F/A-18X Black Wasp

[saul 24]

Version 0.1 by John_Spartan and Saul

INTRODUCTION

The F/A-18X Black Wasp is a twin-engine carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft variant based on the Boing F/A-18E Advanced Super Hornet. The aircraft features many advanced technologies and systems including semi- stealth capability, conformal fuel tanks, and enclosed weapons pods.

PROLOGUE

This project started as an upgrade to our previous project the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. We wanted to rebuild the aircraft from our ported Arma 2 version and give it a look befitting of Arma 3. John and I joined in on the Make Arma not War contest to test what we can do and decided that we should push the limits even more with the F/A-18's and thus came the F/A-18X Black Wasp. We have many great ideas and features planned for this aircraft and much to do. No matter the outcome we will deliver the best addon that we can deliver to the community.

FEATURES

- Upgraded model based on the Boeing F/A-18E Advanced Super Hornet

- New first person cockpit

- Improved flight model

- New animations for many items to include landing gear and canopy

- Upgraded Service Menu including Low and High profile configurations

- 150+ possible configurations including the new EWP and GBU-39D Small Diameter Bomb

- New Bomb, the GBU-39D Small Diameter Bomb or SDB

- Master Modes for Navigation, Air to Air, Air to Ground and Dogfighting (WIP)

- Upgraded EGI (Embedded GPS/ INS) system for GPS guided ordinance

FUTURE PLANS

- Service Menu Paint Scheme upgrades using Arma 3 VAS

- Ordinance Menu upgrades using Arma 3 VAS

- Independant missile box and upgrades to increase authenticity of weapon systems

- Upgraded HUD

- Modular semi- stealth capability

SIDE PROJECT

- U.S.S. FREEDOM CVN-83 Aircraft Carrier

http://i.imgur.com/h15NJZU.jpg (137 kB)

CREDITS

ARMA 3 game engine: Bohemia Interactive

Project lead: Saul

Brand new model: Saul and John_Spartan

HD textures: Saul

GUI dialog by: John_Spartan

Config and scripts by: John_Spartan

END USER LICENCE AGREEMENT

DISCLAIMER

You are permitted to install and use this software for personal entertainment purposes only. This add-on is meant for ARMA 3 game platform by Bohemia Interactive only. Any commercial or military use is strictly forbidden without permission from the author.

This addon is released under:

Creative Commons Licence

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs

for use in ARMA 3 version 1.24

[F/A-18X, screenshots by Saul]

Make Arma Not War Entry Link

http://makearmanotwar.com/entry/mrNeujhNe8#.U-gEDfldUqd

Support Us in our Endeavor

Change Log:

v0.1 - Announcement

Edited October 11, 2014 by Saul

[John Spartan 89]

- reserved post for feature intel...

[warlord554 2065]

Awesome work once more guys

[Degman 73]

You got my vote.

[t0et0e 10]

very nice!! any way/plans to collaborate with Jdogs nimitz? these two in combination are my personal favorite mod for arma ever, but the nimmy feels neglected and unfinished. you guys are doing a top notch job with the hornet, especially with the 1.7 release to fix bootcamps "breaking everything". "we need a bigger boat!" ...well more ships :)

[x hunter33 10]

Never thought an F-18 could be even sexier than it already is o_0

I think im in love <3

---------- Post added at 02:24 ---------- Previous post was at 01:59 ----------

Do you think you could maybe change the cannon and refueling dock positions? Im thinking, since its a semi stealth aircraft, of having the cannon F-22 style, hidden away in a compartment on the left right side of the fuselage and opens when fired. The same gun could be kept, being the M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm gatling gun (same as the F-22 which means the concept makes sense).

I also thought of having the refueling dock on the left side, opposite to the gun, just like the F-15 has instead of the nose pod extending from the nose. In my opinion it would give purpose to the two protusion on either side, which look amazing btw. I dont know what would take the guns and refueling docks place in the nose, im guessing high-tech stealth Equipment, but there still is potential.

One crazy and probably inconceivable idea would be to have a gun on either side plus the nose one (3 in total) xD Wouldnt make much sense but still awesome nonetheless. I dont expect and dont need this to be realized.

Considering the small wings of the F-18, i doubt internal weapon bays are possible although a small one on either side (for AA rockets, one or two per side) of the engine air intakes would make sense for such an aircraft. I have no idea if this is even possible, like i said, theres not much space.

Anyways thats just me throwing ideas out there, tell me what you think!

