Question about F-16 CAP loadout

[SCPanda]

So the standard CAP loadout for the F-16 is 4 Aim-120s and 2 Aim-9s. I know that you will carry two Aim-120s on the wingtip (stations 1 and 9). What about the Aim-9s and the other 2 Aim-120s? Does the F-16 usually carry Aim-9s on stations 2 and 8 or 3 and 7? I have seen a lot of real jet pictures that the Aim-9s are mounted on stations 2 and 8 but those jets were also carrying air to ground weapons on stations 3 and 7. I couldn't find a picture of F-16 carrying 4 Aim-120s and 2 Aim-9s. I am asking because I have also heard that if you carry the 4 Aim-120s on the outer stations (1, 2, 8, 9) and the 2 Aim-9s on the inner stations (3 and 7) the drag index is lower. :helpsmilie:

Edited June 25, 2020 by SCPanda

[Gunrun_KS]

DI is lower as you said with aim-120's on 1,2,8,9 and aim-9's on 3 and 7. Standard CAP load out can vary per SOP, for example 3 x aim-120's and 1 x aim-9 or 4 aim-120's. Load outs can also be asymmetrical or symmetrical.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Reaper_KS

[Steph21]

DI is lower as you said with aim-120's on 1,2,8,9 and aim-9's on 3 and 7.

 

Is it ? cause -1-1 gives same DI respectively for Aim9 and Aim120 (with launcher + adapter) for station 2,3,7 or 8 :book:

[Frederf]

There are interference drag effects which the simple additive DI system can't account for. The drag of two stores might be more than the sum of the two individual stores. In reality DI isn't the same at all Mach, AOA and all configurations. The system of adding up some integers associated with each piece to get a total is a significant simplification.

 

Counting along stations 1 2 3 as AIM-120 ® or AIM-9 (H) the 4-radar, 2-heat load could indeed be R-R-H or R-H-R and it's a very interesting question why. I'm going to stick with RRH and RHR as shorthand for those two loads.

 

I have too heard that RRH is a little better aerodynamically but it's possible taht RHR is simpler in terms of reconfiguring since more AG missions are RHX and you'd only have to change 3/7.

[Gunrun_KS]

You also have to account for flutter. It's a longer much more complicated phrase that I can't remember but it's a feature that keeps the cg of the wing forward of the twist axis. In simple terms, have an amraam or aim-9 on the tip rather than running clean to not have flutter.

 

 

*I also forgot to mention the Amraam is longer and heavier so it's better at it than the aim-9 would be.

Edited June 28, 2020 by Reaper_KS