SLAM

[FlankerKiller]

I've read that the A-7Es used in Desert Storm were eqiped with and used the AGM-84E SLAM. If this is true please consider adding this awesome weapon to our SLUF. I know it's a late weapon, but Desert Storm was by far the largest operation the Eco module took part in. The SLAM is extremely fun to use in DCS, but feels weird to fire from a 2000's era F-18. It would be right at home on a late A-7E though, that is if it actually carried it IRL. 

This is definitely the Module I'm looking forward to the most, closely followed by the F-4E, and the Mig-23?MLA. I'm really glad you guys chose to do it. After reading the end of year development report it seems you are making something really special here. Having a SLAM on it would make it even that much better. 

[Northstar98]

From what I'm reading (though I haven't done anything like an extensive search yet - so take with a barge full of of salt), it looks like the SLAM might've been dropped from another aircraft (an A-6E SWIP) and then were guided in by A-7Es, using the SLAM's co-operative engagement capability.

We're getting a fairly late A-7E anyway (seeing as we're getting the AN/AAR-45 LANA navigation pod), so we should be getting the AN/AWW-9 data link pod (which can definitely guide both the Walleye and the SLAM), but unfortunately, we need ED to implement co-operative engagement capability, as right now only the launching aircraft can provide guidance (this also applies to the Walleye, which the A-7E definitely can fire).

[FlankerKiller]

That would be an awesome capability once the A-6 comes out. If there is a reason to have the capability I suspect ED will do it. I haven't done enough research to know how the SLAM was used. I'm guessing it would all come down to the pylons. Do you know if they ever did co-operative guidance for the Walleye? I've made some low level pop up missions with it, and having a guidance bird in trail would be a definite advantage. Both SLAM and Walleye are extremely fun weapons. I'm looking forward to using at least the Walleye in a more historically accurate aircraft. 

[Northstar98]

13 hours ago, FlankerKiller said:

That would be an awesome capability once the A-6 comes out. If there is a reason to have the capability I suspect ED will do it.

Unfortunately, in the 3 threads I've found on this, ED haven't responded. (thread 1, thread 2, thread 3).

13 hours ago, FlankerKiller said:

Do you know if they ever did co-operative guidance for the Walleye?

According to designation-systems it has been:

Quote

The next major step in the evolution of Walleye was the ERDL (Extended Range Data Link) modification. One drawback of the Walleye's guidance system was the requirement to lock the seeker onto the target before launch, meaning that the attack aircraft had to come relatively close to a potentially heavily defended target. The ERDL system equipped the Walleye with a two-way datalink, and the launch aircraft were equipped with an AN/AWW-9 (later AN/AWW-13) underwing data-link pod. The pilot could now launch the Walleye out of visual range of the target, turn away, watch the bomb's TV camera image, which was transmitted via the data-link, and lock-on to the target at any convenient moment. It was even possible to control the weapon from a different aircraft than that which launched the Walleye, and because of the limited number of data-link pods available, it was actually standard practice for one pod-equipped aircraft to guide Walleyes dropped by several attack aircraft (not simultaneously, though).

 

13 hours ago, FlankerKiller said:

I've made some low level pop up missions with it, and having a guidance bird in trail would be a definite advantage. Both SLAM and Walleye are extremely fun weapons. I'm looking forward to using at least the Walleye in a more historically accurate aircraft. 

Agreed.