pretty good f-16 data

[flaps]

anybody remember vince lesh?
he's great at comming up with stuff like this

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-uaes-f-16-block-60-desert-falcon-fleet-04538/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_source=did&utm_content=Foobar Fighters: UAE, Malaysia, Iraq | GMD | FMTV | Cyber Grab&date_sent=2011-11-18 14:12:39

This excellent photo is the supposed "secret" IAF fighter with which the Israelis would bomb the nuke plant in Iran.

Note the conformal fuel tanks on the fuselage as well as the much larger dorsal "hump" than the previous F-16 blocks.

Supposedly this bird has 1000+ nm range, which, coupled with AAR would make the target doable, along with their F-15 escorts - who also have a conformal tank capability.

Interesting airplane. One can only imagine the ECM gear & fuel (?) in that dorsal 'hump.'

Where there's a will there's a way...

 

[jmcquate]

The IAF's F-16I Sufa has been around since 2004. I imagine that the UAE (or Kuwaiti?) F-16 in the photo is similar.

 

[SynixMan]

I don't follow. That's a picture of a Block 60 F-16 in UAE Markings. It's not a secret, nor has it ever been. It's just another Gen 4.5 Strike Fighter, ala the Super Hornet and Strike Eagle.

Israel has their F-16I with homegrown avionics and conformal tanks (similar to the one posted above). Here it is at an airshow:

 

[bunk22]

A secret Israeli F-16 in UAE markings?

 

[eas7888]

A secret Israeli F-16 in UAE markings?

What better way to attack one's enemy, than in a relatively friendly nation's plane?

 

[Flash]

What better way to attack one's enemy, than in a relatively friendly nation's plane?

Relative being the operative word, the UAE and and Iran don't get along to well since the Iranians occupy several UAE-claimed islands in the Persian Gulf.

Oh, and while the F-16Is have some legs the real heavy hitters for the Israelis would be the F-15Is, they can carry twice the payload a lot longer way than the F-16s.

 

[bunk22]

What better way to attack one's enemy, than in a relatively friendly nation's plane?

Indeed...

 

[flaps]

re: "Oh, and while the F-16Is have some legs the real heavy hitters for the Israelis would be the F-15Is, they can carry twice the payload a lot longer way than the F-16s. "

it might be that f-16's are a bit more stealthy than f-15's with their 2 big square inlets .

 

[Flash]

it might be that f-16's are a bit more stealthy than f-15's with their 2 big square inlets .

Neither one is a 'low observable' aircraft and there would only be a minor advantage for the F-16I due to it's size. With a limited number of tankers and a considerable amount of bombs needed to do serious damage to Iran's widely dispersed and hardened nuclear facilities payload and endurance are likely more important considerations for Israeli strike planning.

 

[Brett327]

re: "Oh, and while the F-16Is have some legs the real heavy hitters for the Israelis would be the F-15Is, they can carry twice the payload a lot longer way than the F-16s. "

it might be that f-16's are a bit more stealthy than f-15's with their 2 big square inlets .

Not appreciably different from a SAM operators perspective.

Brett

 

[jmcquate]

Isn't the F-16 the IAF SEAD/Weasel platform?

What ever type does the bombing, I'm guessing the ingress will be low and fast.

 

[Brett327]

Isn't the F-16 the IAF SEAD/Weasel platform?

What ever type does the bombing, I'm guessing the ingress will be low and fast.

That really didn't work out too well in Desert Storm.

Brett

 

[jmcquate]

That really didn't work out too well in Desert Storm.

Brett

Are refering to the Tornados?

 

[flaps]

i'm betting on the b-2's with the 30k lb bunker busters.

 

[Brett327]

Are refering to the Tornados?

I'm referring to all the guys who opted for low level ingress, including USN. Lots of guys got clobbered by AAA and the SAMs they were supposedly avoiding. These days, particularly when your local super-MEZ is comprised of double digit SAMs, the low level ingress doesn't buy you anything except limited maneuvering space if you find yourself defending. There are much better ways to skin that cat.

Brett