LAU-7/A and BAE Hawk
 

Can anybody in PPRunNe land recall as to why the BAE Hawk requires an adaptor plate in order to carry the LAU-7/A launch rail vice is being mated direct to the pylon? Simple pylon compatibility? Airframe clearance?

Thanks!

I spent 6 years as an armourer on Hawk at 2TWU. The LAU-7/A needed a form of adaptor with suspension lugs to mate with the 119 ERU in the pylon, which was also used to carry CBLS when required.
Remembering how tight it was to change the Nitrogen Receiver bottle in the launcher (there was just enough clearance to withdraw the bottle with the flaps down when the jet was shut-down), I suspect flap clearance would have been part of the equation also.
Regards
Mortmeister

Probably because the LAU7A is attached to a pylon by bolts, and isn't designed to for 43 bale lugs for an eru attachment.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3a21d00347.jpg

In addition to the answers above, I'm not sure how much clearance there would have been between a missile and the flaps without an adaptor?

Ok, so what I think I'm taking away from this is that the pylon's support frame on Hawk does not have the 30 inch spacing built in that enables you to physically bolt the launcher to the pylon. As such, an adaptor plate is required in order to mate it to the ERU-119. Got it, thanks!

you were lucky, on harrier gr5/7 we had to jack the a/c to change the receiver, later changed towing the a/c up a wooden ramp on one side of the main wheel in order to tilt the a/c over so the outrigger could be retracted in order to carry out the task! It was a long wait for Bol launcher to replace LAU and stop this dodgy practice!

^^^^^Ha, yeah what a system!

Drifting a bit but you were also lucky. Try jacking a Victor, 90 cms. mains and tail, in order to load / unload a Blue Steel.

Boom - you win!