Why didn't more aircraft carry a system like the TCS?

[Gorn557]

I always find this very useful for situational awareness compared to other modules. Was it not as effective as suggested in-game? Are modern IRSTs effectively as good? Has AWACS become so accurate and pivotal that it's no longer thought modern aircraft would ever close to this range in a combat situation?

[Dragon1-1]

Modern aircraft have TGPs, which you can use in the same way when in AA mode. The Phantom had TISEO, which was kind of similar, and was the predecessor to TCS. VID definitely did not stop being an important thing with the F-14, but it was also realized that a camera system could do much more than that, hence the various TGPs. For a while, this meant they were podded rather than built in, but the F-22 and F-35 returned to integrated cameras, now with full TGP functionality.

[speed-of-heat]

Isn't the functionality the same as with a targeting pod on the hornet/viper in AA mode?

[AH_Solid_Snake]

It was quickly superseded by NCTR. If there had been a shooting war between 1975-1990 you can be sure the TCS would have found its use as during that period to meet the VID criteria the USAF F15s were mounting rifle scopes to their HUD to convince themselves they’d get that ID remotely close to TCS ranges.

By 1991 the APG-63 had NCTR which works from greater distances and at night and removes operator recognition problems from the loop. USAF successfully got the ROE updated such that NCTR was an acceptable element in the matrix, and the rest is history.

[Dragon1-1]

NCTR is good but it doesn't always work, I wouldn't say it was really superseded, although USAF might have thought so. On the APG-63, it works by looking at return from the target's engine fan blades. Works great at head-on aspect, otherwise, not so much. If you're coming up on the target's tail or otherwise trying to sneak up on it, NCTR won't help you. Plus, you have to go STT for it to work, search mode is not enough. Finally, it's completely useless if the target is not in the database. This is why the TGP is often carried on AA missions. It allows VID without the limitations of NCTR, at greater ranges than TCS.

[Q3ark]

8 hours ago, AH_Solid_Snake said:

USAF F15s were mounting rifle scopes to their HUD to convince themselves they’d get that ID remotely close to TCS ranges.

This is absolutely mental, are there any pictures of this? There’s no way this would have been practical. 

[Wingmate]

34 minutes ago, Q3ark said:

This is absolutely mental, are there any pictures of this? There’s no way this would have been practical. 

 here you are

[Q3ark]

4 minutes ago, Wingmate said:

 here you are

Thank you!!
 

that is absolutely insane, I wonder who was responsible for that gem of an idea 

[cheezit]

4 hours ago, Q3ark said:

Thank you!!
 

that is absolutely insane, I wonder who was responsible for that gem of an idea 

There are a number of written accounts that suggest it was cooked up during AIMVAL/ACEVAL.  Lots of squirrely stuff seems to have happened there.

[WarthogOsl]

8 hours ago, Wingmate said:

 here you are

I was gonna say, I have some books (USAFE and Red Flag) that show a variety of F-15's in the 80's with scopes mounted.  And then I realized that your photo is credited to George Hall, who was the photographer on both those books!

[LanceCriminal86]

*cough*