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F-15C antenna/bulge above nose


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Looking at a series of photos of some Lakenheath F-15C's, I noticed a small bulge above the rear of the radome. It looks too small to be any sort of IRST, could it be a navigation light or gps antenna?

Pics here

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234991240-embedded-with-the-493rd-fs-new-batch-151115/page-1

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Looking at a series of photos of some Lakenheath F-15C's, I noticed a small bulge above the rear of the radome. It looks too small to be any sort of IRST, could it be a navigation light or gps antenna?

Pics here

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234991240-embedded-with-the-493rd-fs-new-batch-151115/page-1

I believe it's a rwr installed during the MSIP update sometime in the late eighties early nineties

Edited by achterkirch
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Eglin was the only ops unit that had it at that point; the rest of the C model fleet had it fitted in the early to mid-90s. It wasn't part of MSIP, but was a separate upgrade that ran in parallel with it.

Regards,

Murph

Edited by Murph
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Eglin was the only ops unit that had it at that point; the rest of the C model fleet had it fitted in the early to mid-90s. It wasn't part of MSIP, but was a separate upgrade that ran in parallel with it.

Regards,

Murph

well you learn something every day.
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radar warning receiver

there is one on the underside too

It's definitely part of the Eagle's EW gear but I didn't think it was a radar warning device. Somewhere I saw a post that described it in more detail. If I can find it, I'll provide a link.

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It's definitely part of the Eagle's EW gear but I didn't think it was a radar warning device. Somewhere I saw a post that described it in more detail. If I can find it, I'll provide a link.

That'd be great, thanks.

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These bumps represent the forward fuselage antennas of the ALQ-135 Internal Countermeasures Set which provides active radio frequency jamming against air-to-air and surface-to-air threats.

Not 100% sure about that. The F-15E has the same system and doesn't have those bumps.

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Not 100% sure about that. The F-15E has the same system and doesn't have those bumps.

The forward teardrop antennas added "Band 3" (medium to high frequencies) coverage to the F-15C's EW suite in order to counter pulse-Doppler radar threats from the forward hemisphere. And if it's a vital part of your job description to engage your pulse-Doppler radar equipped opponents head-on, it's not a bad idea to have best possible forward hemisphere coverage. In contrast, an E-model crew may have different priorities...more likely fretting about their rear hemisphere.

E-models, however, were the first to be upgraded with "Band 3 capability" and can be recognised by the chisel shaped fairing on the starboard tail boom., whereas very early "pre-Band 3" Dark Greys featured the rounded fairings on both booms.

Edited by Airfixer
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Does anyone now if the black boxes in bay 5 are of the later type ( one of them sticks out) when they have these antenna's fitted?? Or is that a later upgrade? Just asking because when looking at some detail books its obvious the boxes are different when eagles get older

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Compared with the other Bay 5 ALQ-135 LRU's, the Band 3 Control/Oscillator black box protrudes quite significantly.

Bay 5 #1

Bay 5 #2

Thx for the input

In 1/32 the black box cockpit set has this configuration, the 1/32 aires " late" cockpit set has them all in the same location/size. Looks like a simple aircraft in modeling terms but there sure are a bunch off details to get right depending on the time frame

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First signs that the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) program is underway?

I don't think so...

The F-15's legacy ALQ-135 EW suite is indeed slated to be replaced by an all-digital, state-of-the-art EW system under the EPAWSS program, and Boeing has just been selected by the USAF as prime contractor. The system itself is going to be manufactured by BAE Systems based on BAE's experiences with the F-15SA's Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS) currently in production.

The program has just entered its fiscal year 2015 pre- EMD (Engineering & Manufacturing Development) phase. System development is scheduled for FY 2016, a production contract is planned to be awarded in FY 2018.

On October 1st Boeing announced that the company has selected BAE Systems as subcontractor to develop EPAWSS.

Edited by Airfixer
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those bumps are starting to be removed, as well as the back part of the left tail top antennae. This was taken in October 2015

F-15C_860168_KBAF_20151021_KenMiddleton_9x16_web_DSC_9046.jpg

That's a very interesting picture Ken (and a great one as usual). I'm not sure what to make of it, would love to get more info. Were you told by folks in the unit that this was a new program? Otherwise, I'm wondering if this was just either an F-15 that still hadn't been upgraded (as of a few years ago, I think there were still some F-15C's around that didn't have this upgrade) or maybe it was just "demodified" prior to going to the boneyard? Can't imagine the AF / ANG is simply taking away EW gear without replacing it with something better until that new upgrade program comes on line in a few years (hopefully).

The reason I'm skeptical is that I've seen pictures of Lakenheath F-15C's as only a few weeks back that were deployed in Turkey and still had those fittings. Being that those F-15's were very much "at the tip of the spear", one would think that they would have the latest equip fit, not a non-deployed ANG aircraft. Anything is possible though, the ANG is able to fund some upgrades that the AF isn't able to partake in, maybe this is one of them.

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That's a very interesting picture Ken (and a great one as usual). I'm not sure what to make of it, would love to get more info. Were you told by folks in the unit that this was a new program? Otherwise, I'm wondering if this was just either an F-15 that still hadn't been upgraded (as of a few years ago, I think there were still some F-15C's around that didn't have this upgrade) or maybe it was just "demodified" prior to going to the boneyard? Can't imagine the AF / ANG is simply taking away EW gear without replacing it with something better until that new upgrade program comes on line in a few years (hopefully).

The reason I'm skeptical is that I've seen pictures of Lakenheath F-15C's as only a few weeks back that were deployed in Turkey and still had those fittings. Being that those F-15's were very much "at the tip of the spear", one would think that they would have the latest equip fit, not a non-deployed ANG aircraft. Anything is possible though, the ANG is able to fund some upgrades that the AF isn't able to partake in, maybe this is one of them.

thanks 11bee - I just looked back at other pics of 168, and they were gone in January 2015

F-15C_860168_KBAF_20150110_KenMiddleton_9x16_web_DSC_1189.jpg

but they were there in February 2014. 168 is still active at the 104th.

F-15C_860168_KBAF_1February2014_KenMiddleton_4x6_web_DSC_4863.jpg

78-0544 has just the top one removed, also October 2015

F-15C_780544_KBAF_20151021_KenMiddleton_9x16_web_DSC_9006.jpg

I was simply told they were being removed, and didn't get a chance to inquire why

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F-15C_780544_KBAF_20151021_KenMiddleton_9x16_web_DSC_9006.jpg

Another semi-related question - what's is the purpose of that light colored rectangular panel aft of the radome? Barely noticeable in some pics, more evident in others, including the pic above.

Edited by 11bee
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