Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

Please excuse the probable simplicty of my questions. I lurked for a bit and didn't quite find answers to some lingering questions.

Anyways the F-16 can carry two 370 and one centerline 300 external tanks. Is it ever procedure to have all three? I read somewhere here, mission requirement or weather or time of year, and there's enough perplexing information that I am perplexed.

Also is there any reasoning in pictures for a Noble Eagle Mission to have two 370 tanks with two AIM-9's and two AIM-120's? Basically is it a stanard loadout for ADF? Would this ever comprise as many as six AIM-120's? Or is there just a preference to carry only as many as realistically necessary (I guess you don't need more than four missles per a plane to shoot down a hijacked airliner) and to mix given that AIM-9X are relativley cheap and I pressume particular radar counter measures necessitate a diversity of missles.

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Usually pilots will carry a combination of AIM-9s and AIM-120s, depending on the mission, the area where they are operating and the capabilities of the enemy. For example in the early days of Iraqi Freedom SEAD F-16s (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) would carry 3 AIM-120B/Cs and 1 AIM-9, two fuel tanks, two Harms and a Jammer. They could also carry 2 AIM-120B/Cs and 2 AIM-9Ms. During Allied Force, Block 50 aircraft again could carry the same loadout as i mentioned, or could carry 4 AIM-120Bs instead of 2 and 2. Nowadays in Iraqi Freedom they only carry two wingtip AIM-120B/Cs and A-G weapons, with 2 fuel tanks and the centerline empty. Very rarely you will see an F-16 carrying 6 AIM-120 missiles due to the fact that even with today's radars and BVR capability of aircraft, the situation could change into a dogfight where AIM-9s will be useful or even guns.

This could help I think.

Well I guess my question is more doctrine. Especially the use of fuel tanks as I've seen either one or two, but not three.

The IDF frequently has its 16Is wielding three bags, two of them 600 Gal., plus two CFTs, for what must be insane range and persistence...

This might help as well. If it didn't, then tell me. I have pictures of F-16s in almost all configurations. I can't attach the picture ( I don't know why ), so, here's a link :-

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Pakistan ... d6ea7f14e5

2x370, 1x300 Configuration on a Block 60

UAEAF F-16F block 60 #3001is on final approach at 1 mile out of NAS Fort Worth on August 3rd, 2007. Note the two pods under the wings.

2x600, 1x300 Configuration on a Block 60

UAEAF F-16E block 60 #3054 is touching down on the runway at NAS Fort Worth after a test flight.

A picture of Israeli F-16I Sufa with similiar configuration with 2 drop tanks, 1 centraline fuel tank and Cfts as well.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... a-F16I.jpg

sextusempiricus wrote:

The IDF frequently has its 16Is wielding three bags, two of them 600 Gal., plus two CFTs, for what must be insane range and [Link pending approval]

Operation Opera was near the maximum combat range of their F-16's. The IDF lacks the air refueling cabaility of the [Link pending approval] and to strike at Iran in a similar Opera fashion requires signficant backtracking around nations that wouldn't be too keen on them using their air space.

I guess I should have focused my question more along domestic ADF missions or [Link pending approval] procdures in general. The IDF have particular circumstances that compel it to use an array of fuel tanks.

holasrmateo wrote:

The IDF lacks the air refueling cabaility of the U.S. and to strike at Iran in a similar Opera fashion requires signficant backtracking around nations that wouldn't be too keen on them using their air space.

Not correct - Israel have their own tankers, or atleast do now. As for any potential strike towards Iran or elsewhere, IAF have flown the route they find best, regardless of national boundries or borders. You will see that if you read up on the route they took during the Opera raid.

Quote:

As for any potential strike towards Iran or elsewhere, IAF have flown the route they find best

I found an amazing pdf file regarding the possible routes it might take:-

http://web.mit.edu/ssp/Publications/wor ... p_06-1.pdf

Very informative.

yasirbhojani wrote:

This could help I think.

I doubt Kunsan has been very active in Noble Eagle.

Forum Veteran Joined: Jul 01, 2007 - 07:22 PM Posts: 620

I still want to know why a single bag was carrying six live -120s.

Those are some good eyes...can't tell that they're lives from here.

pitfu wrote:

Those are some good eyes...can't tell that they're lives from here.

Easy to tell they're live: yellow stripes instead of blue. But like snake mentioned, surprising that they would be coupled with a single centerline bag. Where's the ECM pod? Perhaps some kind of airfield defense exercise.

Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

Standard F-16 Fuel Tanks and Missile Loadouts