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Enthusiast Joined: Aug 24, 2007 Posts: 86 Status: Offline

Probably duplicating a veeeery old topic on this board, but I don't feel like reading back through 30 pages o' stuff. ANYWAY- ammo dudes don't laugh too hard, but this dummy crew dawg always wondered, what's the deal with the 16 and the AIM-7? Seems like they're all the rage now, but I always thought the Ego Drivers mocked our jet 'cause of the mini-me radar?

Is it just the newer blocks that can fire this thing fine, or any? We DID have the AMRAAM over in Kun, but they hadda be downloaded after every 3rd taxi and get the rocket motors NDIed due to bouncing on the wingtips. Pilots said they didn't like taking the extra split second to "step" down from station 1 or 9... Why not just load 7s, if we could have? Too pricey? I dunno, all I care about is the next bottle of soju. Question

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oldjay
The AIM 7 was carried on the early A models with ADF capability. They used a very thin pylon on Sta 3 and 7. I'm sure someone here has a picture or two of one.

Are you saying that you are using them now? Or is it F-15's are still using them?

AIM 7's have limitations that the AMRAAM was designed to fix.
As far as the 120 I would recommend you get a copy or on the mailing list of "AMRAAMOGRAM" by Raytheon. They have a lot of good information about what is going on with the 120 world. I submitted a request through the Eglin office back when I was working full time on F-16's.
Or talk to your senior bomb dump people, I'm sure they can fill you in on what you are asking better than going to this forum.

The AIM-7 was such a poor performer in Viet Nam that pilots routinely fired two at MiG's in the faint hope that one of them would work. Even if it works exactly right, the firing jet must illuminate the target with his radar all the way to impact. Clearly, this creates a problem if the other guy or his wingman targets you! As ACMIguy notes, the AIM-120 was designed to fix this by having it's own active radar for the terminal phase of the engagement. So, the firing jet can take whatever evasive maneuvers he needs to. The later marks of the Sparrow fixed a lot of the problems and I believe it became a pretty good performer, although still needs the constant illumination. The AIM-7 continues to serve on many platforms in other countries and is the basis for the "Sea Sparrow" mounted on USN and other navy's ships as a self defense weapon, even with a capability against surface targets. Here's a picture of a carrier firing one.

http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=49453

The Eagle and Hornet can carry AIM-7's on their shoulder station ejectors. I don't know if any US aircraft still routinely carry them. Eagles used to carry a mixed load of AIM-7's, AIM-9's, and AIM-120's. The -120's could be carried either on the shoulder ejectors or rails. Of course, on the F-16, there are no ejectors.

We were firing them 3-4 a week at Kadena for a good while.

We fired several AGM 65 and AIM 9's too but that was to get rid of old inventory or problem missiles. In fact we sunk a Cuban fishing boat once after being called in by the Navy to help them out. One Mav went ballistic the second hit the target.
Sometimes a live fire is set up to help train pilots, so they get the chance to shoot a real one, and they may or may not have a warhead installed.
At Kadena with F-15's shooting live is not a surprise, I would bet they were doing live fire training with most, if not all of them going into the sea.
Rocket motors and warheads are less of a problem than the electrics. As loader2088 said a number were faulty in Nam, but it was reported to be because of 1. poor maintenance and 2. weather conditions, high humidity and heat.
Even the 120 has a limited life cycle, it's hard to find a live AIM 120A still around flying real world missions.

Elite 1K Joined: Jan 31, 2004 Posts: 1532 Status: Offline

Loader2088 wrote:

The Eagle and Hornet can carry AIM-7's on their shoulder station ejectors. I don't know if any US aircraft still routinely carry them.....

While parusing thru an Alert 5 article about VFA-14 and VFA-41 returning from a cruise, caught this great Gerry Clarke pic of a 4-ship element from the mass fly-in. Note what Lead and Right Wing are carryin' on the outboard pylons.

LinkF16SimDude wrote:

Loader2088 wrote:

The Eagle and Hornet can carry AIM-7's on their shoulder station ejectors. I don't know if any US aircraft still routinely carry them.....

While parusing thru an Alert 5 article about VFA-14 and VFA-41 returning from a cruise, caught this great Gerry Clarke pic of a 4-ship element from the mass fly-in. Note what Lead and Right Wing are carryin' on the outboard pylons.

Thanks. Nice picture. I'm not surprised the Navy is still carrying Sparrows - there must be a lot in inventory.

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