Typhoon with conformal tanks.
 

Interesting.

UK downplays conformal fuel tanks for Eurofighter Typhoon - IHS Jane's 360

Don't know how the camel packs affect manoeuvrability of course, but all other things being equal it seems odd to rely on air-air refuelling rather than increase range independently.

The borrowers, proper skint again aren't we !!! Thanks George.

Interesting. The case being made here is that the aircraft works quite well with conventional tanks and AAR, so why complicate things?

The underlying point may be that CFTs are most valuable for an aircraft that is otherwise short of pylons (F-16) or if the non-CFT configuration is draggy (Shornet). There may be other considerations - the USN seems most keen on the CFTs for Growler, not only because of performance but because underwing tanks mask the field of view of the jam pods.

I was reading on one of the other threads that AAR is expensive - would aircraft with CFTs be cheaper to operate?

CFT is linked with Stormshadow capability. Current priorities are PWIV and Brimstone.

That makes sense, JTO. Strategic mission, and the SSs displace two of the drop tanks.

Perhaps more importantly, Air Cdre Beach stated (bold):

Without wishing to make any comment on current capabilities, it would seem that it's pretty important that Voyager also needs to have a reliable MIDS.....

Signature reduction ("stealth") is also a serious consideration. The Advanced Super Hornet includes many signature reduction features, among them are CFTs and a weapon pod that encloses weapons inside a low signature pod.

If conformal tanks are used in future and agility is still paramount, would uprated engines be the answer? Just a thought.

FB:)

They're shooting at the tanker?


He also described how RAF Typhoon crews are carrying out training with the aircraft's 27mm Mauser cannon. "We used it first on exercise in the Middle East, and we've also had great success in the UK in the air-to-air and air-to-surface roles," he said. "The other Eurofighter nations have used it, but primarily air-to-air. The question for us now is sustainability, logistics, and support; at the moment we could use the gun day-to-day if needed to because we could put the support structures in place, but we're taking a measured approach and not routinely operating it."

I'm a little puzzled here.

Why should extended range "after the tanker" not be a desirable increase in capability? As Typhoon moves into the mud-moving and Recce environment, surely this would be a 'good thing'? Once the airframe is festooned with weaponry, any stealth aspects diminish ... but in the Recce role that's perhaps a more significant aspect.

Surely this is about reach, and CFT can achieve that while the AAR asset status well out of range of 'Whatever/Whoever"? The future scenario is an 'unknown unknown' an it seems a sensible option, even if not fleet-wide.

I can't speak for the Typhoon but the CFTs on the F-15, F-16 and F/A-18 have no effect on agility. The flight envelope remains essentially unchanged.

Lets be honest, it's all about cost.

RedhillPhill have you the slightest idea what MIDS / Link16 actually is? Let alone its capabilities....:rolleyes:

BEags

Why would you put a datalink in a tanker when you're skint? The Typhoon has a RADAR and third-party tracks on its own datalink to find the tanker. I agree it's a 'nice to have' but not sure it's on the 'essential' list.

LJ

Reprom. relay is but one example of why.....

If I remember my old JTIDS course, any JU is capable of relaying - it's supposed to be a nodeless system. I agree that sitting in the tanker tracks on the edge of 'sausage side' watching your receivers coming and going is excellent for your SA, but when we can't afford many other more essential bits of kit for our aircraft this would be a 'nice to have' in my opinion.

LJ :confused:

Link is not expensive and it is at its best when all your assets are on the net. Everyone has something to add to the picture, just imagine being a battle manager and knowing, for example, how much give-away all your tankers have.

Everyone should be on the net.

Courtney is correct, everyone should be on the net. As to CFTs I'll echo that it's all about money, unless widget X is the answer to an unresolved problem it won't get funded.