How come AIM-120 on the tips?

[eWildcat]

Because they're different aircraft, and you have to take into account matters of acceptable loadouts on wingtips, FOV provided to missiles on each hardpoint, and know which hardpoints mean a rail-launched missile or an ejected one.

[Top Jockey]

Thank you people for your insight about my questions.

 

Yeah looking closely at the technical aspects (drag vortices at wingtip and the several other aspects) it makes sense I believe.

 

Still, the sight of a heavier missile at the wingtip was somewhat a novelty to me when the F-16 started employing it that way (and not many other fighters do it I think).

Edited June 3, 2019 by Top Jockey

[BuzzU]

They do it so we can watch the wings flop around. :)

[Bunny Clark]

Second is that 'pitbul' radar on board 120 would have greated FOV for times when 120 would be released at shorter range

Seems to me FOV at short ranges would be more important for an AIM-9X than an AMRAAM. I'd want my wide-FOV dogfight missiles on the station with the greatest unobstructed FOV.

 

Curious why F/A-18 , Typhoons, Rafale, and Groppen don't follow similar loadout.

For the Hornet at least, allowable wingtip station loading is probably complicated by them being outboard of the wing fold point.

[Top Jockey]

Seems to me FOV at short ranges would be more important for an AIM-9X than an AMRAAM. I'd want my wide-FOV dogfight missiles on the station with the greatest unobstructed FOV.

 

...

 

Yep since it's an HOBS missile, a bigger unobstructed FOV is more important for the AIM-9X than for the AMRAAM.

[LaRata]

Vibration … Vibration damages the AIM 9, seeker ...

[AMEDooley]

The wingtip on the hornet was only designed for the sidewinder LAU. The 120 requires a different LAU. The 16’s wingtip is compatible for both LAU’s.

[sobek]

Vibration … Vibration damages the AIM 9, seeker ...

 

 

Possibly, yes, but it definitely reduces the service life of the wing.

[Kid18120]

120s on the tip "stabilizes" the wing IIRC

[sobek]

120s on the tip "stabilizes" the wing IIRC

 

 

Yes, but it causes torsional bending as opposed to the transversal flutter of the Sidewinder, because it's bigger and hence its center of gravity is much further forward.

[Notso]

Having 120's on the tips serves two purposes in that it increases the F-16's already impressive roll rate and having the weight of the 120's on the tips reduces wing tip flutter and reduces stress from flutter vibration.

 

I've never heard about the increased roll rate, but the wingtip flutter issue to increase wing life was the answer when I asked a viper buddy of mine why the 120s were usually carried on the wingtip stations.