[chortles 263]

Ehhh, the idea is not internal weapon bays on the Black Wasp fuselage but rather in the pod underneath the Black Wasp's fuselage -- the closest analogue I can think of relative to the A3 Super Hornet would be "imagine a quad rail adapter".

@ Saul @ John_Spartan: Congratulations on the reveal, a solid idea that builds on both your existing knowledge and the prior discussion of the Advanced Super Hornet... while leaving room for creativity. ;) Not least since of course some of the changes are essentially beyond the scope of what vanilla-except-for-this-jet Arma does, but other things aren't...

Edited August 11, 2014 by Chortles

[disco.modder 116]

damn sexy Hornet... 2 thumbs up mate! :thumbsup:

A little netpicky, but ever thought that the X designation to anything in the US Military is associated with experimental? Just thought maybe it could be changed to something other than an experimental designation of X to show its in full service in 2035 Armaverse. ;)

[leshrack 50]

This OP just made me very happy. With the lack of updates to the Nimitz i already had a modeler working on a new one just to fix the problems with the gaps. Very glad to learn someone way smarter and more experienced on modding is on the case.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Leshrack
typo...

[CyclonicTuna 87]

SIDE PROJECT

- U.S.S. FREEDOM CVN-83 Aircraft Carrier

Wow! That as a sideproject? You guys are really going all out on this one arn't you :P. Good luck! Very eager to see how this is going to turn out.

[papanowel 120]

Very impressive works guys!

[DreamRebel 73]

It looks amazing, you've got my support! :)

[mistyronin 1181]

First I have to say that I'm not fan of the pseudo sci fi that BI used to set the new A3 and the odd looks of some of the vanilla assets.

But you guys have proved that a futuristic redesign can be created with good taste, intelligence, common sense and adding outstanding new features.

I bow to you.

( BTW can't wait to know more about the new carrier )

[CyclonicTuna 87]

First I have to say that I'm not fan of the pseudo sci fi that BI used to set the new A3 and the odd looks of some of the vanilla assets.

But you guys have proved that a futuristic redesign can be created with good taste, intelligence, common sense and adding outstanding new features.

I don't understand that people keep saying this. There's really nothing Sci-Fi about Arma 3. All the vehicles and weapons in the game have real world counterparts, only they are named diffrently. And as for this:

Again not Sci-Fi, just a cooler name

BLACK WASP :p

[mistyronin 1181]

I don't understand that people keep saying this. There's really nothing Sci-Fi about Arma 3. All the vehicles and weapons in the game have real world counterparts, only they are named diffrently.

A bit off topic but... would you mind for instance, telling me what "armor" model and what RL army uses the one that CSAT soldiers wear?

Or what is the real world name of the Kajman and what army uses, and a long etc.

Of course that most of the content of the vanilla A3 is based somehow in some real stuff, but the same happens with most of the sfi-fi productions. In fact it's precisely the definition of futurism, to imagine what would happen in the future when the prototypes or potential stuff could exist as common commodities and widely spread.

And the F18 upgrade that this mod is based it is still not in service. So the fact that would be officially in an army it's still sci fi.

Edited August 11, 2014 by MistyRonin

[CyclonicTuna 87]

A bit off topic but... would you mind for instance, telling me what "armor" model and what RL army uses the one that CSAT soldiers wear?

Or what is the real world name of the Kajman and what army uses, and a long etc.

Of course that most of the content of the vanilla A3 is based somehow in some real stuff, but the same happens with most of the sfi-fi productions. In fact it's precisely the definition of futurism, to imagine what would happen in the future when the prototypes or potential stuff could exist as common commodities and widely spread.

And the F18 upgrade that this mod is based it is still not in service. So the fact that would be officially in an army it's still sci fi.

Sci-Fi is literally an acronym of Science Fiction, Fiction. Fiction means not real, made up and in a lot of cases, impossible to fabricate based on fictional design. If its a prototype that means its real which makes it Science Fact, doesn't matter if it has never seen combat or maybe even never left the drawing board. If someone has made a viable design, or concept that makes it fact.

The MI-48 is based on the Mi-28 Havoc, and based on a conceptual design of merging the Mi-24 hull, with the KA-50 rotor assembly and the cockpit of the Mi-28. But what was supposed to become that helicopter has become the Super Hind.

But you can hardly blame someone for taking creative liberties over rejected designs in my opinion. Calling a game Sience Fiction because it takes creative liberty in on or two occasions is ridiculous. That way pretty much any game or movie could be considered science fiction.

For the rest: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?132745-Is-Arma-3-authentic

Either way, this F-18, besides its name, isn't fiction.

