LAU-88 Question
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<p>I was wondering if any of the Military experts can answer my question. As far as I know, the F-16, only on the outboard pylons, and the A-10 carry the <span style=“color:#333333”>LAU-88 triple ejector with AGM-65 Maverick missiles. During my service in the Canadian Forces, our CF-18 was only configured with a single AGM-65 on each of the four wing pylons. In fact, the only other aircraft I remember seeing with the triple ejectors is the A-6 Intruder which used triple ejectors to drop MK-82 bombs. My question is why are only the two aforementioned aircraft aircraft equipped with the LAU-88. Also, why don’t we see the LAU-88 on the inboard pylons of the F-16? </span> </p>
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<blockquote><span style=“color:#333333”> Also, why don’t we see the LAU-88 on the inboard pylons of the F-16? </span> </blockquote><p><br />The USAF wanted 6 mavericks on 3/7 only…that is the one and only reason it was put there.<br /><br />If you could do it on 4/6 I have no idea because as far as I know nobody ever wanted triple Mavericks there thus no flight testing was probably ever done. <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /></p>
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<p>@Chuckles The LAU-88 is actually not used operationally even. Yes it was flight tested, but you never see an actual combat load with it for 6 total Mavericks on the USAF. All the pictures you see with it are either ED tail codes for the flight testing and ground static displays. It was a last ditch Fulda gap style load out <br /><br />No 4/6 LAU-88 in USAF is due to the other reason you don’t see sensor guided weapons stationed there (like a 4xAGM-88), those pylons are not wired to support them. There is a PACAF loadout that lists 4 Harms, but every weapons troop expert says it’s not a fully deployable loadout and may just be a “Tactical ferry” of weapons option.</p>
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<p>@Snake122 <br /><br />I think this explains why you don’t see them in todays inventory, they used to work.<br /><br />The LAU-88/A Triple-Rail Missile Launcher was manufactured by Hughes for use with the AGM-65 Maverick. The Maverick is fired either from single-rail LAU-117/A or triple-rail LAU-88/A launchers, and AGM-65 units, such as the A-10 and F-16, use both the LAU-88 and LAU-117 launchers.<span style=“background-color:#bbbbbb”> The newest Mavericks are not compatible with the LAU-88 – the Maverick-G only goes on certain versions of the LAU-117. While the LAU-88 can carry them, the drag index with three missiles is quite high.</span> A modified LAU-88/A is usually fitted to high-performance aircraft, offering a reduced-drag fairing (up to 60% in certain flight profiles). The F-16 aircraft has nine hardpoints for weapons and payloads, with ordnance launched from the LAU-88 launchers from Hughes, along with other similar systems.<br /></p>
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<p>@Freejack drag is certainly part of it, good point on not being able to carry newer Mavericks. Another rumor is that either the missile back blast or motor plug of the most inboard LAU-88ed Maverick can cause damage to the flaps or elevator.</p>
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<blockquote>@Freejack drag is certainly part of it, good point on not being able to carry newer Mavericks. Another rumor is that either the missile back blast or motor plug of the most inboard LAU-88ed Maverick can cause damage to the flaps or elevator.</blockquote><p><br />Hence carry on a single LAU-117/A, center rack position would sit lower than the 2 on the side of the LAU_88/A. Just thought it was interesting about why and the new Maverick would have newer avionics and a newer engine which probably gives it greater distance and more stability.</p>
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<p>The triple Maverick loadout on F-16 was in fact 100% operational, integrated and useable from the off because the USAF wanted it.<br /><br />The Maverick was seldom used in the 80s on USAF F-16s it seems…and was described as mostly a permissive environment weapon and didn’t sound that practical.<br /><br />Unless the USSR decided to storm the Gap in the middle of Summer then things get a bit tricky with a clear weather only weapon (AGM-65A/B). <br /><br />Secondly the F-4s had a WSO whereas the F-16 guy had to find it himself…imagine trying to find anything in that weather at speed and then trying to get a track. Average firing based on hundreds of HUD tapes was about 1 mile slant range in training apparently. Even if by some miracle you got a lock with an AGM-65A/B you were well in range of every gun down there. It was almost like a guided MK-82 really. <br /><br /><br />At the start of Desert storm all AGM-65s were apparently passed to A-10 squadrons but later on some squadrons used the IR AGM-65Ds on LAU-117s only. A fairly permissive environment but even here taking more than single Mavs was probably not practical. <br /><br />Keith Rosenkranz described one example on “the Highway of Death”. He located the targets using Radar GM mode and then dived through the clouds but couldn’t get a lock on (humidity). Says it took him what 6 attempts of climbing back up and diving through the clouds again! (hello fuel)<br /> <br /><br />USAF dropped LAU-88s in the early 2000s from F-16…whether they can still be used no idea.<br /><br /><br />A clue as to why some Mavericks are LAU-117 only is the weight.<br /><br />AGM-65AB = 462 lbs<br />AGM-65D = 485 lbs<br />AGM-65G = 670 lbs<br /><br />Even if you could fit 3 x Gs on a LAU-88 it is well above the rated pylon weight limits so would never happen. </p>