Are you a ham-fisted goon who lacks situational awareness and is just happy to walk away from each hop with all the big pieces still on the jet? Well, if so, the Royal Australian Air Force wants you!
This from Epicos.com:
In a world first for an Air Force and an infra-red guided missile, Air Combat Group (ACG) of the Royal Australian Air Force has successfully carried out the first in-service 'Lock After Launch' firing of an ASRAAM (Advanced short-range air-to-air missile) at a target located behind the wing-line of the "shooter" aircraft. The firing was conducted from an F/A-18 fighter aircraft, at low level and typical fighter speed, at a target located behind the fighter at a range in excess of 5km. The result was a direct hit on the target.The engagement simulated a "chase down" situation by an enemy fighter and successfully demonstrated the potential for an all-round self protection capability with the ASRAAM. This capability is inherent on all platforms that provide pre-launch 'over the shoulder' designation information such as F/A-18, Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 JSF
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So this settles it once and for all. We no longer care about Ps curves and air-to-air performance of the airplane. I don't want to debate who would win a 1-v-1 between a MiG-37 and a JSF. It just doesn't matter.
Here's a new bumper sticker idea (this year's "My other car is an F-18"): "My ASRAAM missile hides the fact that I'm a grape."
(Gouge: NC)
-- Ward