This however is:

Edited August 11, 2014 by CyclonicTuna

[mistyronin 1181]

Sci-Fi is literally an acronym of Science Fiction, Fiction. Fiction means not real, made up and in a lot of cases, impossible to fabricate based on fictional design. If its a prototype that means its real which makes it Science Fact, doesn't matter if it has never seen combat or maybe even never left the drawing board. If someone has made a viable design, or concept that makes it fact.

Uhm... I will try to make it simple for you:

If I write a book using the actual conflict in Eastern Ukraine as a setting, and I write that the Ukrainian Army uses Mi8 ( as it's is using ) but using different events or invented characters this is fiction. As it doesn't exist, it's not reality.

If instead of mi8 I say that they are some new Comanche Rah66 helicopters and that the Pro-Russians use AK74 with ceaseless ammunition, that is already more than fiction it's pseudo sci fi, as it include technology that although existent and feasible, it's not used in that context widely.

If I make a game and the setting is 20 years in the future, by default it's futuristic, if I include technology although real and experimental at this moment, but in a wide context. Then it becomes a manual example of sci fi.

noun

noun: science fiction; noun: SF; modifier noun: science-fiction

fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.

But if even with that you don't understand, we can keep talking in PM. No point to disturb this nice fellas.

Edited August 11, 2014 by MistyRonin

[odie0351 67]

Back on topic, do you guys intend to make it so you can mount additional weapon pods on the wings or will it just be the centerline pod?

[x hunter33 10]

Ehhh, the idea is not internal weapon bays on the Black Wasp fuselage but rather in the pod underneath the Black Wasp's fuselage -- the closest analogue I can think of relative to the A3 Super Hornet would be "imagine a quad rail adapter".

@ Saul @ John_Spartan: Congratulations on the reveal, a solid idea that builds on both your existing knowledge and the prior discussion of the Advanced Super Hornet... while leaving room for creativity. ;) Not least since of course some of the changes are essentially beyond the scope of what vanilla-except-for-this-jet Arma does, but other things aren't...

Interesting, i thought it simply was a futuristic/stealthy looking fuel pod. Clever design. What do you think of the rest though?

[chortles 263]

Interesting, i thought it simply was a futuristic/stealthy looking fuel pod. Clever design. What do you think of the rest though?

The "futuristic/stealthy looking" fuel pods are up top. ;)

[x hunter33 10]

The "futuristic/stealthy looking" fuel pods are up top. ;)

Right, so the protusions i was talking about, assuming you mean the same, are actually fuel pods according to you. This obviously makes the F-22 hidden gun concept impossible. However, an F-15 style refueling dock on the left side could be possible and would actually make sense being ON the actual fuel tank :D

[odie0351 67]

Right, so the protusions i was talking about, assuming you mean the same, are actually fuel pods according to you. This obviously makes the F-22 hidden gun concept impossible. However, an F-15 style refueling dock on the left side could be possible and would actually make sense being ON the actual fuel tank :D

Except that this is meant to represent a futuristic NAVY bird thus it would still use the probe and drogue system I would imagine.

[chortles 263]

very nice!! any way/plans to collaborate with Jdogs nimitz? these two in combination are my personal favorite mod for arma ever, but the nimmy feels neglected and unfinished. you guys are doing a top notch job with the hornet, especially with the 1.7 release to fix bootcamps "breaking everything". "we need a bigger boat!" ...well more ships :)

Without actually saying "no" on the OP's behalf, I'll note that:

#1: The Nimitz (CVN 68) is a straight-up Arma 2 port, like my Khe Sanh (the fictional LHD 9).

#2: The Nimitzes end(ed) with George H. W. Bush, aka CVN 77, while the OP mentions a CVN 83... ;) Whereas with Khe Sanh, the last IRL Wasp-class was Makin Island (LHD 8).

Right, so the protusions i was talking about, assuming you mean the same, are actually fuel pods according to you. This obviously makes the F-22 hidden gun concept impossible. However, an F-15 style refueling dock on the left side could be possible and would actually make sense being ON the actual fuel tank :D

They're conformal fuel tanks; if you're used to the appearance of a F-16, then here's what a F-16I looks like with a pair of 'em, and the F/A-18X images in the OP sport them in a similar fashion. With both the CFTs and the enclosed weapons pod (EWP), the idea is supposed to be less radar cross section (RCS) compared to underwing tanks or weapons carriage, hence "semi-stealth".

[Wiki 1558]

Love it boys!

[kremator 1065]

Ooh very exciting indeed! Nice work guys.