Rebirth of the 1980s: The Military Industry Empire

"Recently, our air force has had one piece of good news after another!" In the cafeteria of the Flight Test Institute, Old Lin held up his wine glass: "Our early warning aircraft has been assembled and started its test flight, and our aerial refueling aircraft has also successfully completed its test flight. Our air force finally has the ability to join the world's first-class level!"

"Yes, all of this is inseparable from President Qin's support. Without President Qin, we wouldn't have our Y-10." Old Ma was very excited: "President Qin, I must toast you!"

"I just said a few words. The real contributors are our front-line researchers and our brave test pilots. Come, let us raise our glasses together to celebrate our achievements these days!"

Everyone raised their glasses, while Jalil raised his drink and finished it in one gulp. After drinking, Jalil said: "President Qin, the integration of our Hawk surface-to-air missile is progressing very smoothly. We don't have to worry about running out of Phoenix missiles anymore!"

"Integrated?" Qin Yang was also very surprised. He had proposed this project, but he was only responsible for proposing these projects and not for the research and development.

The integration of this missile not only means that Iran has a replacement for the Phoenix missile, but we can also use this missile!

"Yes, it's integrated." Zhang Yue said from the side: "After obtaining samples of the Phoenix and Hawk missiles, we disassembled them for detailed research and also improved the fire control radar's source code. Now we can integrate the Hawk missile onto the Tomcat fighter jet."

"Was the seeker not replaced?" Qin Yang asked.

The two missiles are similar in appearance, but that's just the appearance. Apart from the different lengths, the missile guidance methods are also different, so it's not easy to replace the Phoenix with the Hawk.

"No, we can use the AWG-9 radar to guide the Hawk missile by modifying the fire control system's source code. However, because it can't fly a high-trajectory, the range will be reduced to one hundred kilometers."

The Phoenix missile has a maximum range of one hundred and twenty kilometers, but this range is a bit of a trick. Specifically, when the Phoenix missile is launched from the carrier aircraft, it will not fly directly to the target, but will climb to increase altitude.

The early Phoenix would fly to a height of 24,000 meters, and later even reached more than 26,000 meters. The higher the altitude, the smaller the air resistance, and the farther the missile will naturally fly.

However, there is a prerequisite for wanting to play like this: the seeker needs an active radar guidance.

After the missile is launched, it flies by inertia. When it reaches a place about 20 kilometers away from the target, it will turn on its own radar, search the airspace in front, find the pre-locked target, and then launch an attack.

The data of 20 kilometers is the result of being limited by the size of the seeker and unable to obtain higher power. The active radar air-to-air missiles of later generations are also at this level.

Since the carrier aircraft's help is not needed throughout the entire process, this missile belongs to the "fire-and-forget" type. When attacking targets within 50 kilometers, it will fly directly over. If the distance is farther, it will fly a high-trajectory.

However, the Hawk missile uses a semi-active radar, like the Sparrow missile. After launching, the carrier aircraft must continuously emit radar waves towards the target, irradiating the target. The reflected echo enters the missile's seeker, and the missile can lock onto the target.

In this case, the missile must fly between the rear carrier aircraft and the front target. If it also flies a high-trajectory, it will lose the target in minutes.

The Hawk missile is guided by a semi-active radar. After modifying the fire control code of the Tomcat fighter, it can also be mounted on the Tomcat fighter for launch, but it cannot fly a high-trajectory, and the range is reduced.

However, the Hawk missile is more than one meter longer than the Phoenix, has more rocket fuel, and has the carrier aircraft providing the initial speed and altitude when launched in the air, so the range has not decreased too much, one hundred kilometers!

Old Lin was overjoyed: "Great, that is to say, our air force will also have an interception capability of one hundred kilometers in the future!"

Just think, a few years ago, the air force had to rely on machine guns to intercept targets. Now the air force actually has an interception missile with a range of one hundred kilometers! Even if it is limited by various factors and can only be launched at a distance of fifty kilometers, that is quite awesome!

Those medium-range air-to-air missiles with a range of forty or fifty kilometers can actually only be launched at a distance of about twenty kilometers when used.

"That's right, we can also imitate this missile, but we believe that this is just a temporary substitute after all. We still have to reverse engineer the Phoenix, which is more suitable." Zhang Yue said.

Mounting the Hawk on the Tomcat can solve Iran's urgent needs, but there are still many problems.

The range is secondary. After all, one hundred kilometers and one hundred and twenty kilometers are not too different. The main problem is the mounting.

This is not just a question of what trajectory to fly. After the missile with an active radar seeker is launched, the fighter can fly away directly, while the semi-active radar still has to continuously illuminate, and this time is very dangerous.

It is used for the time being now, but it still has to be produced separately in the future.

"Of course." Qin Yang nodded: "As long as you provide the funding, we can start the reverse engineering work. After the reverse engineering is completed, you can also establish a production line in your own country."

"Really? That's great!" Jalil was very excited.

"We are true friends, and of course we hope that your powerful Tomcat fleet can recover." Qin Yang said.

Although the Phoenix missile has a range of more than one hundred kilometers and is guided by an active radar, it is already outdated. The maneuverability of this missile is very poor and can only intercept bombers. It will soon be eliminated. There is no problem in exporting the production technology of this missile, and it can also make a profit. Why not?

Old Lin did not stop him. The entire project was pulled up by Qin Yang alone, and whatever Qin Yang said was what it was.

Long-range imitation version of the Hawk, medium-range from Italian Aspide technology, short-range is the Israeli Python-3, our J-11 fighter will also become a fighter armed to the teeth.

Thinking of that beautiful future, Old Lin felt that he could wake up laughing in his dreams.