Why does the AC never mount 6 weapons pylons on the PC9's? Surely it would be cost beneficial to be able to do an extra firing run without having to return to base?
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there are six on the other PC-9's Pilatus built - two extra outboard of the four on the Irish PC-9's - which indicates that the wing is built to take the extra pylons, its just that the extra two weren't wanted in the AC contract. theres a photo on Boards which suggests the structure exists within the wing, but that it has been in effect, plated over.
if i recall correctly, the two furthest inboard pylons are the only ones plumbed for external fuel and have a rating of 250kg, the next inboard pylons are also rated at 250kg, and the outer pair are rated at 110kg.Last edited by ropebag; 2 July 2014, 20:30. Reason: oops, can't tell the difference between lb and kg...
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Guesses as to why they stuck with 4 hardpoints:
Based on what ropebag said: existing ordnance pods don't meet the load limits on the third pair
Not enough pods to go around
Penalty of extra drag for a single engined plane may not be worth the risk if the engine quit
The extra weight/drag would reduce the life of the wing
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Originally posted by pym View Post...existing ordnance pods don't meet the load limits on the third pair...
i'd lay odds on a magic mix of 'the less stuff we carry, the longer the wings last', and politics. if its got lots of pylons (ok, 6, but thats lots in an Irish political context..) it looks like an A-10. and thats bad, m'kay....
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Apart from other weapons, camera/recon pods and others would be well within the weight limits, and would allow for actually developing the useage of the platform. Are you sure ropebag that the contract specifically said "we don't want the full capability of what we're buying"? Cos in effect that's what it would amount to, and would be a disgrace!
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Originally posted by Tempest View Post...Are you sure ropebag...
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For a start, They are training aircraft! I haven't heard any reports of a requirement to carry more ordinance, what would be the point?
The drag penalty would be significant and the weapons are only used to demonstrate a nascent capability, they aren't going to deploy anywhere.
The current fit of HMG and Rockets seams sufficient for the aircraft's role.
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Yeah, gwad save us, imagine the Air Corps(e) been given any military capability whatsoever ."We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey"
Radio transmission, siege of Jadotville DR Congo. September 1961.
Illegitimi non carborundum
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Claudel, presumably the outer pylons could have been configured for whatever the AC wanted to put on them (within weight limits), such as machine guns, recon pods, bombs, fuel tanks etc? I have seen photos of PC9s with a variety of things on the outer pylons, so this could be done? So we are only using 66% of their carrying capability?
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Originally posted by Turkey View PostYeah, gwad save us, imagine the Air Corps(e) been given any military capability whatsoever .
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Originally posted by Charlie252 View Post...current roles...current fit...
that should, imo, not mean that the current roles should be set in stone - it seems to me that using PC-9M's purely for training when you have no other CAS/ISTAR roled aircraft is somewhat akin to buying an AH-64 and then using it to take pictures of floods, or buying a Type 45 for and using it for fisheries protection.
Ireland has a very signifiant capability gap when operating in a Chad-esque role/environment. PC-9M could, with a few bolt-ons, make a significant dent in that capability gap. its seems utterly perverse to have an asset like PC-9M which is almost there in capability terms and then not give it the kick others have done to produce a viable ISTAR/CAS/Overwatch asset. particularly when the alternative is to have diddly-squat.
give it an EO turret, a IR DAS, a pair of tanks and two rocket packs and you have a viable overwatch/ISTAR capability - give it Hellfire or Paveway and a reece pod and you've got a lot more.
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Originally posted by ropebag View Postthats the crux - infact there is, imv, a very good argument that for the currrent roles the type and number of airframes is ridiculous overkill.
that should, imo, not mean that the current roles should be set in stone - it seems to me that using PC-9M's purely for training when you have no other CAS/ISTAR roled aircraft is somewhat akin to buying an AH-64 and then using it to take pictures of floods, or buying a Type 45 for and using it for fisheries protection.
Ireland has a very signifiant capability gap when operating in a Chad-esque role/environment. PC-9M could, with a few bolt-ons, make a significant dent in that capability gap. its seems utterly perverse to have an asset like PC-9M which is almost there in capability terms and then not give it the kick others have done to produce a viable ISTAR/CAS/Overwatch asset. particularly when the alternative is to have diddly-squat.
give it an EO turret, a IR DAS, a pair of tanks and two rocket packs and you have a viable overwatch/ISTAR capability - give it Hellfire or Paveway and a reece pod and you've got a lot more.
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