Week 5: US Air Force: Platforms Extended Information

 

(1st major war / operation where they were used // 1st year they rolled out)

 

F-15C (Gulf War // 1978)

  • Replaced F-86
  • Improved AGS-63 (longer time b/w maintenance; 15->120)
  • Conformal fuel tanks give much extra fuel and +2 hardpoints
  • Can also carry A-to-G AGM-88s
  • Range: 3000nm (same for E variant)

 

F-15E (Gulf War // 1987)

  • Deep strike; outer wings can't carry bombs, only ECM pods
  • Each weapon station (4) can carry a *rack* of bombs, etc

 

F-16 (Gulf War // 1979)

  • Cheap alternative to F-15 (mass production)
  • Fly by wire (comps auto-correct); negative stability
  • High Gs (9 v 7)
  • 1xturbofan (efficient)
  • Range: 2100nm

 

F-117A (Op Just Cause, Panama in ‘88 // 1982)

  • Flew all missions in Desert Storm in Baghdad
  • Never seen / shot by 3,000 AA and 60SAM sites in Baghdad
  • Unlimited range with refueling (direct from FAS)

 

B-1B Lancer (Op Desert Fox in ‘98* // 1985)

  • Improved B-1A; improvised mission capable rate to >75%
  • Intercontinental range without refueling (>6100mi)
  • During the Cold War provided nuclear deterrence

 

B-2 Spirit (Operation Allied Force in Kosovo in ‘99** // 1993)

  • Range 6k nm
  • Mission from nuclear to conventional weapons after Soviet demise

 

B-52H BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fellow) (Vietnam // 1955)

  • Primary nuclear bomber
  • 8,800mi range w/o refueling

 

F-35 (2008, expected)

  • Range not given
  • Primarily an attack aircraft with some air-to-air capabilities

 

All information is from fas.org unless denoted below.  This summarizes the highlights I gathered from the long paragraphs preceding the tableized information on fas.org.  None of this information is supposed to be on the pro quiz…however, last week they asked a number of questions that were not part of our “required” knowledge as defined by the pro book.

 

  * from http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/b1-lancer/b1binfo.html

   **http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/kosovo

 

Below and in the next column are a list of all air-to-surface/air weapons that can be carried by USAF Air Force planes we’re studying.  All planes that can carry air-to-surface/air munitions can be configured to carry any of the weapons listed.  39 unique munitions total:

 

Air to Air Weapons (3):

  • AIM-7 Sparrow
  • AIM-9 Sidewinder
  • AIM-120 AMRAAM (Adv. Med. Range A2A Missile)

 

 

 

Air to Surface Weapons (36):

  • Nuclear Munitions (3):

   ALCM (Air Launched Cruise Missile)

   SRAM (Short Range Attack Missile)

   ACM (Advanced Cruise Missile)

 

 

  • Conventional Dumb Munitions (15):

   CBU (Cluster Bomb Unit)

     58 (800)

     71 (incendiary)

     87 CEM (1000) (Combined Effects Munitions)

     89 Gator (1000) (anti tank / personnel)

     97/105 Sensor Fuzed Weapon (1000)

 

   GBU (Guided Bomb Unit)

      10 Paveway II (2000)

      12 Paveway II (500)

      16 Paveway II (1000)

      27 (2000)

 

   General Purpose Dumb Bomb

      Mk20 Rockeye (300)

      Mk82 (500)

      M117 (750)

      Mk83 (1000)

      Mk84 (2000)

 

  • Conventional Dropped Mines (9):

   Destructors (bottom or land mines):

      Mk36 (500)

      Mk41 (2000)

      Mk64 (2000)

 

   Bottom Mines:

      Mk52 (1000)

      Mk55 (2000)

 

   ASW Moored Mine:

      Mk56/57 (2000)

 

   Quick Strike Mines:

      Mk62 (500)

      Mk65 (2000)

 

      Mk60 CAPTOR (2000)

 

 

  • Conventional Precision Munitions (7):

   GBU-24 Paveway III (2000) (laser-guided)

   JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munitions)

   AGM-84 Harpoon

   AGM-86 CALCM (Conventional ALCM)

   AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile)

   AGM-142 Popeye

   AGM-154 JSOW (Joint Standoff Weapon)

   AGM-158 JASSSM (Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile)