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Newbie Joined: Mar 28, 2004 Posts: 15 Status: Offline

Hello all,

Somebody here knows if the IAF F-16 (A/B/C/D) can carry the AIM-120 missile?
I need specific information about the aircraft who can carry this missile, which version (A/B or C/D) and how much F-16s in the IAF are adapted to carry this missile.

Thanking your anticipation

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The F-16I is the only F-16 in Israeli service that can carry the AIM-120.

Enthusiast Joined: Feb 28, 2004 Posts: 23 Status: Offline

...For now. Wink

And this is to say? Smile

Enthusiast Joined: Feb 28, 2004 Posts: 23 Status: Offline

Well the block 30s and 40s are supposed to eventually be brought up to the block 52+ standard (avionics wise anyways), so incorporating the AIM-120 would seem like a logical step. It would be interesting to see what such a move would do to the status of the A/B in IDF/AF service (air-to-air is all they've got going for them nowadays it would seem). At any rate, the Israelis would have to purchase some more AMRAAMs, they originally got 250 for their 80 F-15A/B/C/D/Is. I'm assuming they're getting more as part of the F-16I deal.

Well, the F-16 A/B's (most, if not all) are in the C/D standard already. It would be interesting to see if they would be upgraded again.

I'm not familiar with the israeli -16's, but all ocu onward birds depending on software installed are 120 capable.

Why do Israeli C/D Vipers don't carry 120s, are the Pythons really that good?Or is it to reduced costs or what.......?

Forum Veteran Joined: Nov 07, 2003 Posts: 902

KarimAbdoun wrote:

Why do Israeli C/D Vipers don't carry 120s, are the Pythons really that good?Or is it to reduced costs or what.......?

hi Karim, perhaps the Derby is a closer counterpart to the 120. That is if the Barak is carrying it.

cheers,

About the Barak carrying the Derby I'm not sure.

About the Python, the Python 5 is reported (not officially though) to have a range that close to that of the 120.

Forum Veteran Joined: Nov 07, 2003 Posts: 902

DeepSpace wrote:

About the Python, the Python 5 is reported (not officially though) to have a range that close to that of the 120.

Pardon my ignorance. I guess I have to research on the Python5 again. Shocked

Enthusiast Joined: Feb 17, 2004 Posts: 65 Status: Offline

Hi, the Chilean Air Force future F-16 C/D Block 50+ will be equiped with Derby BVR missiles and Python 4 and 5 homologed from LMTAS, they will be the First Falcons with non USA weapons configures from of its line of assembly.

Regards

pd: The Chilean Air Force has already in use this weapons in its F-5 Tiger III Plus Fleet Twisted Evil

Forum Veteran Joined: Nov 07, 2003 Posts: 902

DeepSpace wrote:

the Python 5 is reported (not officially though) to have a range that close to that of the 120.

DeepSpace, I guess I am not able to find any concrete figures, stating the effective range of the AIM-120 or the Python 5 (RAFAEL states The missile can be launched from very short to beyond-visual ranges). I doubt the latter can provide a DLZ, comparable to that of the AMRAAM, with the absence of the active radar.

Do keep me posted on any good article on the subject. Thanks in advance.

Very Happy

(EDIT: sorry, I think I am confuse here. The active radar not necessarily improve the range. The engagement envelope perhaps... Embarassed

)

According to globalsecurity.org, the max. range of the AIM-120 is over 30 KM.
As I said, the Python's 5 exact range isn't published yet.

If I'll find any new article, I will let you know Smile

.

Enthusiast Joined: Feb 28, 2004 Posts: 23 Status: Offline

AIM-120 should be more like 60km (static, not taking target movement into account), roughly, it's all classified of course. The Python 4/5 is very unlikely to have a range that long, nor the ability to take advantage of it.

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AIM-120 and IDF/AF F-16