Thread: Sea Harrier FA2 - a modern-day F6D Missileer?
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Old April 24th 06, 02:37 PM posted to sci.military.naval,rec.aviation.military,rec.aviation.military.naval
Fred J. McCall
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Default Sea Harrier FA2 - a modern-day F6D Missileer?
wrote:

:I would guess that IR missiles exist mainly as self-defense and backup
:weapons. And the gun? Well, if there wasn't any weight in the nose the
:aircraft might prove to be unstable : )

The United States built an aircraft without a gun back when missiles
originally came in and everyone thought they would make having a gun
obsolete. It was the F-4 Phantom. A lot of them got chopped up over
Southeast Asia until we put the gun back in.

If there is any chance the other guy can get in close and get you into
a knife fight (and there is always that chance) then you will always
need a gun.

--
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