1. Alman Helvas does not realise that Korea’s F-15Ks can fire Taurus missiles because they paid for integration costs.
2. Demonstrating that you can arm American fighters with non-American missiles, the Python series of missiles are widely used in numerous air forces to arm F-15s or F-16s. Even the PLAAF was so impressed with Python-3 performance — in Lebanon war where the missile shot down around 50 Syrian aircraft — the PLAAF even made a licence production version of it (called the PL-8B). It is a smokey missile, with a powerful rocket motor, for its time giving it greater range more than early versions of the AIM-9.
3. Just wanted to put together some of his more illogical comments on the AIM-120. Beyond Meteor, Derby (Alto) is another BVR missile. Fighter pilots can only fire a missile, if they arm or ‘uncage’ it.
4. There is often some slight fighter-missile compatibility issues due to refusal to be the only one paying for initial integration; and the Typhoon is certified to fire the Meteor missile, the AIM-120 and IRIS-T.
5. Alman Helvas really said “you can't launch the missile without release code provided by USG. That code will input into fighter's MMC for launching the missile. This policy is part of US export control.” But I am sure the AIM-120 missile works against all teen series fighters, if they arm it.
(a) The MICA missile, for example, can be used on F-16s, but it would requires more than a sofware change to do so. If you want the missile to be effective on beyond visual range (BVR) shots, a special emitter fitted on the firing aircraft would be needed to refresh targeting information before the missile can use its own radar.
(b) Alman is basically saying multiple air force chiefs, including those from Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, UAE & Qatar are idiots for selecting American fighters and weapons. Taiwan, Qartar and UAE in particular, operate French and American fighters.
2. Demonstrating that you can arm American fighters with non-American missiles, the Python series of missiles are widely used in numerous air forces to arm F-15s or F-16s. Even the PLAAF was so impressed with Python-3 performance — in Lebanon war where the missile shot down around 50 Syrian aircraft — the PLAAF even made a licence production version of it (called the PL-8B). It is a smokey missile, with a powerful rocket motor, for its time giving it greater range more than early versions of the AIM-9.
3. Just wanted to put together some of his more illogical comments on the AIM-120. Beyond Meteor, Derby (Alto) is another BVR missile. Fighter pilots can only fire a missile, if they arm or ‘uncage’ it.
4. There is often some slight fighter-missile compatibility issues due to refusal to be the only one paying for initial integration; and the Typhoon is certified to fire the Meteor missile, the AIM-120 and IRIS-T.
5. Alman Helvas really said “you can't launch the missile without release code provided by USG. That code will input into fighter's MMC for launching the missile. This policy is part of US export control.” But I am sure the AIM-120 missile works against all teen series fighters, if they arm it.
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