Super,
Perhaps I can help here. ‘Hot’ weapon loads (and unloads) are perfectly safe as long as you have:
1. A properly designed and properly installed Master Arming Safety Switch
2. An aircraft layout that allows the weapons to be safely brought in under the aircraft
3. Weapons that are fully tested and cleared for the RF environment around a running aircraft (and for the wider RF environment - not a given on a flight deck)
4. Properly trained and experienced personnel for both day and night conditions
The RN have been doing ‘hot’ loads on helicopters for well over 40 years. Not so frequently on fixed wing, as the Sea Harrier was not an easy aircraft to get the weapons under without getting to close to either air intakes or the exhausts.
F-35 had a firm requirement for ‘hot’ loads right from the outset. The geometry of the weapons bay doors was adjusted a number of times to get all the right clearances, and some ingenious weapons loading kit was devised. Note that at sea almost all F-35 weapons are hoisted into the bays and on to the pylons, as opposed to bring ‘pressed up’ by a weapons loader.
Hope this helps.
Best regards as ever to the people doing the hot liads on a dark wet night on the deck,
Engines