# CF-18 Upgrades - Sniper and Small Diameter Bombs



## Kirkhill (17 Aug 2004)

The following article caused me to start wondering.  Anybody out there have any idea what the unrefuelled range of a CF-18 with 16 SDBs and a Sniper recconaissance pod might be?  Are they currently part of the CF-18 upgrade plan? 

It sounds as if it could take some of the load off of Arty and compensate for the loss of some of the 155mm capabilities as well as handle some of the Guided MRLS tasks.




> Boeing Small Diameter Bomb Aces Test Mission
> 
> 
> (Source: Boeing Co.; issued Aug. 16, 2004)
> ...


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## Nadebait (22 Aug 2004)

Not sure but I was watching discovery air and they had a 1 hour show on the austrailian air force and there was talk of something similiar with a range of 90-10 miles for their f-18s. Rather some su-27s and an investment into the american f35 project is a much better alternative since we have no threats atm. But without the money for new equipment keeping your attacking distance high sounds like the key to the f-18 survival.


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## Spr.Earl (23 Aug 2004)

A link from Boeing about the G.B.U. 39.




http://www.boeing.com/special/stl-labor/files/pdf/sdb_background.pdf


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## Kirkhill (2 Sep 2004)

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.4308111.1089903978.QPadasOa9dUAAESlMZk&modele=jdc_34

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.4308111.1089903978.QPadasOa9dUAAESlMZk&modele=jdc_34

A bit of info on the ATFLIR targeting pod used by the USN onf F/A-18C as well as info on a similar pod/capability used on Predators.


Also this from http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?session=dae.4308111.1089903978.QPadasOa9dUAAESlMZk&modele=jdc_34



> The Norwegian Defence's National Command North has put commercial satellites to use in order to facilitate its task of monitoring ocean and borders in Northern Norway.
> 
> The task of monitoring the vast Norwegian interest-zone off the Norwegian coast has therefore been greatly facilitated. In the past, the monitoring of these areas was solely covered by coastal installations, Coast Guard vessels and aircrafts.
> 
> Since the Norwegian Defence does not operate its own satellites, a contract was signed with the Norwegian Kongsberg group, and the *images used are purchased from a Canadian satellite*.


   


I have asked this question before but am still curious especially in light of the current exercises in the Arctic.


Are single air-frame squadrons the right solution for being able to threats in our approaches? Or is a combined squadron/group of 4-12 Predator/Global Hawks, 2-4 CP-140s and 4-8 CF18s keying on data supplied by SARSAT, Radarsat, NORAD, NAVCan etc. a better solution?   

It seems to me that the technology now allows a group that: would use UAVs to supply 24/7 coverage over fishing grounds and the commercial shipping lanes to monitor ALL vessels in the area; would rely on National Resources as described above to find "anomalies" that need investigating; could despatch CF18s to quickly get an eyes-on recce using the same on-board technology as the UAVs and then despatch CP140s if long term surveillance or an on-scene command presence were required.

The manned units would also have the capability to supply lethal force.

I guess this is a related thought to the Army discussion of whether units should be based on common equipment (for logistics and training simplicity) or whether they should be raised for a common purpose (for readiness, essentially training for the fight).

As I say, just curious.


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