What is underneath this Hornet

[Alfredson007]

The US President Trump was visiting us here in Finland today and one Hornet had to identify an unauthorized flight.

 

A photo:

 

https://is.mediadelivery.fi/img/1920/ed6b4d1007764799b55cafbbbac76023.jpg.webp

 

I am interested in the thing on the center store, what is it? Some sort of sensor? Also, can someone identify those missiles on the wingtips, are those 9X sidewinders? Looks kind a small?

 

Thanks

[Nick_17]

https://www.google.de/search?q=litening+ii+targeting+pod&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjbquTIs6TcAhUMy6QKHVbnDTAQ_AUICygC&biw=2560&bih=1307

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litening

Yes those are Aim-9X Sidewinders.

Edited July 16, 2018 by Nick_17

[Alfredson007]

Ha! So it is, thanks. Never heard that before. Wonder, what the heck were they planning on doing with it tho..

[Oesau]

ID the aircraft - the RAAF Hornets have done this as well.

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Ha! So it is, thanks. Never heard that before. Wonder, what the heck were they planning on doing with it tho..

Modern targeting pods have an A/A mode, that can be slaved to the radar.

The purpose is indeed what Oesau said: to ID an aircraft at distances too far away for the Mk I eyeball.

The ATFLIR we'll be getting for the DCS: F/A-18C will have that functionality as well. I'd happily trade a single AIM120 for that pod, even on pure A/A missions.

 

The F-14 had the TCS for that exact purpose, but since its retirement, fighters no longer natively have that capability and need to use a TPOD instead.