General Dynamics Model 100 / Cold Pigeon / Sneaky Pete / HAVE KEY

[joewee]

Les Aspin said at the last supper, "though shalt gobble up thy neighbors". Hows that for a factor?

Absolutely true, but the Last Supper was in July 1993. The purchase of GD-FW by Lockheed was completed March 1993. Early consideration began in mid-1992.

Another factoid: Northrop was the initial suitor of GD-FW.

 

[joewee]

That idea that HAVE KEY "threatened" the ATF (in 1983) is strange considering that HAVE KEY was the foundation of GD's ATF designs until mid 1985.

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While the SLO/Missileer concept was one of the early ATF configurations considered (Battlecruiser, Bushwacker, SCM/SDM and Missileer) it was also one of the ones most rapdily removed.

Again, this is not correct. GD developed three configurations in parallel until 1985. Conventional, all-wing, and "semi tailless". The all-wing configuration evolved from HAVE KEY.

If you examine the row of all-wing configurations in the graphic above, you'll see how the evolution of the initial SLO/Marshmallow candidate (which we believe had been flight demonstrated under Have Key) reflects GD's painful effort to improve fineness ratio and thus provide the ability to supercruise.

The Sneaky Pete/VX-11/Cold Pidgeon starting point has such a low fineness ratio that supercruise (flight above Mach 1 without an afterburner) is impossible. The USAF was not going to budge on the Mach 1.5 minimum supercruise requirement, even as they tightened RF signature requirements. GD's elegantly simple 'three banger' planform eventually becomes unrecognizible.

Takeaway: Sneaky Pete with an afterburner makes it supersonic capable. Sneaky Pete in level flight at max dry power would be limited to about Mach 0.95. You can't make Sneaky Pete supercruise.

 

[joewee]

[Dear LEG] This is also incorrect. The A-12 requirements dictated it carry self-defense AAMs and HARMs in most configurations. And in a "Fighter Escort" configuration it would carry 2 AIM-9 and 10 AIM-120. It was a "multirole" fighter. This is well documented in the very book you have been quoting.

Accuse me of piling on if you'd like...
Attached is the actual A-12A inboard profile drawing as of the start of the Full Scale Development contract.
Notice the weapon bays contain: (2) AIM-9L or -9M Sidewinders; (2) AGM-88B HARMs; and (2) AGM-84E SLAMs or -84D Harpoons. The main bays were also sized to each carry the ill-fated AGM-137 TSSAM along with (2) Sidewinders in the side bays for self-protection. I'm sure you could've shoe-horned in lots of AMRAAMS, especially the clipped-wing AIM-120C.