F18 dogfighting

IS the F18 as good a dogfighter as the F14?
Will F14 aviators transistion over to the F18?

-John Cip

"John C" wrote in message
...
IS the F18 as good a dogfighter as the F14?

According to F-18 drivers, it's better. According to F14 drivers, it's not
as good. Generally, the guy that gets to the ready room blackboard first
"won" the engagement.

Will F14 aviators transistion over to the F18?

Some but not all.

John C wrote:
IS the F18 as good a dogfighter as the F14?

Depends on the circumstances of the fight - they are different
aircraft, and each possesses unique advantages over the other. In a
weapons-free environment, it's hard to see F-18 drivers surviving
against swarms of AIM-54's. One can't be said to be a better dogfghter
than the other because there are probably so many different ways an
engagement can be fought.

Will F14 aviators transistion over to the F18?

Doubtless some already have.

On 3/24/06 3:00 PM, in article
, "FatKat"
wrote:


John C wrote:
IS the F18 as good a dogfighter as the F14?


The question speaks to turning engagements in the visual arena.
Objectively, the F/A-18 is a better turning fighter than the F-14A, but the
thrust to weight of the B/D makes it a more difficult opponent.

Depends on the circumstances of the fight - they are different
aircraft, and each possesses unique advantages over the other. In a
weapons-free environment, it's hard to see F-18 drivers surviving
against swarms of AIM-54's. One can't be said to be a better dogfghter
than the other because there are probably so many different ways an
engagement can be fought.

Will F14 aviators transistion over to the F18?

Doubtless some already have.


Most F-14 squadrons are getting full transitions from Tomcat to F/A-18E/F.
Of course, some aviators are always left on the table during the transition.

--Woody

Most F-14 squadrons are getting full transitions from Tomcat to F/A-18E/F.
Of course, some aviators are always left on the table during the transition.

Can you elaborate on this point please? Which aviators and/or NFO are most
likely to get "left on the table" and why? For those that do *not*
transition to the Hornet community, what are their options?

On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 14:44:44 -0500, (Paul Michael Brown)
wrote:

Most F-14 squadrons are getting full transitions from Tomcat to F/A-18E/F.
Of course, some aviators are always left on the table during the transition.

Can you elaborate on this point please? Which aviators and/or NFO are most
likely to get "left on the table" and why? For those that do *not*
transition to the Hornet community, what are their options?

1.) Folks with insufficient retainability to justify re-qual expense
2.) Individuals of high seniority who will transition to staff
positions
3.) Those with marginal or less-than-outstanding performance reports
who seem likely to fail for promotion
4.) Crew-members with established separation dates.
5.) Individuals who opt out.

Nothing is guaranteed working for any large company.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

i'm not sure that the aim-54 has seen too many upgrades over its life,
and tend to think it is an overrated weapon.
i bet the long range phoenix shots would be a pretty easy kinematic
defeat by a knowledgeable bandit.

On 3/25/06 3:59 PM, in article ,
"Ed Rasimus" wrote:

On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 14:44:44 -0500, (Paul Michael Brown)
wrote:

Most F-14 squadrons are getting full transitions from Tomcat to F/A-18E/F.
Of course, some aviators are always left on the table during the transition.

Can you elaborate on this point please? Which aviators and/or NFO are most
likely to get "left on the table" and why? For those that do *not*
transition to the Hornet community, what are their options?

1.) Folks with insufficient retainability to justify re-qual expense
2.) Individuals of high seniority who will transition to staff
positions
3.) Those with marginal or less-than-outstanding performance reports
who seem likely to fail for promotion
4.) Crew-members with established separation dates.
5.) Individuals who opt out.

Nothing is guaranteed working for any large company.



That just about covers it, Ed. Good post. The advantage that the Tomcat
has is that the community is replacing aircraft squadron for squadron. That
having been said, some squadrons have transitioned to E's which has caused
them to leave some NFO's behind.

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

Doug "Woody" and Erin Beal wrote:

[...]
Most F-14 squadrons are getting full transitions from Tomcat to F/A-18E/F.
Of course, some aviators are always left on the table during the transition.

But is it so simple now, in the times of Fleet Response Plan?

Actually, the F/A-18E/F FRSes (VFA-122 or VFA-106) get the first Super
Hornets with markings of those new squadrons (VF becoming VFA) some
weeks before the squadron is back from their last F-14 deployment.
Right, those birds are formally assigned to the FRS then. But later on,
when the cruise ends, the squadron has to remain in readiness for any
surge deployments for some time.

For example, when VF-11 and VF-143 returned from ther last Tomcat
deployment, F/A-18E/Fs with VFA-11 or VFA-143 markings were already
flying, but F-14Bs were still seen at Oceana, as the "surge deployment
readiness" asset.

So, sorry, but this is still unclear to me - which were the real
squadron staffs - these still flying Tomcats, or those already
transitioning to Rhinos? I guess the latter was finally replacing the
former, so indeed, not all aviators were transitioning...

Kind regards,
Jacek

wrote:
Doug "Woody" and Erin Beal wrote:

[...]
Most F-14 squadrons are getting full transitions from Tomcat to F/A-18E/F.
Of course, some aviators are always left on the table during the transition.

But is it so simple now, in the times of Fleet Response Plan?

There are only two left now, VF-31 and 213, and as been reported, one
will transition immediately, one later; guess which one has the
"immediate duty" as part of FRP? The latter squadron.

Keep in mind that at transition, it isn't going to be all the same
aircrews reporting back to the newly designated VFA in any event.

MW