F-14 look at this

tour2space.com...

Heard about this before, So the F-14 Tomcat is now a testbed for new missiles?

Missiles?
Isn't this about it being a satellite delivery vehicle?

There is precious little information to go one from that site and what is there makes very little sense to me. Would someone be so kind as to explain?

Originally posted by Daedalus3
Missiles?
Isn't this about it being a satellite delivery vehicle?

hey Daedaluse3
does this remine you of something

^^
no.. not really..
what are you getting at..
And the thread is about using the F-14 as a satellite delivery vehicle using a method similar to what Space ship one uses..

It's a last ditch attemt to rescue the RASCAL concept, nice idea but very expensive to do. I don't think it stands a chance as the payload is too small even for the military fast responce.

I supose this idea adds magic nose landing gear that mystically open through the rocket directly beneath it?

I see they mention it, but nothing shows how they get past that "little" detail.

I think that this idea should be researched. We already have orders to build a fleet of the new Raptors to replace our old air-superiority fighters. These guys already cost eleventy-gajillion dollars per unit. If we can think of a NEW use for an OLD fighter which would only require small modifications rather than from-the-ground-up-engineering, it would save the nation bazillions of schmillions of dollars.

All dollar amounts are information supplied by the Department of Treasury

Originally posted by Daedalus3
^^
no.. not really..

what are you getting at..
And the thread is about using the F-14 as a satellite delivery vehicle using a method similar to what Space ship one uses..

Sorry I was thinking you was a fan of macross

The F-15E has a bigger payload capability.

Shattered OUT...

Yes but they where saying the F14 was more adaptable to this task.

Originally posted by youngiceman87


Sorry I was thinking you was a fan of macross

Yeah I am...But I had no way of knowing that you were too..
The booster on the F-14 immediately reminded me of The valkryie fighters of Macross fame

Originally posted by ShatteredSkies
The F-15E has a bigger payload capability.

Shattered OUT...

Do you also know why they chose the F14 over the F15? They chose the F14 because the F15's performance would decrease with a huge ammount if it carried Phoenix missles i guess the same counts for this.

Sounsd like a nice idea... but I think it comes too late... The F-14 are going out from service... Doesn't amtter how much we protest...

I think they're looking more at the concept of grabbing the airframes. There's something on that last slide about "sliding forwards to accomadate nose gear". Not sure exactly what they mean though.

Basicly, the idea of dropping a spacebound rocket from an aircraft isn't terribly new, and they did it just this week. The only real question then is why the F-14? Best I can figure, they want to drop from an aircraft capable of higher speed. And the very same requirements that made the F-14 such a formidable aircraft when it was introduced, give it the flexibility now that those requirements no longer apply. (have you ever seen the size of the electronics bays that thing has?) Swing wing designs excell at operating well over larger aerodynamic enviornments as well, and the F-14 is a big, stable platform.

On the other hand, is this really more efficient than just grabbing a larger bomber type aircraft and strapping a big rocket motor to the back of your payload to achieve those high speeds? I have no idea.

Wow, I've never heard of this before. But how exactly does the thing takeoff with the landing gear blocked? Is it launched from a special rack?

This should keep the F-14's from going out of business if this idea takes off.

Sounsd like a nice idea... but I think it comes too late... The F-14 are going out from service... Doesn't amtter how much we protest...

No, of course it wont keep them from going out of service but it might give those ladies that are currently enjoying the sun down at AMARC something to do.

Originally posted by tomcat ha

Originally posted by ShatteredSkies
The F-15E has a bigger payload capability.

Shattered OUT...

Do you also know why they chose the F14 over the F15? They chose the F14 because the F15's performance would decrease with a huge ammount if it carried Phoenix missles i guess the same counts for this.

Who's "they" and when was the F-14 officially chosen for "what"?

Yeah, this is mostly skeptism, but if I remember clearly the Phoenix missile was what degraded the F-14 as an aircraft. The F-14 would have been better off without the Phoenix in my honest opinion, but at the time it was the best missile with the range.

Shattered OUT...

Originally posted by Kacen
Wow, I've never heard of this before. But how exactly does the thing takeoff with the landing gear blocked? Is it launched from a special rack?

This should keep the F-14's from going out of business if this idea takes off.

hmm.. maybe they can retro fit the landing to fold outwards into the wings..