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Elite 1K Joined: Aug 02, 2006 Posts: 1003 Status: Offline

This issue has been the center of much contention amongst posters lately, so I believe an official clarification is in order.

The F-35 will incorporate the capability to carry 4 AAMs internally during the SDD phase with a larger internal load having been studied but not actively pursued at this time.

In response to a written inquiry, the Public Affairs Office of the JSF program has replied with the following on 31st May 2007 (quote):-

The F-35 will be able carry 4 missiles on internal stations and up to 10 additional missiles on external stations. To look at potential future increases in internal carriage capability, studies have been done to explore the use of advances in launcher technology, however, current mission analysis does not necessitate further exploration of these capabilities at this time.

Thanks,
Cheryl

Cheryl Limrick
F-35 Lightning II Program Office
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
200 12th S, Suite 600
Arlington,VA 22202
(o) 703-601-5503
(c) 703-608-8965
cheryl.limrick@jsf.mil

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Elite 1K Joined: Aug 19, 2004 Posts: 1092

Dude... you have too much time on your hands! You actually wrote the F-35 Public Affairs Office? Damn...

Enthusiast Joined: Nov 13, 2006 Posts: 24 Status: Offline

It takes less time than arguing back and forth on the forums =)

Good job Dwight.

F-16.net Editor Joined: Sep 23, 2003 Posts: 2862

Good work DW.

dwight, i posted a written quote from public affairs in an email to me in this thread on the 22nd May that said exactly the same thing Smile

http://www.f-16.net/index.php?name=PNph ... &start=300

Quote:

Just received this off LM re: weapon carriage. Thought you guys would be interested.

Quote:
Per your query, we will be able to carry up to 4 internal AIM-120C
AMRAAM's or 4 internal AIM-132 ASRAAM missiles in an Air-to-Air load.
We will certify the 4 AMRAAM loadout during SDD. Our primary
Air-to-Ground loadout is 2 bombs with 2 missiles.

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 01, 2006 Posts: 1003 Status: Offline

Great! Now we have two confirmations which is better than one.

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 19, 2004 Posts: 1092

Just so everyone (including Mr. Dwightlooi) knows, I was just joshing him about mailing the F-35 public affairs office. I've taken way more extravagant, time-consuming measures to obtain data on fighter aircraft. When I was helping to develop aftermarket flight models for the Falcon 4.0 flight simulator, two of the other flight modelers actually filed FOIA requests for data on a variety of aircraft. We ended up getting full aerodynamic data for F-15C and full aerodynamic and thrust data for the A-10. Sorry if I came off insulting. I don't want to sound like the pot calling the kettle black. Smile

Really, I don't think this letter clears up anything? As LM and the USAF are at the moment trying to secure more Raptors and possibly even exporting some to Japan. As a matter of fact its interesting to read how the last line is worded.............Oh, the art of politics. Doh

Does it really matter how many slammers can be carried internally? Why do all AC in a package have to be stealthy? Sure the targeting bird has to be, but the other AC can be "spear carriers" and carry ordinance externally. These AC launch on the targeting bird's data long before the come in range of the bad guys. I do believe this is one of the tactics Raptors have employed when flying with non LO jets. An all F-35 force should be able to do the same. The question then should be how many AAM can a F-35 carry in total?

Elite 1K Joined: Aug 01, 2006 Posts: 1003 Status: Offline

Thumper3181 wrote:

Does it really matter how many slammers can be carried internally? Why do all AC in a package have to be stealthy? Sure the targeting bird has to be, but the other AC can be "spear carriers" and carry ordinance externally. These AC launch on the targeting bird's data long before the come in range of the bad guys. I do believe this is one of the tactics Raptors have employed when flying with non LO jets. An all F-35 force should be able to do the same. The question then should be how many AAM can a F-35 carry in total?

There are two problems with your statement:-

(1) I think that it DOES MATTER that we clear up this capacity issue as a matter of interest.

(2) I also think that the capability to carry 6 AAMs -- if eventually developed and fielded -- will be a tangible improvement for the F-35's Air Superiority prowess. However, it is probably true that most A2A exchanges will be decided before 6AAMs are launched per aircraft -- this is ture historically and prbably what their mission analysis shows.

(3) Using the strategy described above will mean that the spear carriers themselves will be exposed to enemy fire to a degree which is atypical of 5th generation VLO desgins. This is regardless of whether the targeting aircraft is itself detected. The F-35 does not lack detection range. The 700mm class AN/APG-81 AESA is probably in the 150+ km class for 1 m class targets, which is more than enough to support the maximum effective range of any AIM-120 variant with or without an advanced spotter aircraft doing off board targeting. This approach may be OK if the AMRAAM significantly outranges the enemy's missiles, but it doesn't. We can expect the AMRAAM to be in the same approximate range bracket as the R-77 for instance.

But to answer your question, I think they were very specific that the F-35 will be able to carry a total of 14 AAMs. However, I do not believe that it'll ever carry that kind of load in operational service.

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