I wonder, is there any possibility of having ST Aero install
conformal fuel tankss on our current F-16Cs and Ds?
just a brief primer...
Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs) are additional fuel tanks, fitted
closely to the profile of an aircraft, which extend either range of
an aircraft or time on station with little aerodynamic penalties
compared to the same capacity carried in external drop tanks.
The downside is that while external fuel tanks can be dropped when
they are empty, conformal fuel tanks are "plumbed" into an aircraft
and can only be removed on the ground. Conversely, when CFTs are
empty the aircraft continues to suffer from the aerodynamic
penalties with no benefit. However to use the F-16 as an example,
an aircraft could carry a full weapons load and two 450 gallons
CFTs; whereas an F-16 without CFTs would have to sacrifice at least
two weapons pylons to carry drop tanks, i.e. either range or
weapons load must be reduced.
CFTs also have the advantage of not signifcantly increasing an
aircraft's Radar cross section (RCS) and allow a higher maximum
speed than drop tanks.
yeah. so would installing CFTs on our current F-16s bring any
advantage or disadvantage in our local context? I also heard that
the Block 52+ models of the F-16 comes with CFTs...are any of the
RSAF F-16s Block52+?
