Foster

Another World's War

The Harrier generally excels at STOVL operations, with SRVL-landings allowing much of the raw-VTOL criticisms to be ignored.

SRVL = Short Rolling vertical landing. Nozzles down, wings out, cut thrust and brake on bounce. Hyper-STOL in VTOL config. Kinda fun if I could find a video of a fully-loaded MV-22 doing this. (which they've been doing for a bit over a year now)

SRVL is also how the Soviet Union managed to keep their Yak-38s competitive into the 90's. Even testing them out on ersatz-carriers from hasty cargo-ships by 1983. MTOW/V 11+ metric tons vs 9 for the Harrier II. Yak-41, meanwhile...

Lets say with the fall of Soviet Union, Lockeed benefited from what was learned making the Yak-41 first supersonic VTOL with big 20+ ton MTOW.

Another World's War

Clem.

Translation:
-Seems good, get their CAP's attention by getting a few good hits in, lead them away, try not to die.

Lose them, re-engage as-needed.

Although the MiG-23's speed is really only any good at low-level... there it screams.

Another World's War

Clem's plan: Weapons-management, mostly. Actual execution is a bit dodgy right now.

Get behind a set of fast-movers and snipe them with his pair of long-range passive-IR R-27s as the opening-move.

Then hand-off launch-authority to Xi to target the bigger things with the slightly longer-ranged radar-guided R-27s (which ironicly can be launched "dim" or delayed-homing on a ballistic trajectory until lock)

After that, tango with a gun and a pair of R-60s to give the MiG-31 time and space to unload its own strike (hopefully more fast-movers).
-Also hoping this is when the Desert Falcon and A-6 decide to show-up... or at least the Draken)

For mopping-up... rockets. A lot of rockets. In the big-ships.

モバイルフレーム MOBILE FRAME - To the Stars!

No.

We just post.

Very slowly.

Especially me.

Another World's War

Oh, right.

Typical load of 57mm rockets (flechettes), drop-tanks, and various AAMs (A pair of R-60M, and a quad of R-27s [2x ER*. 2x ET])

*The two R-27ERs are able to be directed by the MiG-31 to target, under Xi's launch-authority.

Another World's War

<Snipped quote by Foster>

Any aircraft can be rough field rated if the pilot is brave enough. (Aka, I'm not entirely sure)
Though they were purpose built to operate from reinforced roads and highways if the situation called for it.

@Slypheed

Well, I know the Viggen was rated to touchdown snuggly-soft for a landing, lest its wheels put craters into the highway.
-That, and remain within a 500 meter rollout.

Late model Drakkens had a takeoff-roll of nearly a kilometer.

But there's one thing the old bird could do that the Russians couldn't... for awhile...
-The swedes called it the "erect superstall"
-Personally, I liked the F-4 Phantom tailslide manuver

Goes to the salles brouchure

Another World's War

Being Swedish, is Draken rough field rated?

>Sees draken pull up behind his MiG on taxiway.

Another World's War

<Forgot about the CFTs.

>Makes a note to pick on Mr Tibbs for not reminding Clem to factor those CFTs in endurance-estimates.

Another World's War

Well, planking over grass counts as "dirt" in my head. Because it sure isn't concrete, and FOD-sweeps aren't really possible.

Another World's War

The Bulgarian tried not to pay attention to the... mercenaries as they bickered over whether or not they'd offended him, while still in his presence. Thankfully, everyone seemed to file-out before anyone could say something truly offensive. He also managed to skip right past the formality of checking out any flight-equipment, whatever he wasn't wearing was stilll wedged in the cockpit of his bird out on the dirt-strip or probably wouldn't need for this trip.

And so Mr Greggor took his time strolling past pampered western planes on their fancy concrete pads, a few of which were definately old enough to need some coddling to get back up and running. He vaugely recognized the Swedish plane from some old aircraft recognition pamplet, he could remember the still smell of those yellowed and mouldered files from training, yet could not place the name of the beast before him.

His drifting attention snapped back to the here and now as he heard the two Americans arguing about... something, then referancing some movie about some test-pilots flying some sort of twin-engined naval MiG-23WTFBBQ mod against the fascists in their black F-5M Tiger IIs.

Once he reached his plane in its dirty sandbagged revetment, pulled the chocks himself, clambered up an onion-crate to get inside, pulled the crate up on a rope and threw it clear before starting the turbine with a gunpowder-charge. With wings fulley swept back, Yuril effortlessly threaded his plane like a needle through a screen-door around the various obstables in his way up to the strip. The flight-leader's A-6F was already barrelling down the way on the pave as he began worrying about preflighting as he spread his wings out to their full extension, his feet firmly planted on the wheel-brakes as he zipped up his leggings and fastened his waist belt, making himself comfortable as he then went to adjusting his comms-helmet, throat-mic check, ballsitic helmet and oxygen-mask came next. Visors down and canopy and shades pulled as he stared into the gleaming blue sunlight.

"Ranger five, all systems clem!" He said as he gave the stick a twirl to check for responsiveness, the positive feedback of the hydraulics against his hand and visual range of motion check of the control-surfaces just before taking his feet off the brakes and applying military-power to the R-35 turbojet. The MiG-23MLGD bounced out of its self-created rut and trundled forwards, just as the ride began to smooth-out Clem went to full afterburner to get the wheels to unstick from the uneven ground, before easing back to military-power and making a standard accelleration in ground effect, wheels-raised, up to 350 knots IAS before begining his climb up to the A-6.

He overtook Ranger One in 35 seconds, but then throttled-back to stall-speed to let the Navy-bomber return to the lead.

"Heard your bird would be serving refreshments. Got any for Clem?" He chided, both MiGs only had enough fuel for a single hour's worth of combat-endurance, whereas the A-6 easily held enough fuel to stay airborne for the better part of the morning. Although not nearly as bad as the F-16, which would run on fumes in half that time if it were ever forced into a fight.