Difference between revisions of "Super Etendard"
m (→Pros and cons) (Tag: Visual edit) |
(Updates Pros and cons.) (Tag: Visual edit) |
||
| Line 237: | Line 237: | ||
* Lots of flares | * Lots of flares | ||
* Easy to flare missiles due to lack of afterburner | * Easy to flare missiles due to lack of afterburner | ||
| − | * Forgivable airframe. It can be thrown into a lot of situations and still come out on top even against more manoeuvrable targets | + | * Forgivable airframe. It can be thrown into a lot of situations and still come out on top even against more manoeuvrable targets. |
| − | * Can use countermeasures, AAMs, and | + | * Access to the famous Magic 1 missiles. |
| − | * Modern Avionics | + | * Can use countermeasures, AAMs, and guided bombs at the same time. |
| + | * Access to ATLIS II targeting pod. | ||
| + | * Modern Avionics | ||
| + | ** Fully digital RWR with IFF, target name, and launch detection. | ||
| + | ** Gets access to a modern HUD that makes targeting in first person view a lot easier | ||
| + | *Can reach supersonic speeds in a dive and at medium and above altitudes. | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * Lack of afterburner, making it a | + | * Lack of afterburner, making it a transonic plane in most situations. |
* Slightly unstable airframe due to flight model, making it wobbly in certain manoeuvres. | * Slightly unstable airframe due to flight model, making it wobbly in certain manoeuvres. | ||
| − | |||
== History == | == History == | ||
Latest revision as of 02:50, 13 March 2024
| This page is about the French strike aircraft Super Etendard. For the other version, see Etendard IVM. |
Contents
Description
After the navalized version of the SEPECAT Jaguar was cancelled, France was left with a dire need for an aircraft to replace their aging fleet of Etendard IVMs for carrier operations. There were several import proposals at first, including A-4 and A-7 aircraft from the USA, but ultimately, it was decided instead to use an indigenous modernization of the Etendard, dubbed the Super Etendard. The primary upgrades were to the avionics, which would come from modern Dassault aircraft and were already proven on platforms like the late Mirage IIIs and the early Mirage 2000s. The Super Etendard's primary upgrades were a new engine, and new targeting systems allowing it to use new anti-ship and laser-guided ordnance.
The Super Etendard (SEM), introduced in Update "Sons of Attila", is a competitive aircraft with good air-to-air and air-to-ground capability for its battle rating. The dogfighting performance is no slouch, due to the powerful engine which allows the aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds without an afterburner at certain altitudes, and it is further complemented by the abundant countermeasures and R.550 Magic 1 air-to-air missiles which are also very good for this battle rating. In mixed battles, the Super Etendard really begins to shine: The aircraft not only carries up to four GBU-12 Paveway laser guided bombs and the ATLIS II targeting pod, allowing the Super Etendard to rain hell on tanks in ground battles, but it also gets an air-to-surface radar, allowing it to detect ground vehicles from far away in the right circumstances. The Super Etendard overall is a great stepping stone towards the later French fighter-bombers such as the Jaguar A and the Mirage 2000D.
General info
Flight performance
The Super Étendard is quite a manoeuvrable plane. It features good manoeuvring energy retention even at high speeds, it does not compress easily, and due to its new engine compared to the original Étendard IVM, it has a much higher thrust-to-weight ratio, allowing it to climb extremely well, and making it able to reach supersonic speeds, even though it does not have an afterburner. Overall a fun plane to fly, although it may feel quite unstable during certain manoeuvres.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 1,358 | 1,344 | 13000 | 33.0 | 34.0 | 80.4 | 72.6 | 800 |
| Upgraded | 1,406 | 1,380 | 31.3 | 32.0 | 115.8 | 97.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1,263 | 426 | 1,263 | 389 | 389 | ~11 | ~4 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 920 | < 750 | < 600 | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| SNECMA Atar 8K-50 | 1 | 6,711 kg | 329 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 10m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 33m fuel | ||
| 1,150 kg | Axial-flow turbojet | 7,496 kg | 8,271 kg | 9,050 kg | 9,329 kg | 11,769 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 10m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 33m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 4,950 kgf | - | 0.66 | 0.60 | 0.55 | 0.53 | 0.42 |
| Optimal | 5,841 kgf (1,200 km/h) |
- | 0.78 | 0.71 | 0.65 | 0.63 | 0.49 |
Survivability and armour
The Super Étendard relies heavily on the pilots positioning and defensive flying capability to survive. Its high thrust to weight ratio, good manoeuvring energy retention and the fact that it doesn't compress easily makes it quite an easy plane to fly defensively, as it can take advantage of enemies weaknesses. However due to its flight model, it does not like to lose energy or rather speed, which means that making an enemy overshoot is quite harder to achieve than with a delta wing.
