New missile deployed with RAF

Originally posted by American Mad Man
also, the best SSN is far and away the SeaWolf. Hands down, no comparison. I mean for god sakes it's quiter running at 25 nots then the LA is at pierside!

Meh. Despite being quieter, he reckoned that the British sub would win in a one-on-one. I guess having better commanders and faster torpedoes helps..

[edit on 2-9-2004 by Cjwinnit]

Against a Los Aneles class I would agree. As the artical points out:

The British SSN is the Trafalgar-class. This class of seven boats is considered on par with the Los Angeles class.

Thus, with a relative equal sub, the better training would win.

However, against a SeaWolf, this wouldn't be the case:

The Seawolf was designed as a super-submarine, designed to fight the Soviet Navy at its height. Carrying fifty weapons, and with eight 26-inch (660-millimeter) torpedo tubes, the Seawolf was designed for maximum performance. It delivered, posting a top speed of 35 knots � and remaining much quieter than the Los Angeles-class submarines.

No offense, but if the Britts went up against one of these bad boys, they would be toast - not because they aren't the better sailors, it's just their submarine would be outmatched.

How exactly did this thread go from RAF missile deployment to UK vs. USA back to RAF missile deployment then to Russia vs. US?
Anywho, it's good to know that the RAF are getting something decent, but they'll probably have to sell half of them when they get more budget cuts

Originally posted by jetsetter
The name of the missile is AIM-120C-7.

then following that missile will be the AIM-120C-8, or better known as the AIM-120D, and it will have a range of about 70-75 miles.

The ramjet powered MBDA Meteor will have a range of 100km and a speed of Mach 4, with a laser proximity fuse. This missile has been selected by the UK, France Germany and Sweden in preference to the AIM 120D.

I remember seeing the ASRAAM concept at British Aerospace Warton over 12 years ago! That is a long time in development for a missile system, it is a direct replacement for the old US Sidewinder and will compliment the AMRAAM on RAF strike aircraft.

Originally posted by CTRDude
I remember seeing the ASRAAM concept at British Aerospace Warton over 12 years ago! That is a long time in development for a missile system

I know. It's Rocket Science, not Brain surgery..

Where did you get your 100KM from? I have searched but couldn't find the rage of that missile.
Also the missile is limited in range depending on the aircrafts radar.

Bloody hell, that was in september! Actually I read in in an Aircraft Illustrated Typhoon special but I'll see if I can find an online link too.

How hard did you look Westy? I found this within a minute of my last post and it was the first link I checked. tsk, lazy kids

Meteor specs here

Actually it says 'in excess of' both rang of 100km and speed of mach 4 so who knows how fast or how far it really goes?

No offense intended to america here.. but.. i was reading some of the earlier posts about how some people were saying america saved us cause of the nuclear stand off with russia blah blah..

But does anyone on here know about the V FORCE? that the UK had.. if a nuclear war would have happened.. the UK was more than capable of delivering multiple nukes to russia... and intercepting russian nuclear bombers ETC

Also IMO the vulcan was the most impressive bomber of them years..it could manover as well as a fighter..and cud hold 3 nukes i believe... and could take off in 4 mins.

And there intercepters were ready to go in 2 minutes...

Ok, thanks waynos, by any chance could you get me the radar rage of the EF-Typhoon.

Originally posted by clashrock
But does anyone on here know about the V FORCE? that the UK had.. if a nuclear war would have happened.. the UK was more than capable of delivering multiple nukes to russia... and intercepting russian nuclear bombers ETC

Also IMO the vulcan was the most impressive bomber of them years..it could manover as well as a fighter..and cud hold 3 nukes i believe... and could take off in 4 mins.

- 4 Vulcans were standing by on QRA to all be airbourne within minutes (4 was the 'standard' but they regularly beat that).

Yes despite the UK and France spending a fortune on our own independant nuclear deterrents some Americans think they were completely inconsequential to the whole thing.

