I recently discovered the F-104 Starfighter was equipped with an IRST system in addition to its radar set. The sensor for this system was placed in the front corner of the windscreen and can be seen on most models. I couldn’t find pictures clear enough to confirm the sensor on the A model, however the C all the way to the S.ASA have this sensor. When the ASA’s were modernised to ASA/M standard (an upgrade program that focused primarily on reliability and maintenance modifications and refurbishment) this IRST system was removed and the aperture was covered by a filler plate. Perhaps its similar to the AN/AAA-4 put in the Phantoms and Voodoo, but finding any sources that actually have details is difficult. Allegedly the ASA might have had an upgraded Selenia system but this is hard to corroborate with any sources so I’m considering that pure speculation for now, as I can’t even find any evidence of Selenia making air-to-air IRST systems in the 80s when the ASA upgrade took place.
As I said, finding any information or technical details is extremely challenging, but if anybody has some special non-classified knowledge on the IRST systems used in the Starfighters, I thought this would be a great place to compile and discuss it those capabilities, and maybe one day submit a proper suggestion, because seeing it in game would be a nice feature, especially for the 10.0+ Starfighters.
For anyone curious, the WT model does indeed feature the aperture for IRST on all the starfighter models, but on many of them they’re simply body-coloured.
Real Images
F-104A with the aperture but what appears to be a metal block-off plate installed
F-104C with a painted-over aperture, unclear if this happened during service or after it was retired to museum
F-104G with an easily visible IRST aperture in the windscreen
F-104S.ASA/M with its sensor aperture blocked by a bolt-on plate
F-104S.ASA/M serial number 9-99 apparently lacking the hole for the IRST altogether
In-Game Images
The polished aluminum Starfighters have a unique texture in WT for their IRST sensor
The Italian F-104G, F-104S, and F-104S.ASA lack a unique IRST aperture texture
Reminder this is not currently a suggestion, just a place to discuss and potentially accumulate information on this system!
