Can we use NVG in F-4 E ?

[Somu]

Hi  A4 is  cold war era fighter and we can use NVG's in that jet i wonder if we can use NVG in Heatblur's F4-E .

Edited February 5, 2022 by Somu

[cailean_556]

The A-4 is a mod so that can't be used as a comparison -  they're not held to the same level of 'realism'. Things can be, are and may be added for 'gameplay' over 'simulation'. That being said it may also be that the A-4E, at some point in its service life, was modified to allow for NVG use so they've added the feature. That's speculation on my part.

It may be technically possible to use NVGs in the later (DMAS) F-4E - possibly - however a quick Google search shows there is material suggesting night operations in the F-4E over Vietnam were possible using 'Pave Tack', which was an early EO/FLIR targeting pod that was larger and less capable than the LITENING pod. Pave Spike was a 'day only' pod.

You have to understand that, at the time this jet was in its prime, personnel-mounted night vision systems were still very much in their infancy, though vehicle and weapon-mounted systems were maturing. I haven't read anything that doesn't specifically state that NVGs weren't used by F-4E pilots, however it doesn't specifically say they were used either - not until much, much later.

There is an article that refers to an F-4 lost while the crew were conducting night flying under NVG conditions in 2005, however that may be well outside the timeframe of the versions of the F-4E we're getting which, as I understand, are an early Vietnam-era jet and a -1980s variant with the DMAS added.

I'd go with 'No, we won't be able to use NVGs in the F-4E'. That way if it comes out and we can use NVGs, everyone's happy. If we can't, it's nothing we didn't already expect.