Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

Tail#221 79FS over Afghanistan, it is a SEAD bird but is it also carrying a Sniper for A-G missions?

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yes it´s definitley a Sniper ATP,that´s the actual config in astan&Iraq,with 2 LGBs + 2 Jdam

Just becasue it is a SEAD bird with HTS capability doesn't mean it can't due its share of LGB/LMAV work, not to mention NTISR. After CCIP, the block 50/52 in USAF service can carry LITENING/SNIPER/LANTIRN (Not 100% sure on this last one)

Remember you can carry HTS on the left hardpoint and targeting pod on the right hardpoint on a CCIP jet.

Cheers,

ViperDude

Post-CCIP Block 40 & Block 50 are essentially the same in terms of airframe capability (except interrogators & motors). The units still focus their training more in one direction or another but you can now put HTS on BL 40 and any TGP on Bl 50 or dual carriage on either.

ViperDude wrote:

Remember you can carry HTS on the left hardpoint and targeting pod on the right hardpoint on a CCIP jet.

Cheers,

ViperDude

Thanks for that... I was wondering about it since Sept 08 ShawFest. The static birds over there had the HTS's on the left, I was like "wait a minute"!!!

Don't think the Taliban have many SAMS (Besides the MANPADS) that would require a SEAD bird? Shrug

TEG

That brings the question, (regardless of Taliban's capabilities) can they use the HTS for tracking and identifying threats in conjunction with the RWR?

Anyone have pictures of an HTS on a block 40 Viper that isn't from a test/eval unit? From what I understand from reading other threads, block 40s are still missing some internal wiring (for GPS timing?) for the HTS. I hope I'm wrong though, it'd be nice if block 40s could do the SEAD missions.

Disco, as others mentioned, aside from Block 50's AIFF (the bird slicers ahead of the canopy), post-CCIP Block 40s and 50s are pretty much identical avionics-wise. So, Block 40 should have full HTS capability, and Block 50 should have full TGP capability.

Doing SEAD requires specialized training and time to qualify so just bolting on HTS doesn't make you a Weasel. I'm guessing the -40s still focus on their standard A-G role while the 50s focus on SEAD with as much of the bomb dropper role crow-barred into their training syllabus as possible. The 50s are in OEF/OIF to lighten the deployment load on the 40s. Otherwise they'd be sitting at home waiting for something to shoot HARM at just like the Eagles and Raptors are sitting at home waiting for someone to shoot AMRAAMS at...

Yeah, they should have the capability, but I'm thinking somehow they don't because of what some of the guys on the forum have said. I'm assuming they actually are AF avionics or electrical techs. I have seen one pic of a block 40 Viper, but it had either an OT or ED tail code on it, can't remember.

If a bird has an HTS in Asscrackistan, then my only guess is that they're on station somewhere near the Iranian board. Or they could be doing a little SIGINT.

discofishing wrote:

If a bird has an HTS in Asscrackistan, then my only guess is that they're on station somewhere near the Iranian board.

Exactly why we had the FCR on some of our -64s at night when I was there.

Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

Sniper?