F-15E?

[Blaze1]

Nice, fat CBUs. :)

[DeathRaptor5]

Nice, slick CFT.

[DeathRaptor5]

[Rainmaker]

you don't see B course videos very often...

 

Now if they could just keep their arses off all those no-step areas they are on... ;)

Edited February 28, 2019 by Rainmaker

[Blaze1]

Great video, thanks for posting it DeathRaptor and thumbs up to whoever recorded it!:thumbup:

[JunMcKill]

Terrific video, thanks mate!

[RShackleford]

VSRD is the (Vertical Situation Display Replacement), which is used to display radar modes primarily. With it I think there's a change in the attack display format, from the gridded 4 x 4 air-to-air radar display to a format similar to that used in the F-22 & F-35, like a pie slice within a semi-circle. VSRD is for AESA equipped Cs and works hand in glove with ADCP II.

 

 

The -82(V)1 has a lot of new technology (new in comparison to the APG-77) so I'm not surprised it's beast of a radar. 'Load arcade mode boys!':joystick:

 

Ah, I think the VSRD is our "attack display." It is basically that that top down view pie format. You can use either that or the normal b-scope we're all used to. I don't know anyone who uses the attack display because it gives nothing useful over the b-scope unless it is on a color screen, and everyone generally reserves the center color screen for the SIT which gives far more data.

 

The 82 feels like arcade mode and it's the same thought I had the first time I flew in a jet that has one.

[DeathRaptor5]

[DeathRaptor5]

[Blaze1]

Ah, I think the VSRD is our "attack display." It is basically that that top down view pie format. You can use either that or the normal b-scope we're all used to. I don't know anyone who uses the attack display because it gives nothing useful over the b-scope unless it is on a color screen, and everyone generally reserves the center color screen for the SIT which gives far more data.

 

The 82 feels like arcade mode and it's the same thought I had the first time I flew in a jet that has one.

Yes, that's the one! I don't know about the -82(V)1 implementation, but the -63(V)3 has at least one nice feature on the RDR Attack format and that's the picture-in-picture window. Not sure how useful it is though.

 

Ahhh, so you've already played your fair share of space invaders on that radar screen.:D It must've been fun getting up to speed with the new equipment and I'd think the workload must've improved quite a bit, particularly for the GIB?

 

It's funny because it's like things are about to come full circle now. Back in the day when commercial flight sims were of much lesser fidelity than today, users longed for the day that aircraft models would incorporate 'realistic' radar modes, with all the various TWS options and other parameters. Now that we've got these features, real jets are beginning to turn up with AESA, which from an operators vantage is more akin to those sim radars from a bygone age.

[Blaze1]

The radar upgrade was doped out as “coming soon” a long time ago. Originally I think the plan was to give the E’s hand me down V1s from the C. At some point in time, in between sourcing funding, the plan changed...which is never out of the norm.

That's an interesting point you raised Rainmaker. The -63(V)1 is a better radar than the -70. The Korean's use it with their 'Ks' and it features a few air-to-ground modes in particular not present on the -70, such as GMTT for example. Cost is always an issue, but with the 'C' (some of them) being upgraded to V3 standard and the talk of retiring those airframes, you'd think the V1 which is more reliable (lower cost) than the -70 would be the way to go. Numbers may be an issue though, as in not enough V1's available yet.

[Blaze1]

[Blaze1]

This isn't a great video of it, but you get a brief glimpse of the PASS display here, as well as the FPCD and EMD, although this jet isn't fitted with the VSDR.

Edited March 3, 2019 by Blaze1

[Rainmaker]

That's an interesting point you raised Rainmaker. The -63(V)1 is a better radar than the -70. The Korean's use it with their 'Ks' and it features a few air-to-ground modes in particular not present on the -70, such as GMTT for example. Cost is always an issue, but with the 'C' (some of them) being upgraded to V3 standard and the talk of retiring those airframes, you'd think the V1 which is more reliable (lower cost) than the -70 would be the way to go. Numbers may be an issue though, as in not enough V1's available yet.

 

I would imagine the -82 is better than the both of them by a generous margin. The V1s have been around for a while now.

[KlarSnow]

First I've heard of the APG-70 not being able to do GMTT considering I used it all the time in combat and elsewhere.

 

I would strongly contest the APG-63(v)1 being a better radar.

 

The APG-70 is about as good as you can get for a mech scanned fighter radar these days.