It also features a total of 180 countermeasures. It is easy to flare off incoming missiles due to its lack of an afterburner, and high amount of countermeasures.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) |
 |
 |
|
|
Offensive armament
The Super Etendard is armed with:
- 2 x 30 mm DEFA 553 cannons, belly-mounted (125 rpg = 250 total)
Suspended armament
The Super Etendard can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 kg SAMP Type 25 200 bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 250 kg SAMP Type 25 bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 250 lb Mk 81 Snakeye bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs | 1, 2 | 1, 2 | ||||||
| 400 kg SAMP Type 21 200 bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 400 kg SAMP Type 21 bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| SNEB type 23 rockets | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | ||||
| TBA ECC rockets | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| TBA Multi-Dart 100 AB rockets | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| Matra R550 Magic 1 missiles | 1 | 1 | ||||||
| Countermeasures | 90 | 90 | ||||||
| ATLIS II targeting pod | 1 |
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
The Super Étendard features really good armament for engaging air targets as well as ground targets. It can take 180 countermeasures, 2 x R550 Magic 1 missiles, as well as 4 x guided bombs at the same time, making it extremely competitive in ground battles, as well as in air battles when used as a multirole aircraft.
Usage in battles
The Super Étendard feels like a true modern multirole fighter, but at a lower BR.
In ARB matches, it should be used with mixed or reinforced flares, and 2 x R550 Magic 1 missiles, along with 10 minutes of fuel (20 min if you are not aggressive, or if you play on a big map). This makes you the most efficient at keeping your own plane alive, while being able to get some quite easy kills. The Super Étendard is a reliable Boom and Zoom plane, but can hold its own quite well in Energy Fighting due to its high thrust-to-weight ratio.
In GRB matches, you should keep your distance, and listen well to your RWR. Once you find a target that is not moving fast or is stationary, you should get very high, drop a bomb while lasing your chosen target, and after dropping, you should keep the altitude.
You should always destroy all other air superiority fighters before engaging in close air support.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Lots of flares
- Easy to flare missiles due to lack of afterburner
- Forgivable airframe. It can be thrown into a lot of situations and still come out on top even against more manoeuvrable targets.
- Access to the famous Magic 1 missiles.
- Can use countermeasures, AAMs, and guided bombs at the same time.
- Access to ATLIS II targeting pod.
- Modern Avionics
- Fully digital RWR with IFF, target name, and launch detection.
- Gets access to a modern HUD that makes targeting in first person view a lot easier
- Can reach supersonic speeds in a dive and at medium and above altitudes.
Cons:
- Lack of afterburner, making it a transonic plane in most situations.
- Slightly unstable airframe due to flight model, making it wobbly in certain manoeuvres.
History
The Super Étendard's history began in the late 1960s when France sought a replacement for its aging Étendard IV aircraft. Dassault Aviation designed the Super Étendard, introduced in the 1970s, as a carrier-based strike fighter. It featured a compact, agile airframe, advanced avionics, and a SNECMA Atar 8K-50 turbojet engine.
In 1982, during the Falklands War, the Super Étendard gained international recognition when it successfully hit the British destroyer HMS Sheffield with an Exocet missile, showcasing its maritime strike capabilities.
Exported to nations like Iraq and Argentina, it participated in various conflicts, serving roles from anti-ship strikes to ground attacks. The aircraft underwent upgrades over time but was eventually retired by France in 2016, making way for the Rafale M.
Media
- Skins
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Dassault Aviation | |
|---|---|
| WW2* | |
| Fighters | M.B.152C1 · M.B.157 |
| Bombers | M.B.162 · M.B.174A-3 · M.B.175T |
| Jet Aircraft | |
| M.D 450 | M.D.450B Barougan · M.D.450B Ouragan |
| Mystère | M.D.452 IIA · M.D.452 IIC · Mystere IVA |
| Super Mystère | Super Mystere B2 |
| Étendard | Etendard IVM |
| Super Étendard | Super Etendard |
| Alpha Jet | Alpha Jet E** |
| Mirage | |
| Mirage III | Mirage IIIC · Mirage IIIE · Milan |
| Mirage V | Mirage 5F |
| Mirage F1 | Mirage F1C · Mirage F1C-200 · Mirage F1CT |
| Mirage 2000 | Mirage 2000-5F · Mirage 2000C-S4 · Mirage 2000C-S5 · Mirage 2000D-R1 |
| Mirage 4000 | Mirage 4000 |
| Export | |
| M.D 450 | M.D.450B Ouragan |
| Mystere | Mystere IVA |
| Super Mystère | Sambad · Sa'ar*** |
| Mirage | Shahak |
| *The company was named "Société des Avions Marcel Bloch" before being renamed in 1947 | |
| **Jointly manufactured with Dornier Flugzeugwerke | |
| ***Israeli Super Mystère refitted with new avionics and an American engine | |
| France jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | M.D.450B Ouragan · M.D.450B Barougan · M.D.452 IIA · M.D.452 IIC · Mystere IVA · Super Mystere B2 |
| ▄F-86K · ▄F-100D · ▄F-8E(FN) | |
| Mirage IIIC · Mirage IIIE · Milan · Mirage 5F · Mirage 2000C-S4 · Mirage 2000C-S5 · Mirage 2000-5F · Mirage 4000 | |
| Mirage F1C · Mirage F1C-200 · Mirage F1CT | |
| Strike aircraft | ▄F-84F · F-84F IAF · ▄F-84G-26-RE |
| Etendard IVM · Super Etendard · Alpha Jet E | |
| Jaguar A · Jaguar E · Mirage 2000D-R1 | |
| Bombers | S.O.4050 Vautour IIA · Vautour IIA IDF/AF · S.O.4050 Vautour IIB · S.O.4050 Vautour IIN · S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late) |
