Hornet vs Viper loadout question

[Beirut]

Hello,

 

Can one of you aircraft experts explain, please, why the F/A-18 can only carry one AGM-65 per pylon but the Viper can carry three on one?

 

I thought the Hornet was supposed to be the ground pounder, but the on the wings, the Viper gets 6xMK82 and 6xAGM-65. The Hornet gets 4xMK82 and 2xAGM-65. That's a pretty big difference.

 

Anyway, if someone knows why I'd be happy to hear about it. Thanks. 

[Megalax]

Probably something to do with carrier landings.

[Beirut]

I was wondering about that, but the Hornet can carry a MK84 on the same pylon that only carries one AGM-65. The Viper can also carry a MK84 but can carry three AGM-65s on that same pylon. So it doesn't seem to be a weight issue, if that's what you were getting at.

[Frederf]

Multi-Maverick requires the LAU-88. The big Mavericks (E, F, L, G, K) can't go on an LAU-88. Only the small missiles (A, B, D, H) can. Navy really only likes the F for naval attack and E/L for laser land-based attack. Even USAF doesn't use LAU-88 much. F-16 stopped flying it a whole ago and A-10 is rare. I don't think the F/A-18 has ever had a LAU-88 possible or AV-8B. Has any USN aircraft been compatible with the LAU-88? I've only seen it on A-10 and F-16.

[Beirut]

Beauty!

 

I knew one of you tech guys had the answer. Thank you. 

[War_Pig]

The TER’s were a Cold War idea designed with T-55’s coming through the Fulda Gap in mind.  In reality it was never fully used on the F-16, only tested, which found the 3rd Maverick would burn the stabilator, and so the configuration was restricted to war-time use after only a handful of launches.

[Hulkbust44]

Realistically the F-16 is useless without two fuel tanks. Buddy of mine that's a Viper crew chief said they're practically welded to the wings. So an F-16 is only ever going to have 2 pylons for A/G.

[War_Pig]

In today’s world doing CAS over the sandbox, certainly.

In 1985 operating out of bases in Europe, perhaps not so much.  It just depends on the situation.  If the Norks came south in 1995, it’s possible that a lot of F-16’s with no bags might have seen some action.

[Steel Jaw]

On 2/20/2022 at 12:09 AM, Hulkbust44 said:

Realistically the F-16 is useless without two fuel tanks. Buddy of mine that's a Viper crew chief said they're practically welded to the wings. So an F-16 is only ever going to have 2 pylons for A/G.

Fact.

[Exorcet]

On 2/20/2022 at 12:09 AM, Hulkbust44 said:

Realistically the F-16 is useless without two fuel tanks. Buddy of mine that's a Viper crew chief said they're practically welded to the wings. So an F-16 is only ever going to have 2 pylons for A/G.

Besides the photos, DCS really give the opposite impression. The wing tanks are extremely draggy and almost negate their fuel capacity by limiting your altitude. Maybe it's related to the F-16's ITR issue and once that part of the FM is improved, higher AoA cruise might become more efficient.

[Jackjack171]

3 hours ago, Exorcet said:

Besides the photos, DCS really give the opposite impression. The wing tanks are extremely draggy and almost negate their fuel capacity by limiting your altitude. Maybe it's related to the F-16's ITR issue and once that part of the FM is improved, higher AoA cruise might become more efficient.

With all due respect, 2 of these photos are from what appears to be Air Shows...please take those with a grain of salt. They are loaded for Mom-and-Pop public! All 3 are very old, I'd say late 80's, early 90's! Being stationed in Misawa, it seems current ops mostly have 2 bags! A lot of the A2A was single centerline but everything else is a CAT III config (Wild Weasel Heaven). The only time I've seen no bags was on the Demo bird! 

[Swift.]

10 hours ago, Exorcet said:

Besides the photos, DCS really give the opposite impression. The wing tanks are extremely draggy and almost negate their fuel capacity by limiting your altitude. Maybe it's related to the F-16's ITR issue and once that part of the FM is improved, higher AoA cruise might become more efficient.

 

 

Perhaps that's why there are loads of memes about vipers being given blocks in the 30s.

[Exorcet]

9 hours ago, Jackjack171 said:

With all due respect, 2 of these photos are from what appears to be Air Shows...please take those with a grain of salt. They are loaded for Mom-and-Pop public! All 3 are very old, I'd say late 80's, early 90's! Being stationed in Misawa, it seems current ops mostly have 2 bags! A lot of the A2A was single centerline but everything else is a CAT III config (Wild Weasel Heaven). The only time I've seen no bags was on the Demo bird! 

2 tanks are definitely very common. I'm not arguing that point, more the idea that the F-16 without wing tanks is useless.

[Dragon1-1]

3xMavs were used by Israelis at some point, and probably bombs on the inboard stations, too, but USAF uses the bags almost exclusively. Even in Korea, leaving the bags off is only good for interceptors, you just don't have the gas otherwise. For anything but the shortest hops from frontline bases, the Viper needs the extra gas. Israelis are the exception since both Gaza and Syria are within stone's throw of Ramat David.

[Sarge55]

They (Israel) also use CFT’s on many of their F-16’s.