Sweep

Your technical capabilities are irrelevant if your pilots can't train for them. F-15C and to a large extent F-22A guys train for all things air to air. F-15E guys train for defensive stuff only (AFAIK DCA and possibly intercept...don't hold me to the latter). F-15E guys also split A/G prioritization in their squadrons, from what I've heard - You may have 8 pilots that know CAS inside and out, 12 for strike, a few more with CSAR support, etc. F-22 pilots do A/G now...And a lot of it, operationally. In the course of OIR they've actually done CAS. Training for CAS and other A/G missions (DEAD maybe? Strike?) will reduce the amount of training those pilots get for air to air. That's active duty, mainly...What about a cash bingo ANG? How much training are *they* going to get for their main role if they had Strikes? And besides that, there are other reasons why the F-15E isn't a great idea to replace the F-15C. They start with the budget and end in...9k perch setups?:megalol: But really, remember, they're trying to save money and use something that works, not waste money on something that is not optimal for the task. As for the Hornet comparison...Ever hear what some Hornet guys have to say about the F-15C as an airframe and as a community? :) P.S. (T)F-15As were in fact built with A/G capability. It was tested, it was in the software until somebody needed yet another WEZ built in. Israel is off proving this very capability today with their current F-15C/Ds. Pretty sure the US has had all A/G software removed perhaps with the exception of the A/G gun modes. P.P.S. You'd be fine just ignoring the technical and practical reasons why new Strikes are a bad idea and just look at the budget. It isn't there, period. :smilewink:

11R means 110 degrees right angle off tail. 17L would mean 170 degrees left off of his tail, for example. Where is that 79 number coming from, btw? The only indication with 79 in the picture is the closure (+879 knots).

The key-bind for the FCS disconnect is there (labeled same as the Su-27 S key in the list) and it's assigned to the cobra function, I guess? This is a lot like the late-SFM F-15C when they added the keys for the PFM a month or two prior to implementing the new FM.

EDIT: Aaaand spent too long typing that to see that Kev2go posted, oops. The Strike is dual seat, 3k heavier, and very expensive. New-build F-15Cs would be much better for that. Cs would probably be slightly cheaper as well. F-16s, which I *think* would be pullouts from the boneyard, are going to be very expensive too...It's not just a new radar they'd need. As for this emphasis on multirole...That's hilariously stupid. That's how you destroy your A/A fighter force. It's one thing to do what the Cali ANG did with their F-16s (A/A only in a multirole fighter - They just transitioned to the Eagle, btw), but when you're asking for your air superiority squadrons to do serious A/G, you will either pay more or degrade their primary capabilities. I don't think this is a serious proposal. I think it shows where they're (USAF, ANG, etc.) at, budget/funding wise. I think they'll get extra cash and keep the Cs.

Why F-15Es when you could have new F-15Cs? Though if you insist on replacing fighters with strikers...Why not F-35As?

New controls? Yes New FM? Nah

I would disregard speed, fly the 2-3 degree glideslope at 20-22 units AOA (10-12 degrees...Eagle displays units). Flare to 23uAOA and pull power as required on the flare - If you're overweight, you won't be pulling power too fast. As for takeoff - Nose UP (and of course nose wheel) at 120kts to 10 degrees, mains come off at 145-160, normally. Many people have this tendency to wait until 160-180 to rotate and it pops the mains in game - It shouldn't, but it does.

I have used it as such in the sim, yes. Not as hard as you think in 93% of scenarios. I wasn't really suggesting that I did that in the post, though. ;) Edit: Now just imagine lofting bombs from a Harrier at some SA-15. Wouldn't that be fun!?

I'd take one of those with a -229, just for the lolz.

Tossed some rep his way for ya.

How so?

Not yet. Not until BST says it'll never happen. As for a few of you saying "oh but muh F-15E" - That's no replacement for a C... Well, if you drop those CFTs and/or add -229s I'll shut up for a bit. :D

You know that "I want to believe meme"? I *DON'T* want to believe! :lol:

Make. It. Happen. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That wasn't just a Balkans thing. That's a Weasel thing all around. Call Magnum on a clear frequency and watch everybody stop emitting. When you call Magnum, though, maybe you should put a JDAM or SDB out his way... :) Weaseling in the Harrier is going to be a lot of fun with or without Sidearms IMO...Faster and lighter A-10 FTW.

AI and player guidance capabilities are also quite a bit different. From experience, I've lost quite a few tracks while engaging due to the target notching and the track dropping to EO primary with IFF running instead of combined or radar-only guidance. Doesn't really matter for co-alt or look up shots though. More things to consider! Yay!

Will read those if I get a minute. I'd imagine it's possible that what I read meant the FDL program started in '95? The source text wasn't very specific unfortunately. :( Looks like the -34 revision was released with JTIDS information right around the time it was cancelled, too!

My sources say JTIDS was cancelled in 1989 and FDL was fitted in '95 onwards. Odd.

I thought so! Wasn't completely sure, though.

Edit: How many times have we edited!? I think I'm replying to your post from before 15:24 UTC? The Eagle got the FDL starting in 1995. You're correct in that it wasn't part of MSIP II, however. It is quite possible that F-15Es didn't get the FDL until 2001, but I have no info. Just for example, look at AIM-9X...Fielded on F-15Cs like ten years ago? Not yet fielded on USAF F-15Es, as far as I know. Don't forget about the APG-63 mods that were done in the 80s. a v0 radar in the 90s wouldn't be the same as the one from '78. I think the MPCD was part of the basic C. Honestly, I'd take an APG-63v0 from 1993. Though I'm not going to turn down an APG-70! :D Edit/1131 EDT: As for the timeframe, I think it's from 2000? There are things that are way out of place, though. Hopefully BST will address those if/when (WHEN) we get a full up F-15C.

I'll look into it...Gonna test all of the heavies (IL-76/78, A-50, E-3, KC-135, C-130/C-17) Will edit with results Edit I: Tested all IL-76 variants, air starts about 150 miles apart. Could soft lock (I.e. TWS track) the first guy (A-50) at 120ish NMI, could NOT STT. It would go MEM and drop track when STT was attempted. This was HPRF, as we.. Could hard lock at about 90nmi. None of them have jammers Edit II: Tested E-3, KC-135, C-17. No jammers. Just some problems hard locking between detection range and about 95nmi Edit III: E-2, C-130, An-26, no jamming. It is possible, though, that there's a jamming contact out there as well like a fighter, maybe stacked with the clean heavies you're tracking or something???

Boo hoo on LANTIRN. Buddy designation from a dissimilar platform is where the real fun is, anyway. :D Oh, wait, Cobra! Do we still get LGBs?

IRL yes, in-game no. On the MPCD, look for the "SIT" page button. Think TAD from A-10C but more A/A mission oriented. Non-existent in-game, unfortunately. I'd imagine a proper F-15C module would have it, ditto F-15E. The scan area left/right don't do anything, you can use the TDC slew to change azimuth scan area though. Not sure what kind of stick/throttle/etc you're using, but on the Warthog I use the Coolie Hat Up/Down for the scan area up/down, and those commands that change the azimuth from 120 to 60 degree scan for Coolie left/right.

Because the real F-15 with the real APG-63 can detect and very possibly track a MiG-29 at 90nmi. Edit: And that's going for an APG-63 from '91. It only gets better and better... :D Ours is more like detection at 60 and track at 50. If and when we get an APG-63 modeled more like the real thing, that 160nmi display range will be very useful. :) IL-76, IL-78, and A-50 have no jammers in-game.

No brake hitting and F-5s overshooting? Lame. :D