Originally Posted by
Bob Viking
Since your knowledge of the aviation media is clearly much better than mine can you please answer me some questions?
Has the M346 actually flown with a Radar yet or is it a ‘capability’?
Have Israel actually upgraded their jets to have a radar capability?
What ‘operational’ sorties have Israel employed their M346’s on?
Where in your Jane’s article does it specifically say the Boeing/Saab jet will have a radar? I saw bits about hard points but nothing specifically about a radar. I’m not saying it can’t be done but...
Finally let me lay this out there. When I did DACT against an M346 (in real life) my thoughts were thus. It is a beautiful jet with great performance for a training jet. However, we were on our way back to base as a formation and I still had half my fuel left. He was bingo. He was in a completely clean configuration. The pilots told me that when drop tanks are fitted they are limited to 4g.
So, the M346 looks good and performs adequately in its role (with no external stores fitted). Would I recommend it as a fighter? Bearing in mind that would entail external hard points and weapons and at least some external fuel tanks. Hell no.
But it I am basing that on having worked alongside it. Not on what I have read. Your literature may suggest otherwise.
BV
Not doubting your flying experience BV, and as you seem to be hung-up on 'experience' over your last few posts I'd suggest I've had more direct experience of the TX programme than most on this forum. Who knows, perhaps even more than your esteemed self.
As you know (or you wouldn't have asked the questions), Israel has not yet done any of those things...yet. But, it has assessed the options and declared it is going to go down that road.
Maybe (probably) the USAF won't decide to do the same for the TX for the reasons given here and elsewhere. My point was that, according to stories linked in this thread (and from what i know myself through direct access to the engineers, programme managers and aircraft over the last couple of years) the option to do so is there.