Skyharwk UAV

Anza Andy SG

A technician friend of mine from RSAF told me that RSAF had convert 30 skyhawks into UAV for anti-ship role. It mount 2 penguin missile. Anyone one heard of this???

tripwire SG

1... i didnt know that RSAF have penguin...
2....I didnt know that the A4 is wired to carry penguin...
3....I wonder why RSAF choose to use penguin when it got HARPOON which can be mid course guided by the E2C.

duotiga83 SG

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A technician friend of mine from RSAF told me that RSAF had convert 30 skyhawks into UAV for anti-ship role. It mount 2 penguin missile. Anyone one heard of this???
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Well , i nvr heard of this news yet.....

bcoy SG

Why not just use the old skyhawk airframes as a guided cruise missile? An odject the size of a skyhawk crashing into a target like a ship should do lots of damage.

Anza Andy SG

Singapore brought some punguins In the 80s to use with early F16a/b. This was not mention to the public. The RSAF think that a attack UAV is much easy to hit a sea taget the a land taget. Anyone can feed me the performance detial of the puguin?

EXCO SG

If its not mentioned to the public, how do you know? Please stick to public domain information here. This thread does not have a valid point.

solaris SG

What EXCO say has a point. What is classified should remain classified and I believe your information if true falls within the domain. You are a Singaporean I presume and do think of your country security when posting things.

Joe Black SG

Singapore was not successful in acquiring Penguins. It was reject on the ground that Belgium does not want to export weapons to "start an arm race". Indonesian and the Malaysian were keen to acquire Penguins as well at the same time. Belguims public opinion on arm export is very strict.

I think the Skyhawks use Maverick in anti-ship role. Though I have also heard rumours that RSAF have air-launched Harpoons presumedly for the Vipers.

Joe Black SG

Furthermore, to your comment, an armed Skyhawk should not be called a UAV. It should be called an UCAV (Unmanned Combat Arial Vehicle). BTW, if the skyhawks are converted to UCAV, then it would be the world's second UCAV after the US's predator. I wouldn't consider IAI Harpy to be in the same category since it was meant to do a sucide attack.

I am surprised that Singapore has achieved such feat already because it is only currently that US could use UAV for combat purposes rather than just for recon or survelliance. The other UCAV is still under development by Boeing (X-45).

It is not technically impossible to convert Skyhawks to UCAV, but it would be crude though, a skyhawk drone cum UAV + weapons... Smile

Orcishwarrior SG

A joe black are u sure Pengiun ASM comes from belgium Confused
I thru it is from a Norwegian Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk company
and Maybe i ask where did u receive the source saying that all three countries were getting the missile at particular time.
Very Happy
Anyway singapore will be acquiring anti-ship missile like penguin ASM sooner or later.Since maritime helicopters are need for its frigates programme to be a multi-purpose one.I will not rule of penguin as one of the selected A.S.M.Another potential ASM could be the exocet ASM.

Joe Black SG

Sorry you are right... Penguin ASM comes from Norway, got it mixed up when I was typing this Smile

Oh, sources, Flight Internation, Year sometime in the late 80s, early 90s. I don't have the hard copy anymore. It was at the time when RSAF just got their A/B Vipers. TNI also got or just about to get their Vipers. RMAF was interested to acquire them later for their MPAs.

Sadly, I remembered this but I don't have anymore hard copy for reference. Perhaps a quick search on the internet may yield something.

Anyway, RSAF got the -G version of Maverick in their 94 Viper package. The G version is specially effective against seaborne targets as they too employ an IIR seeker, longer enduance rocket motor, and an enlarged warhead.

solaris SG

It was published a few years that the the RSN/RSAF had successfully conducted the first fIring of the Harpoon from F50 MPA
I saw the photo of the launching

Orcishwarrior SG

I saw before the launching of the harpoon from F50 maritime Patrol
aircraft.Anyway F50 are originally modified from a commerical plane to a military aircraft which purpose is similar to Orion aircraft
I heard the aircraft is fitted with highly sophisticated system even the US personnel were surprised.What is your opinion??

Joe Black SG

quote from Unofficial RSAF Website:
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Equipment on board these MPAs include a Texas Instruments AN/APS-134(Plus) 360-degree search radar in a ventral radome and a GEC Sensors VOO-1069 TICM II IR detection system as well as an Israeli ESM suite. 8 hardpoints (6 on outer wings, 2 on fuselage) offer a wide range of weapon options for the Enforcer's ASW/anti-shipping role.
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Does anyone know if RSAF/RSN tried dropping topedoes and snoar bouys from the MPAs?

Anza Andy SG

Can our F16 fire Harpoon?