The ramjet version would be the P3I Phase 4 version, and would
probably be like the losing bid which was put up for the European
BVRAAM requirement, of which the Meteor was chosen.
While I am still very pro-F-14, I strongly feel that you guys
are dissing the ShittyHornet too badly... While in pure performance
it is really quite a piece of shit, in terms of its avionics it
really is top notch.
1. ATFLIR is among the best targeting pod available
2. its APG-79 would be the first multi-role fighter AESA radar to
be operational
3. its self-protection suite consisting of the IDECM is
comprehensive, and when the full up IDECM suite is ready, it will
come with the ALE-55 fibre-optic towed decoy
4. By virtue of it being a 2 seater, it has an inherent advantage
over other single seater attack fighters. Combined with its
"de-coupled" cockpit system, where the back seater can use the A2G
radar modes while the front seater uses the radars A2A modes
simultaneously, the fighter's capabilities is maximised. It is
thus, in fact, more qualified for the term "omni-role", than the
Rafale! (the french came up with the term omni-role to stress that
the Rafale is able to carry out multiple missions within the same
sortie as opposed muliti-role which they take to be an aircraft
being able to carry out different roles, but in different sorties.
All marketing gimmick actually...)
5. The SH would get an exciting system known as HART, or Hornet
Autonomous Rapid Targeting. This allows the Hornet to take
advantage of its real-time SAR capabilities to engage targets of
opportunities. It works by using the APG-79 to take a SAR pic of
the target, and then the pic is sent to the JADM which has an IIR
sensor mounted on it. The JDAM then homes in on the template which
it receives from the HART system.
In an era where air combat would very likely not come to a 'merge',
the SH avionics would give it a tremendous capability edge over its
peers. In fact, with its JHCMS, it might even beat other more
maneuverable fighters in a dogfight...
