In preparing for a strike mission consisting of F/A-18D strikers, F/A-18C escorts, and EA-6B ECM escort, I have run up with a range issue in mission planning for the F/A-18D's - the first one's that I have worked up.

 

It turns out that with 8x Mk-82, 2x AIM-9M, and 1x 330 USG Drop Tank I turn up 40nm short of the target. This includes a 10 minute combat margin and 10% reserve.

 

Since the H4.1 data anex does not give too many loadout options I have searched and found "Hardpoints: 9: 2 wingtip, 4 underwing, and 3 fuselage, carrying up to 13,700 lb (6,215 kg) of missiles, rockets, bombs, fuel tanks, and pods" on wiki. When 500lb GP bombs are loaded are they done so singularly or in three-bomb clusters? Would it be possible to add one or more additional 330 USG DT's provided I do not overload? I am currently at 27% or LOAD1 so I have capacity, just do not know if I have the space/hardpoints.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Pete

...and before anyone chimes in how about aerial refueling, I'd prefer not to go there right now, although if push comes to shove probably no better time than the present. More loadouts please!

The centerline hardpoint and the two inner wing hardpoints are plumbed for fuel tanks. The centerline and the 4 underwing hardpoints can carry air to ground ordnance. So you could load the two inner underwing harpoints with fuel and load the centerline and two outer underwing hardpoints with ordnance, or load three fuel tanks and have the other two underwing hardpoints with ordnance. Bunch of possibilities.

The centerline hardpoint and the two inner wing hardpoints are plumbed for fuel tanks. The centerline and the 4 underwing hardpoints can carry air to ground ordnance. So you could load the two inner underwing harpoints with fuel and load the centerline and two outer underwing hardpoints with ordnance, or load three fuel tanks and have the other two underwing hardpoints with ordnance. Bunch of possibilities.

Thanks a lot Dewayne, I had an inkling that an air-dale like you would come to this grunt's rescue.

 

So 9 hard points like the reference indicated? Does this include wingtips for one AIM-9 each?

Yea the wingtip rails are part of the nine hardpoints. One centerline, two cheek, four underwing, and two wingtip.

Yea the wingtip rails are part of the nine hardpoints. One centerline, two cheek, four underwing, and two wingtip.

Thanks DeWayne. You're the best, I don't care what Kelly-san says about you.

I know, I do accept all praise as benefits my position

Are you aware of any ordnance bundled for lack of a better term? Maybe 3x Mk81 250lb bomb(lets). Others - or are they all mounted singularly?

Are you aware of any ordnance bundled for lack of a better term? Maybe 3x Mk81 250lb bomb(lets). Others - or are they all mounted singularly?

 

Mk 82 are mounted on side by side carriers.

 

You could carry 3 drop tanks (CL, inner underwing) and 4 Mk 82 (outer UW)

 

In recent times they carry 2 drops (CL and one inner UW) leaving 3 hardpoints for weapons - 6 Mk 82 or 3 JDAM or 3 HARM or 3 LGB, etc

 

DeWayne, I guess that this pic confirms PeterG's 2-bomb side-by-side racks. Suppose with one drop tank centerline, I could have 6 mounts x2 Mk82 for a total of 12x Mk82 +2x AIM-9M's. Plus the two pods, navigation and tageting on the cheeks? what is the ordnance on the outboard hardpoints?

ok, not optimal, but...I need a second, not third 330USG Drop Tank. Are the options for adding drop tanks limited to 1 or 3, just not two due to unbalancing of the aircraft? if so, could I just leave the centerline unused, place one 330USG drop tank on each of the two inboard harpoints, racks of 2xMk82 bombs on each of the two center wing hard points - a total of 4x Mk82, the two outboard hardpoints for the targeting and navigational pods, capped off with the AIM-9's on the wing tips.

 

...How copy?

ok, not optimal, but...I need a second, not third 330USG Drop Tank. Are the options for adding drop tanks limited to 1 or 3, just not two due to unbalancing of the aircraft? if so, could I just leave the centerline unused, place one 330USG drop tank on each of the two inboard harpoints, racks of 2xMk82 bombs on each of the two center wing hard points - a total of 4x Mk82, the two outboard hardpoints for the targeting and navigational pods, capped off with the AIM-9's on the wing tips.

 

...How copy?

 

The photo above is the F/A-18E/F which adds an additional underwing HP (the outermost one in the photo) - typically 1 Mk 82 (cannot carry 2 Mk 82 - see the photo), 1 HARM, 1 AMRAAM, 1 JSOW, etc

 

 

F/A-18A/B/C/D can carry 1, 2 or 3 drop tanks.

 

They can carry assymmetric loadouts such as

CL (centreline) HP x1: drop tank

port Fuselage cheek HP: AAS-38 tgt pod or AMRAAM

starboard Fuselage cheek HP: AMRAAM

Port inner UW (underwing): drop tank

Starboard inner UW HP: 2 Mk 82

outer UW HP x 2: 2 Mk 82

Tip HP x 2: AIM-9M

 

Loadout: 2 330 USG drop tanks, 6 Mk 82, 2 AIM-9M and either 2 AMRAAM or 1 AMRAAM and AAS-38 tgt pod

 

Pictures of carrying the 'unbalanced' loadout didn't really surface until the 2003 invasion, although Spain had been using this configuration during the 1990s.

 

I have an article on the F/A-18D showing:

CL: 2 Rockeye

inner UW x2: drop tanks

outer UW x 2 : 2 Rockeye

 

This would give the same weapons as the above loadout except replace the 6 Mk 82 with 6 Rockeye.

F/A-18A/B/C/D can carry 1, 2 or 3 drop tanks.

 

They can carry assymmetric loadouts such as

CL (centreline) HP x1: drop tank

port Fuselage cheek HP: AAS-38 tgt pod or AMRAAM

starboard Fuselage cheek HP: AMRAAM

Port inner UW (underwing): drop tank

Starboard inner UW HP: 2 Mk 82

outer UW HP x 2: 2 Mk 82

Tip HP x 2: AIM-9M

 

Loadout: 2 330 USG drop tanks, 6 Mk 82, 2 AIM-9M and either 2 AMRAAM or 1 AMRAAM and AAS-38 tgt pod

 

Pictures of carrying the 'unbalanced' loadout didn't really surface until the 2003 invasion, although Spain had been using this configuration during the 1990s.

 

I have an article on the F/A-18D showing:

CL: 2 Rockeye

inner UW x2: drop tanks

outer UW x 2 : 2 Rockeye

 

This would give the same weapons as the above loadout except replace the 6 Mk 82 with 6 Rockeye.

Thanks Peter, especially for the final loadout suggestion. It is surprising that Harpoon, for all of its detail, only mentions hardpoints in HNR data, and old H3 supplements such as Dangerous Waters.

As an asside the F/A-18 was tested with MERs (6 500lb class weaps) and TERs (3 500lb class weapons) During inital work up. However the Drag would impose a FULL load flight characteristic even with a light load of just 12 (2 MERs) Mk82s. MERs are absolutely not carried on service F/A-18s. The TER however has been used on land based hornets. However due to the scarcity of USN TER racks there is no official H4 load out for them. (They are all left over from the F-4 Phantom days.)

 

 

I would stick with Peter G's loadout suggestion. And the Mk82 can be dual mounted on the CL of F/A-18C/Ds

 

Craig P