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View Full Version : USAF's "Rapid Dragon" cruise missile capability


Slater
11-11-22, 07:19
It's cool that this seems to work, but is this really a Special Ops mission?

"The U.S. Air Force has for the first time in an overseas test used its Rapid Dragon system, in which cruise missiles on pallets are launched from the back of a mobility aircraft.

An MC-130J Commando II from the 352nd Special Operations Wing launched a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range cruise missile using the system nicknamed “bomb bay in a box” in a range over the Norwegian Sea on Wednesday, the Air Force Research Laboratory said."

https://www.airforcetimes.com/air/2022/11/10/watch-this-us-air-force-cargo-plane-launch-a-cruise-missile-in-norway/
mack7.62
11-11-22, 12:56
It's cool that this seems to work, but is this really a Special Ops mission?

https://www.airforcetimes.com/air/2022/11/10/watch-this-us-air-force-cargo-plane-launch-a-cruise-missile-in-norway/

Yes Special Ops needs this if you don't have fighters but have C-130's and want to air launch cruise missile's and hit targets 575 miles away.
FromMyColdDeadHand
11-11-22, 17:17
OK. Seems very James Bond. It seems the trend is to get as many missiles in the air as fast as you can? From this to the 'Murder Hornet' festooned with AMRAAMs.
mack7.62
11-11-22, 17:33
What I'm thinking if going up against a peer/near peer adversary you might need all your fighters configured for air to air, throwing cruise missiles out the back of C-130's would free them up for that. I wonder how many a 130 can carry, also love the code name, "Rapid Dragon" sounds like it's aimed at the Chinese.
Slater
11-11-22, 17:43
The C-17 can also be configured to carry this system. It can carry 5 packs of 9 missiles each.
SteyrAUG
11-11-22, 21:39
What I'm thinking if going up against a peer/near peer adversary you might need all your fighters configured for air to air, throwing cruise missiles out the back of C-130's would free them up for that. I wonder how many a 130 can carry, also love the code name, "Rapid Dragon" sounds like it's aimed at the Chinese.

Yep, it's pretty out of the box thinking. I also think it's impressive that a 1954 design aircraft is still such a core component to our military, the C-130 is the M2 of aircraft. We have designs from the 70s that are no longer in service.
Todd00000
11-12-22, 20:00
I've always wondered why they never made this.
https://widebody.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-boeing-747-as-cruise-missile-carrier.html
SteyrAUG
11-12-22, 20:27
I've always wondered why they never made this.
https://widebody.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-boeing-747-as-cruise-missile-carrier.html

Risk of civilian aircraft being confused with military aircraft during times of war?
Slater
11-12-22, 20:38
When the B-1B was approved for production the need for the 747-based solution went away, even though the 747 could carry more missiles.
FromMyColdDeadHand
11-12-22, 21:04
Lots of 747s out there in bone yards. Most major carriers have moved away from them.