Sequoia Posted February 13, 2023 Share Posted February 13, 2023 I've been looking into this and so far, here are all the aircraft types I've identified that the RAF could have had in North Germany for ground support. Of course, I'd be happy to be corrected. F4 Phantom Sepecat Jaguar Hawker Hunter Blackburn Buccaneer BAE Hawk Hawker Siddeley Harrier 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted February 13, 2023 Share Posted February 13, 2023 The Fleet Air Arm also had variety. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HerrTom Posted February 13, 2023 Share Posted February 13, 2023 The Tornado GR1 (IDS) would also be in service in the early 80s. Would be cool to get a one-and-done air strike option too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Field Oggy Posted February 14, 2023 Share Posted February 14, 2023 The time period is a bit to late for the Hawker Hunter, and the BAE Hawk would have been only used for UK home defence. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amedeo Posted February 14, 2023 Share Posted February 14, 2023 I guess that on the typical CMCW battlefield one would see only Jaguars and Harriers. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jace11 Posted March 7, 2023 Share Posted March 7, 2023 Tornado IDS, means interdictor strike, designed for deep strike, at low level. In the balance of things, it would not be used as close support, too Good at other things... More likely getting shot down over East German airfields, bridges, high value targets many miles behind the frontline. Harrier, absolutely 100%, the prime CAS platform, operating from makeshift airfields, autobahns etc near the frontline. Phantom, Jaguar, don’t know… maybe for both, there will be plenty of written sources on their mission profiles. Hawk and Hunter no, for reasons others have said. What about helos? Gazelles? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halmbarte Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 In general, my take on a cold war gone hot situation is that airplanes that depend on functioning airfields would become very scarce very quickly. 1) I'd expect airbases to be heavily targeted by deep strikes by aircraft & by short range ballistic missiles targeting infrastructure. It doesn't matter how good the F15 is compared to the Mig 21 if all the bases fuel is burning out and the runway is cratered. 2) I'd also expect attrition to be very high on both sides. NATO AA air sorties would down a lot of WP planes & helos and WP SAM coverage & AAA was no joke. I think the combination of 1 & 2 would make CAS a pretty scarce asset to actually have access to for both sides. H 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawomi Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Highway strips must at least be taken into account in the calculation. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notlandeplatz_auf_Straße 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 22 minutes ago, sawomi said: Highway strips must at least be taken into account in the calculation. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notlandeplatz_auf_Straße German autobahns (interstate highways) had quite a few places with an easily removable mid strip and parking lots big enough for jets. E.g. A7 between Hamburg and Flensburg. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawomi Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 (edited) That's why I linked to the German wikipedia page. It has a map: Edited March 17, 2023 by sawomi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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