Possibilities of more AIM-54 variants?

[DSplayer]

Is there the possibility of more AIM-54 variants coming to the Tomcat? There's an image of an AIM-54C with what appears to be a motor which was painted white while the rest of the missile was grey. I don't know if had a Mk60 or Mk47 motor with an AIM-54C seeker but it would interesting if we had in-game if it had a Mk60 motor along with other interesting variants.

 

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[BreaKKer]

From what has been said, the variants in game are all we are getting. I do believe that is an AIM-54C with the Mod 2 Mk47 motor which was the upgrade from our current 54C motor. Just off the top of my head, I do believe that is the 54C+ that got that along with enhanced avionics.

[Grater Tovakia]

there is no hard evidence that the 54C was ever fitted with the mk60 motor. While pictures like this offer a good case it should be remembered that 54Cs were painted white, so these could be a case of partially painted missiles and/or these are the "retrofitted upgrades" that occurred in the late 80s and into the 90s but there is no source out there that can hard confirm exactly which missiles were retrofitted/fused. 

 

On top of this, AIM-54 upkeep documentation from the 90s makes no mention of the mk60 motor only the mk47 Mod 1 which the A, C, and C ECCM Sealed all had by this time period. 

 

 

Quote

" Propulsion Section.  The AIM-54A, AIM-54C, and AIM-54C ECCM/Sealed Missile use the MK 47 MOD 1 rocket motor assembly."

 

source: 

NAVY TRAINING SYSTEM PLAN

FOR THE

AIM-54 PHOENIX MISSILE

1999

 

Navy Training System Plan (globalsecurity.org)

 

 

 

To be perfectly honest, I don't see any other variants coming to DCS especially seeing how slim our current knowledge on them currently is. One can dream though!

[DSplayer]

On 7/27/2021 at 12:49 PM, Grater Tovakia said:

there is no hard evidence that the 54C was ever fitted with the mk60 motor. While pictures like this offer a good case it should be remembered that 54Cs were painted white, so these could be a case of partially painted missiles and/or these are the "retrofitted upgrades" that occurred in the late 80s and into the 90s but there is no source out there that can hard confirm exactly which missiles were retrofitted/fused. 

 

On top of this, AIM-54 upkeep documentation from the 90s makes no mention of the mk60 motor only the mk47 Mod 1 which the A, C, and C ECCM Sealed all had by this time period. 

 

 

 

 

 

To be perfectly honest, I don't see any other variants coming to DCS especially seeing how slim our current knowledge on them currently is. One can dream though!

How about improved variants of the AIM-54A? Like are there is there improvements of the AIM-54A seeker prior to the advancement of the AIM-54C?

[Grater Tovakia]

On 7/29/2021 at 1:50 AM, DSplayer said:

How about improved variants of the AIM-54A? Like are there is there improvements of the AIM-54A seeker prior to the advancement of the AIM-54C?

There were in fact uprgades to the 54As like the HAP (High Altitude Performance) mod but there is little to no info about these mini upgrades anywhere. 

 

As is the case with questions surrounding stuff like the TID tapes and their 80s upgrades there is just so many minor tweaks and such out there that we only know the name of and none of the function. 

 

Its important to remember also that not every "upgrade" would mean a quantum jump in capability, they could simply be corrective. 

 

Sorry for the late reply, Ive been out and about recently. Have a good one!