(.....and this despite Russian military planners later saying, when the east had opened up, that it was the independant nukes of the UK and France that really made them think twice about any thoughts of trying to 'eliminate the threat' they saw the west posed them.)

For some Americans the very idea that anyone in Europe might question an American Pres not making choice to consider a US nuclear holocaust or a nuked New York or Washington if Paris, London, Berlin or western Europe were nuked is something they (claim to) have trouble even thinking about!



How could we even think such a thing!

Originally posted by CTRDude
I remember seeing the ASRAAM concept at British Aerospace Warton over 12 years ago!

- Yeah they spent a long time discussing the idea.

IIRC the original idea was Europe would produce the short range Sidewinder replacement and the USA the medium range Sparrow replacement.

The AMRAAM was the result of the Sparrow replacement program (which ran late and hence the UK produced 'the more advanced than a Sparrow' interim - and exceptionally capable - Skyflash medium range missile).

The US decided in the end to ditch the idea of a consortium effort and simply keep on updating their Sidewinder missile.
Europe (more specifically British Aerospace who had the lead in the program) um-ed and ah-ed for years over what to do next with what they had so far developed.

That is a long time in development for a missile system, it is a direct replacement for the old US Sidewinder and will compliment the AMRAAM on RAF strike aircraft.

- Yeah but it isn't really the same thing being "developed".
IIRC there have been at least 2 versions of the missile that was going to become ASRAAM but which ended up discarded/totally reworked and more modern ideas taking their place.

[edit on 14-4-2005 by sminkeypinkey]

Here's one link Wespoint;

• Tests conducted in 1997 showed that CAPTOR could track fighter-sized targets at a range of 160 kms.

that quote is from here

Aaargh, I know the ED radar range is probabably classified, but typical fighter RCS could be anything from Rafale to Su-27/F-15. BTW it's nteresting that Typhoon doesn't have AESA radar, I thought it is on all 4th gen planes. Does Rafale have AESA?

Ok thanks waynos you have provided much need information, therefore you get my way above vote.

Originally posted by clashrock
But does anyone on here know about the V FORCE? that the UK had.. if a nuclear war would have happened.. the UK was more than capable of delivering multiple nukes to russia... and intercepting russian nuclear bombers ETC

The Valiant, Victor and Vulcan. All three were fantastic aircraft, but a lot of people forget the poor Valiant which was the first into service and first retired!! (It also dropped the UKs first atomic bomb).

And there intercepters were ready to go in 2 minutes...

Ahh yes, the English Electric Lightning, the only fighter for a long time to go supersonic while in a steep climb (from what I remember, it wasnt intentional, the pilot was actually shocked when it happened). My favourite fighter of all time.

Despite being very passionate about the RAF (you just have to look at the monstrosity I created to the left to realise that I love my country) but I have to hand it to the americans on this one.

The knowledgable source that is Jeremy Clarkson's book "I know you got Soul" (ok so not that knowlegable - for the americans and others he is a presenter of a car program called Top Gear over here and is not an aviation boffin at all) that the Americans flew B-52s armed with nuclear warheads constantly for 10 years (I think it was 10 at a time or something will look later)! That is a good effort. It is one thing to have the QRA aspect but that takes it to a new level.

Still just to add to the flamebaiting of earlier the US would not have a lot of technology for their Apollo craft without all the data we gave them from our Blue Streak Project nor the silos that they were to be housed in.

Speaking of AESA radar and the Typhoon, as someone was, the CAPTOR is only the radar for the Typhoons introduction to service as it is the best possible radar that the partners have produced so far. The modular design of the CAPTOR has been specifically created so that it could be introduced with proven mechanical scanning with an AESA upgrade to follow, the AESA version will be introduced to the fleet with tranche 3 (and obviously retrofitted to earlier aircraft as and when).

So you see its not a case of Typhoon not having AESA radar, just not immediately, as with TVC.