Image source: topwar.ru
In the United States, large-scale exercises Gray Flag 2024 took place in southern California. For the first time, they took pictures of the F/A-18F Super Hornet carrier-based fighter with a large number of missiles on board, including the latest AIM-174.
This is reported by Howard Altman, a columnist for the American magazine The War Zone.
The footage shows a combat aircraft with a full combat load. It includes four of the latest AIM-174B air-to-air missiles, three AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range missiles and two AIM-9X Sidewinders missiles for close combat. There is also an IRST infrared search and tracking system and an ATFLIR thermal imaging guidance system.
Image source: topwar.ru
According to experts, such a heavy load in most situations cannot be used for operations on board a ship due to restrictions on the weight of the aircraft when landing on deck, but it can be extremely useful for ground missions.
In the footage, the Super Hornet is accompanied by an F-35C, also belonging to the Navy, and an F-15E fighter representing the American Air Force. F/A-18, loaded with missiles and equipment, is part of the 9th VX-9 Test and Evaluation Squadron.
Image source: topwar.ru
In addition to the US Air Force and Navy, units of the Marine Corps, the US Army, as well as unnamed allies participated in the exercises. The event was held at the Point Mugu Military Base in California.
The AIM-174B is a version of the SM-6 anti-aircraft missile launched from an aerial platform. Altman believes that these weapons will play a key role for the US Navy in future air battles, especially in the event of a full-scale armed conflict with China in the Pacific region.
