Quote from: Spino on April 17, 2023, 11:53:33 AM

Quote from: Weaver on April 17, 2023, 06:00:12 AM

Quote from: Spino on April 16, 2023, 09:05:38 AMIt wasn't long after the F/A-201 got cancelled that the F-20 Tigershark flew with a radar that could guide AIM-7s, so I suspect the nose wouldn't have needed to be much bigger.  Honestly I think whoever made that Harrier/Mirage kitbash would have done better to use the front end of a radar Harrier II.  I guess the F-16's radar might fit in the smaller nose of the Harrier II, but the F-16 didn't actually get a radar that offered BVR missile capability until the 1990s with the F-16A MLU and F-16C.

I thought F-16ADFs could use Sparrow?

Yes, but as I recall the ADF came along about the same time as the MLU, or maybe a couple of years before.  I could be wrong though.  ADF was a project to basically keep the ANG F-16A fleet relevant for a few more years I think.

ADF was 1989, MLU (block 20) was mid 1990s onwards.

ADF was intended to equip ANG F-16As for the Air Defence tasking, with new IFF (the "bird slicers" seen on other subsequent upgrades) a spotlight for night time ID of suspect aircraft and AIM-7. They were phased out between 1994 and 2007 because post Cold War drawdowns made enough F-16Cs available to re-equip those ANG units with them.

I imagine with two vertically mounted turbojets ground erosion issues would be "interesting" with austere base use....  This one is probably better for carrier use and concrete runways.  I have always liked the look of it also. 

Well the Yak-38 "Forger" had the same twin lift jet configuration, and it worked fine.  But yes that was on paved surfaces, ground erosion could potentially be an issue with aircraft like that.

Quote from: Spino on April 19, 2023, 10:38:24 AMWell the Yak-38 "Forger" had the same twin lift jet configuration, and it worked fine.  But yes that was on paved surfaces, ground erosion could potentially be an issue with aircraft like that.

If the soil was wet the cloud of steam could be impressive. Probably give away the position of the site.

I can't imagine it being much worse than what a Harrier would do, it's blasts hot jet exhaust down too at the end of the day.