IRIAF Phantom Firing R-73 Video

[exhausted]

The F-4E would be more interesting if they added these sorts of capabilities. I'm really holding out for a J or an S though.

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

That's a sweet piece of footage. I'd love to sling R-73s, even though it looks like we won't get 'em.

[Nodak]

Considering that DCS Iranian flyers will be getting unlimited access and supplies of western inventory weaponry for their use in the virtual combat arena don't really see what the issue is.  You'll be far better off that route.

[Dragon1-1]

Some of us like to make do with imperfect or obsolete kit. Particularly things like the Hawk, which, if we could ever find docs for it, would likely be rather interesting to employ. The R-73 would actually be superior to Sidewinder variants carried on the Phantom (it was the missile that spurred the AIM-9X development, after all), although depending on how well Iranians had integrated it, it could have some interesting limitations, too.

I'm mostly interested in Hawk on the F-14 because of its role in Iran-Iraq war, which is an underappreciated conflict in the West. Especially in a dynamic campaign based on the conflict, Western weapons would not be infinite (although that particular one is too early for Iran to have R-73s).

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

On 3/13/2024 at 3:03 PM, Nodak said:

Considering that DCS Iranian flyers will be getting unlimited access and supplies of western inventory weaponry for their use in the virtual combat arena don't really see what the issue is.  You'll be far better off that route.

If we only wanted to use the most sophisticated, we'd not be wanting the Phantom when the Hornet, Jeff, and Viper are available.

[qacarxan]

On 3/13/2024 at 1:03 PM, Nodak said:

Considering that DCS Iranian flyers will be getting unlimited access and supplies of western inventory weaponry for their use in the virtual combat arena don't really see what the issue is.  You'll be far better off that route.

Last I checked, the US F-4 inventory didn't include R-73s, the Ghassed guided munition, or the Qader C-802 AshM/Cruise missile derivative, so while I'm delighted to have any F-4E from Heatblur, I also know that less is not necessarily more. I'd also point to things like the Grom in the Mig-21 module or the Sea Eagle for the C-101, neither of which are historically accurate IIRC--if that's the case, they're outright "artistic license" for the sake of player entertainment and Digital Combat Simulation rather than Digital Cockpit Simulation. The munitions we've discussed would not be, with real-world empirical evidence of use. They'd be fun to have, add to the Redfor possibilities, and the only counterargument is a question of switchology at this point. It would be easy to make them toggleable for the cockpit purists. At any rate, it sounds like it's not going to happen, so that's a bummer, but at least we've had a chance to put a word in. 

[Dragon1-1]

First of all, the MiG-21bis module is ancient. As it happens, MiG-21 did, in fact, carry Grom missiles. Just not the version we have. Magnitude 3 probably assumed that since the older variant could carry it, so could the bis. It turned out it couldn't, but it's too late to change that, because several missions use it, including official ones. Sea Eagle, likewise, isn't completely fantastic for C-101CC (they were tested for Chile, but never actually ordered), and it's also a module that predates the latest ones by quite a bit. 

Standards have changed since then, and HB has never been ones for compromises. Not to mention that integration of those other weapons with the jet was known, which is not the case for the Iranian ones.

[Gunfreak]

On 3/13/2024 at 11:11 PM, Dragon1-1 said:

Some of us like to make do with imperfect or obsolete kit. Particularly things like the Hawk, which, if we could ever find docs for it, would likely be rather interesting to employ. The R-73 would actually be superior to Sidewinder variants carried on the Phantom (it was the missile that spurred the AIM-9X development, after all), although depending on how well Iranians had integrated it, it could have some interesting limitations, too.

I'm mostly interested in Hawk on the F-14 because of its role in Iran-Iraq war, which is an underappreciated conflict in the West. Especially in a dynamic campaign based on the conflict, Western weapons would not be infinite (although that particular one is too early for Iran to have R-73s).

I real really hope the Iraq map includes enough of Iran to do the Iran-Iraq war. The last gear air war. Lots and lots of air to air combat an kills.

And and if you aren't too hung up on exactly the right model type. We have almost a full plane set for the war once the F4 and MiG23 is out. The biggest hole being the MIG25. But if they improved the AI 3d model that would help.

[Dragon1-1]

That and the Super Etendard, another major player in the war, and in Falklands, too. I hope someone takes that one up (and not the 90s upgrade, please).

[Gunfreak]

1 hour ago, Dragon1-1 said:

That and the Super Etendard, another major player in the war, and in Falklands, too. I hope someone takes that one up (and not the 90s upgrade, please).

Would love to have it as AI first then playable later. Though I do fear any flyable version would be a modern one. 

[Dragon1-1]

Depends, if Aerges made it, we'd have a chance for multiple versions. The oldies might also be easier to find data and license for, Dassault is said to be notoriously difficult to work with regarding anything that could be regarded as modern.