Electronic Weapons: March 20, 2000

Archives

Britain has decided not to include a datalink on the 100 Tornado F3 fighters being refitted with new equipment that would allow them to use AMRAAM missiles at long range by providing mid-course guidance. The British said that the datalink would have been too expensive and was not needed, but critics note that in fact it costs relatively little and that the US Air Force has based its entire doctrine on killing the enemy at the longest possible range. The F3s will also fly without the digital interface and helmet mounted sights needed to use ASRAAM missiles at high-off-boresight angles, a major failing considering that the F3 is "an unmaneuverable beast" designed to kill Russian bombers, not MiG-29s.--Stephen V Cole


 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close