 

The APG-82 is currently the best fighter AESA radar, it has the advantages of not having the developmental problems that the APG-63 series had as it was developed (think developed specifically as an AESA from whole cloth as opposed to implemented in parts), And the biggest aperture, power, and cooling to throw through that AESA to boot.

Edited March 5, 2019 by KlarSnow

[Blaze1]

I would imagine the -82 is better than the both of them by a generous margin. The V1s have been around for a while now.

The -82 trumps them all, but with cost always playing a significant part, if there're enough -63(V)1's remaining after the Albinos get upgraded and the plan is not to upgrade all the Es with AESA, perhaps the -63V1 may be of some benefit?

Edited March 5, 2019 by Blaze1

[Blaze1]

First I've heard of the APG-70 not being able to do GMTT considering I used it all the time in combat and elsewhere.

 

I would strongly contest the APG-63(v)1 being a better radar.

 

The APG-70 is about as good as you can get for a mech scanned fighter radar these days.

 

The APG-82 is currently the best fighter AESA radar, it has the advantages of not having the developmental problems that the APG-63 series had as it was developed (think developed specifically as an AESA from whole cloth as opposed to implemented in parts), And the biggest aperture, power, and cooling to throw through that AESA to boot.

KSnow, my info is quite stale, so perhaps the -70 has received some software updates to allow GMTT, but in the past I thought it only had GMTI, so could display indications of moving targets but couldn't actually lock-on and track them?

 

The -63(V)1 was supposed to be an upgrade over the -63 and -70, so some Albinos had their -70s replaced with the -63(V)1. I don't know why Hughes didn't designate them AN/APG-70(V)1 :dunno:, maybe some internal sequencing system they used. The 63(V)1 was the latest mechanically scanned array for the Eagle, with apparently improved maintainability, processing, software, ECCM etc. The F-15Ks fitted with the 63(V)1 seem to have some air-to-ground modes (land and sea) akin to those used on the Hornet, perhaps to help with targeting the SLAM-ER and Harpoon.

[GGTharos]

The changes in soldering process alone changed maintainability significantly.

[KlarSnow]

The apg-70 has had the ability to track a moving target with its radar since the very beginning. I’m aware of the apg-63 and it’s upgrade train and no the v1 is not as good as the 70, they never got the same set of signal processors, nor was it purpose built for those tasks like the -70.

 

Is it a good radar, yes, is it as good as it does it have all the capes of the -70. No.

 

Apg-70 also has sea search and track modes.

Edited March 5, 2019 by KlarSnow

[Blaze1]

The apg-70 has had the ability to track a moving target with its radar since the very beginning. I’m aware of the apg-63 and it’s upgrade train and no the v1 is not as good as the 70, they never got the same set of signal processors, nor was it purpose built for those tasks like the -70.

 

Is it a good radar, yes, is it as good as it does it have all the capes of the -70. No.

 

Apg-70 also has sea search and track modes.

Hmmm, that's surprising.

[GGTharos]

Not necessarily ... AN/APG-63 prioritized A2A, so maybe not that surprising. Some Cs got the 70 but obviously those are being replaced by 63V(3)s AFAIK.

 

I know it doesn't have quite as many channel selections etc (last I saw, which is ... long).

[Blaze1]

Not necessarily ... AN/APG-63 prioritized A2A, so maybe not that surprising. Some Cs got the 70 but obviously those are being replaced by 63V(3)s AFAIK.

 

I know it doesn't have quite as many channel selections etc (last I saw, which is ... long).

GG, I'm surprised because the -63(V)1 is the newer radar, so I thought that given its upgrades the US versions would be better for air-to-air and the Korean versions better for both air-to-air and air-to-ground (assuming no export downgrades). I guess I was wrong.

[jojo]

GG, I'm surprised because the -63(V)1 is the newer radar, so I thought that given its upgrades the US versions would be better for air-to-air and the Korean versions better for both air-to-air and air-to-ground (assuming no export downgrades). I guess I was wrong.

 

It seems that 63(V)1 is older (IOC 2000) than the 63(V)3 (IOC 2010). :smilewink:

 

For DCS, I will be plenty fine with APG-70 :thumbup:

[GGTharos]

V(2/3) are AESA radars. The V(1) was the last MSA iteration - we were not discussing AESA as there is no APG-70 equivalent AFAIK.

[Blaze1]