America has put cheap 70mm rockets with laser guidance on F-15E fighters. That's certainly a nice start. I've thought bigger on this capability.
We now have a picture showing a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle down-range in the Middle East with an air-to-air loadout that includes six seven-shot 70mm rocket pods, as well as four AIM-9X and four AIM-120 missiles.
Plus the internal gun.
The rocket can go nearly 7 miles when fired from aircraft. A lot could be packed into a commercial airliner converted to an air defense aircraft, right? There could also be a smaller number of longer-range sophisticated air-to-air missiles carried.
Such a plane based on land air bases could provide protection for warships sailing close to shore where massed drones and rockets could be fired at the ships.
And they could be used as a mobile reserve to protect ground targets as well, which both Israel and Ukraine demonstrate is necessary. They'd certainly be cheaper than using fighter planes and lots of advanced missiles.
Call it A-Whacks.
I'll pause while you applaud. Really, I'm flattered. Don't. Stop. Okay, don't stop.
A large-body aircraft would be cheaper to fly than the equivalent number of fighter planes. Or, while it lasts, an A-10--linked to external sensors assets--which can carry a lot.
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NOTE: Photo from CENTCOM via the article.
