Googlewoop
03-04-2004, 13:19
After a long and distinguished carreer with the Googlewooper Navy, the ageing F-14 Tomcat is to be officially retired tomorrow.
The GAF recently replaced its land based F-14s with MiG-29X specials in the land based interceptor role. Arming them with R-77 (AA-12 'Adder') solid fuel missiles as a main armament. This gives the airforce a new maximum engagement range of anywhere up to 160km from platform to air-intercept.
The navy has for some time been looking into a counterpart for the ever important fleet defence interceptor role and has founds it's answer in the MiG-29K, formerly thought to be only a carrier based fighter. Owing to the extrordinarily small size of the missile, any one platform will be able to launch and cable-arrest land with up to six of the missiles attached.
Due to the complex Russian systems involved, the new MiGs will not see any STRIKE or ASUW role in the near future whatsoever. Other armaments include combnations of R-27 (AA-10 'Alamo') MRAAMs and R-73 (AA-11 'Archer') SRAAMs.
Tommorrow will mark the first day in the GNs distinguished history in which 'Tomcats' will not patrol the skies above the battlegroups when the last patrol lands at 0600 local time. All carriers are in port or inbound and only the GNS 'Googlewoop' and GNS 'Caesar' will remain with 'cats' onboard for another month. Unless major hostilities break out, these will remain 'cold' until they are replaced early next month.
The GAF recently replaced its land based F-14s with MiG-29X specials in the land based interceptor role. Arming them with R-77 (AA-12 'Adder') solid fuel missiles as a main armament. This gives the airforce a new maximum engagement range of anywhere up to 160km from platform to air-intercept.
The navy has for some time been looking into a counterpart for the ever important fleet defence interceptor role and has founds it's answer in the MiG-29K, formerly thought to be only a carrier based fighter. Owing to the extrordinarily small size of the missile, any one platform will be able to launch and cable-arrest land with up to six of the missiles attached.
Due to the complex Russian systems involved, the new MiGs will not see any STRIKE or ASUW role in the near future whatsoever. Other armaments include combnations of R-27 (AA-10 'Alamo') MRAAMs and R-73 (AA-11 'Archer') SRAAMs.
Tommorrow will mark the first day in the GNs distinguished history in which 'Tomcats' will not patrol the skies above the battlegroups when the last patrol lands at 0600 local time. All carriers are in port or inbound and only the GNS 'Googlewoop' and GNS 'Caesar' will remain with 'cats' onboard for another month. Unless major hostilities break out, these will remain 'cold' until they are replaced early next month.