Re: FT in a Fluid

"Oerjan Ohlson" <oerjan.ohlson@telia.com>  wrote:
 >Subject: Re: FT in a Fluid
 >Peter Mancini wrote:
 >>Wouldn't it be cheaper to just have the missiles mounted on drop
 >>down brackets that allowed them to rotate?
 >[than to let the entire aircraft fly sideways for a while]
 >I strongly doubt it, since so many advanced aircraft can fly sideways
 >but none of them have the kind of hardpoints you describe :-/ Even the
 >F22 and JSF only lower their missiles far enough to clear the internal
 >weapon bay, but they don't rotate the missiles.
 >Possible reasons could be:
 >Drop-down rotating hardpoints would cause considerably more problems
 >for the avionics computers than "swerving" (or whatever the maneuver
 >should be called in English) does, quite apart from the increased
 >problems with structural strength of both hardpoints and missiles.
 >Even though the overall direction of the air flow is the same close to
 >a "swerving" aircraft (and its conventionally-mounted missiles) and a
 >lowered-and-rotated missile, the side forces on the lowered missile
are
 >considerably higher than on the conventionally-mounted one.
 >But these are only speculations based on what aerodynamics and gas
 >dynamics I read at the uni. My job was bought a company which builds
 >AAMs half a year or so ago, but we haven't really merged the
 >organisations yet so I'm still restricted to so professionally I still
 >only work with ATGMs and LAWs <g>

Actually the rotating missile mounts wouldn't be required because the 
latest close range air to air missiles (eg; israeli made 'Python' AAM)
are 
extremely agile and when coupled with a helmet mounted sight can engage
any 
aircraft (target) within the pilot's field of view. (I think the term is

WVR; within visual range).

I believe west got it's first practical experience with this new
generation 
of AAM was a test with the luftwaffe's MiG-29s (gained after 
re-unification), the MiG-29s proved to be a big eye opener, armed with
the 
latest generation soviet AAM and using helmet mounted sights allowed the

MiG-29 pilots to engage a target anywhere within their field of vision 
regardless of in what direction the aircraft (and it's missiles) were 
pointing. This was an advantage the 'western' pilots lacked still having
to 
manoeuvre to point their missiles at the target. BUT beyond close
quarters 
things were different (the term is BVR; beyond visual range, I think) 
'western' doctrine and tactics tipped the balance against the MiG-29s.

Derek
Derek Fulton
12 Balaka st.
Rosny, Hobart.
Tasmainia,  7018.
Australia

Phone; (03) 62459123
Email; derekfulton@bigpond.com