self defence arms for raf bomber in 1977

[lenny100]

if a new large bomber the british aerospace "Valkyrie" b1  joined the RAF in 1977 what self defence arms would it carry?

[deathjester]

If this is the N.A. Valkyrie, then it was supposed to have a 'Lenticular Defense Missile' system.

[lenny100]

no its something else but in the same class

[sandiego89]

I would say "none" if i am thinking about a very high speed bomber.  Limited to defensive countermeasures, ie jamming.  Speed would be the main defence.  If relegated to lower speeds a M-61 rotary cannon in the rear like the B-58 Hustler may be used. 

[lenny100]

this system has a cruse speed around M2 but need to slow to relese the payload to around m.85 so during this phase of the flight at high level it will be vunrable, low level operations are possable but at lower speed around m0.85 for most of the flight

[pyro-manic]

Why does it need to slow down to deploy the payload? This would be the most vulnerable part of the mission anyway (ie over hostile territory, with SAMs and fighters around) so slowing down seems like a very bad idea.

As for defensive weapons, I'd say a radar-controlled tail turret or a fistful of Taildog/SRAAM missiles - say six or eight, half to launch forwards from a weapons bay or underwing mountings, and half launching backwards from a cluster of launch tubes in the tail.

[rickshaw]

Pye Wacket Missile, which Deathjester alluded to.

[JayBee]

Lenny,

this wouldn't by any chance be a 1/72 at a very good price even if the box is a bit battered at Huddersfield type of thing?

Jim

[lenny100]

yer it is the mk 1 , will do a mk 9 later

[Hobbes]

In real life, the UK only had Firestreak and Red Top in 1977. Cancelled projects that would fit are the radar-guided Red Top (Blue Dolphin or Blue Jay Mk. V) and SRAAM.

[P1127]

In real life, the UK only had Firestreak and Red Top in 1977. Cancelled projects that would fit are the radar-guided Red Top (Blue Dolphin or Blue Jay Mk. V) and SRAAM.

There was also the AIM-9s and AIM-7s carried on the Phantoms.


I'm assuming we are talking a conversion of an Anglo-French airliner?

[GTX]

I would have thought there would have been no self defence arms carried - i.e. same situation as with Vulcan etc.  If however, it was felt the defences opposing warranted it, then maybe SRAM or and Air-to-air equivalent?

Regards,

Greg

[jcf]

I suppose another option is something along the lines of the Grumman missile system proposed for the Seamaster.

[PR19_Kit]

I suppose another option is something along the lines of the Grumman missile system proposed for the Seamaster.

I always liked the idea of the Bushfire system, and I was surprised it wasn't adopted for the B-52 or B-58, but perhaps the 'Gun Lobby' was too strong.

Or the fact that it was originally destined for a 'NAVY' aircraft (perish the very thought....) counted against it.

[Old Wombat]

Or it may be that they thought/knew that the mass-to-kill ratio for the M-61 Vulcan was better than for the Bushfire missile system.

If so, then the M-61 Vulcan could either carry more defensive kills per fixed mass or the same number of kills for a lower mass.