rows. Saw something similar at Aviano during Allied Force. 4 x GBU-12s on one side and 3 x CBU-87 on the other side. It was called the “CAS Load of Justice”. The best examples of SUU-65 cans are made by Dave Parsons of FlightPath in 1/32 and 1/48 scale. These are just outstanding. A good back up are found in Italieri’s 1/48 F-16C kit. “Not quite right” as we would say parts of the Far East but at least you can work with them.
As for A-6E TRAM conversions, I think Meteor made something to this effect but I would have to look. I am doing this from memory. The Revell A-6 kit has the stuff to make a TRAM jet but I know there are some problems with accuracy. Do not use their Rockeyes or Multiple Ejector Racks (MERs) from the kit if you do this though. Use the Tamiya weapons sets. A long time ago, Mike Williams of Technics made some beautiful Rockeye bombs! Just gorgious. If you can find these they are perfect. Dave Roof helped him make them and he has seen a lot of Rockeyes in his day. I have three sets left and will never part with them.
I’ ve got the Hasegawa 1/48 A-6 with Green Knights markings, if memory serves, sitting at home. I’ve just always like the look of this warbird. Not as sleek as some, but a workhorse that could deliver a lot of pain on target.
Anyway, thanks for all the insight on weapons loads, always good to hear it from someone with first-hand experience. All of mine is on the ground, with a rifle in hand and a pack on my back!