Posted on 02/25/2005 6:28:35 AM PST by Jeff Head
The Kh-31 anti-AWACS variant is pretty close to what you describe, though its range isn't quite what you want (roughly 125 miles versus 400). The Russians/Soviets planned on using Backfire or Blackjack bombers to launch these missiles at AWACS craft (who'd expect a bomber to launch an air-to-air missile 100 miles away :-)
Energy weapons, missiles and anti-missiles will continue to develop.
In the Gulf War of 1991, we could use our AWACS with impunity -- we had bombed the heck out of Iraq's military infrastructure before the AWACS were flying -- and probably over Turkey and Saudi Arabia initially.
I wonder if Over the Horizon Radar can be applied to this application [was more for incoming nuclear missiles, I think]. A mobile platform for that might be more of a standoff detection mechanism. But it would have to be mobile.
But what do I know... I am posting here more for the fun of it... Stressed out about Ramadi, Iraq and the possibility we might start an offensive in that town as well as the Terri Schiavo situation.
An aside: despite what the article says, I doubt that it's a "phased array" in the sense of an electronically steered antenna. Most likely just an array of printed circuit board radiators, exactly like the E3 AWACs, which no one would call a phased array. The weight of the phase shifters makes an electronically steered antenna prohibitive, especially one located over the center of lift.
Very interesting. Looks like the stakes are going up again as everyone realizes what has given the USAF, USN and IAF such an advantage over the last 30 years.
You seem confused about the P-3s role in US Naval service. The EP-3 is a SIGINT aircraft. The P-3 was never operated as either an AEW or AWACS by the US Navy. The P-3 AEW variant is used solely by the US Customs Service. The following images shows a US Customs Service P-3 AEW.
AMRAAM was tested on F-14s, but they never received the funding for the fleet fit. They will see their days out with the Sparrow/Sidewinder combo.
Seems like Israeli Phalcon EL/M—2075 add to Russian IL-76.
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread117179/pg1
The Phalcon EL/M—2075 is best Radar than U.S. E-3 .
"You seem confused about the P-3s role in US Naval service. The EP-3 is a SIGINT aircraft. The P-3 was never operated as either an AEW or AWACS by the US Navy. The P-3 AEW variant is used solely by the US Customs Service. The following images shows a US Customs Service P-3 AEW."
I flew a lot of missions on Navy P-3's in the Gulf of Tonkin along the coast of NVN. We had Sigint, Radint, Elint and highly secure comms capability. The comms capability was used, as necessary, to alert a network that crap was in the process of coming down, AKA, early warning. I'm not confused but I think you are.
We're merely seeing the fruits of short-sighted "capitalism" coupled with American social decline.
It will get much worse, I'm afraid.
They aren't communists anymore. They realized that system was terribly inefficient, when measured in economic terms.
This disparity was made even more evident by the stark contrast that America's "culture of Freedom" (born 1775, died late 20th century) presented.
China is now a fascist nation, and we will be one soon. Guess who wins when one country has 1.5 billion slaves, and the other has 300 million?
You can break them down into 4 groups.
Group #1: They realize China is a threat, but they don't care, since their loyalty is to multinational korporations and not these United States, and they will get to sit on the board on one of these companies. (Power trumps freedom)
Group #2: They realize China is a threat, but don't care because the Dow Jones is up. (Money trumps freedom)
Group #3: They are too stupid to realize that China is a thread. (Ignorance trumps freedom)
Group #4: They realize that China is a threat and are trying to do something about it. (Virtually non-existent)
I do believe there are operational F-22s.
Hey Tommy, do you know what the leading E stands for? Obviously not.
This was in reply to my post of "The EP-3E isn't an AWACS"
So what does the "E" (first letter) stand for?
The missions that you were flying cannot be called AWACS in any way shape of form. Regardless of the capabilities of the platform you can't say that the EP-3 is/was an AWACS or even AEW. SIGINT yes, encompassing COMINT and ELINT, but not an inherent AWACS or even AEW platform. If it was as simple as that then the RAF have been operating AEW and AWACS platforms for many years in the form of Nimrod MR.1/2s and Nimrod R.1s. They have not.
So what does the "E" (first) stand for? Over to you!
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