Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

When the the USAF begin equipping their Block 30 & 32 aircraft with targeting pods? Can they also be fire HARM's and be fitted with the HTS?

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USAF has been flying them for about 10 - 12yrs. Only Block 50's (or CCIP'd jets) can carry and fire HARM with HTS.

ViperDude

ViperDude wrote:

USAF has been flying them for about 10 - 12yrs. Only Block 50's (or CCIP'd jets) can carry and fire HARM with HTS.

ViperDude

So are these Block 30 & 32 Vipers fully LANTIRN capable including the TFR and are they wired for the Sniper?

There is no special wiring for the blk 25/30/32's to carry a LANTIRN (no NAV pod), Litening or SNIPER pod. Its all in the software. We don't fly TFR anymore..

ViperDude

Thanks ViperDude Thumb

ViperDude wrote:

There is no special wiring for the blk 25/30/32's to carry a LANTIRN (no NAV pod), Litening or SNIPER pod. Its all in the software. We don't fly TFR anymore..

ViperDude

This is the essence of the success of the F-16. Start with an incredible airplane design then use a serial databus protocol which allows almost total reconfiguration in software.

These are the lessons being applied to latest products from LM.
fisk

sextusempiricus wrote:

Which is why those F-16s that went on using LANTIRN after the nav pod was retired, flew only with the targeting pod.

Do you know when was the Nav Pod was retired from the F-16 fleet?

Obi - the Nav pods were retired 2003´ish.

Cheers,

Henrik.

Henrik wrote:

Obi - the Nav pods were retired 2003´ish.

Cheers,

Henrik.

Thanks Henrik Cheers

USAF has been flying them for about 10 - 12yrs. Only Block 50's (or CCIP'd jets) can carry and fire HARM with HTS.

ViperDude

Can't Block-30s shoot HARMS "dumb" like the F-18s (pre-EF-18 Growler at least)?

Can you please clarify for the non-flyers/ -USAF types:
- What is a Cat III load.
- Is there a so called "Lantirn TFR pod cementery". What happens to the pods when no longer used oparationally.

F16VIPER

Last edited by Henrik on Sep 14, 2010 - 09:42 AM; edited 1 time in total

ruderamronbo wrote:

Can't Block-30s shoot HARMS "dumb" like the F-18s (pre-EF-18 Growler at least)?

Yes, the Block-30s can / or at least could shoot HARMs in a basic mode - back in the day ( 1987 - 1992 ) the 52nd (T)FW at Spangdahlem AB, Germany used to fly three squadrons of a mixed force of F-4G "Wild Weasels" and F-16C/D Block-30s using the F-16s as an "extra pair of pylons" for additional HARMs.

In this combo the Block-30 F-16s would rely on the sophisticated tracking and detection equipment in the F-4G to fire their HARMs.

The 86th WG at Ramstein AB also supported the SEAD / DEAD role with their 512th FS.

Also the PACAF had dedicated "HARM shooting" Block-30 units - the 80th FS of the 8th FW at Kunsan AB, South Korea flew dedicated "WIld Weasel" with their "Big Inlet" Block-30s and when the 432nd FW at Misawa AB, Japan also flew Block-30s their 14th FS also supported this role.

It was not until the introduction of the AN/ASQ-213 HARM target system in 1993/94 on the Block-50/52 series that the Viper became independant of the venerable "Wild Weasel" Phantoms.

Cheers,

Henrik.

ruderamronbo wrote:

Can't Block-30s shoot HARMS "dumb" like the F-18s (pre-EF-18 Growler at least)?

I think with the RWR-mode(or self-defense mode)you can shoot´em without HTS,but but at shorter range

deadseal wrote:

ViperDude wrote:

Depends which targeting pod your talking about.

1)LANTIRN has a Targeting Pod and Navigation Pod
2)Litening has only a Targeting Pod
3)SNIPER has only a Targeting Pod

Its a CAT III load with pods up.

ViperDude

Its not auto CAT III to have one pod mounted. If you meant "pods" as in both the nav/lantirn or TGT/HTS, then yah i think thats catIII.

You sir, are incorrect. When a Viper slings a TGP, it's a CAT III jet. Period-dot.

Horhay (former Viper-dude)

Henrik wrote:

ruderamronbo wrote:

Can't Block-30s shoot HARMS "dumb" like the F-18s (pre-EF-18 Growler at least)?

Yes, the Block-30s can / or at least could shoot HARMs in a basic mode - back in the day ( 1987 - 1992 ) the 52nd (T)FW at Spangdahlem AB, Germany used to fly three squadrons of a mixed force of F-4G "Wild Weasels" and F-16C/D Block-30s using the F-16s as an "extra pair of pylons" for additional HARMs.

In this combo the Block-30 F-16s would rely on the sophisticated tracking and detection equipment in the F-4G to fire their HARMs.

It was not until the introduction of the AN/ASQ-213 HARM target system in 1993/94 on the Block-50/52 series that the Viper became independant of the venerable "Wild Weasel" Phantoms.

Cheers,

Henrik.

Independent of the F-4G? Let us be a little more precise. The HTS (later versions) enabled the Viper do ID emitters with some degree of accuracy.

Don't kid yourself though. The F-16 was still slinging $1+ million HARMs at ASR sites dozens of miles from where they were actually located. Several more years were required to "iron-out" the bugs.

Technology has its limitations boys.

Cheers,
Horhay

Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

F-16 Block 30 Targetting Pod