I do think what you say about Singapore fitting with Israel makes sense, but we still have so much domestic stuff left to add before we need a Subtree.
Our problem is not like Japan where we are running low on options, our problem is the snail only gives us Magach’s when tons of unique options exist lol.
could you name some, just for clarity? i know nothing about Israeli military equipment
This is great stuff, thanks! @WreckingAres283 @Fireraid233 @MAUSWAFFE Pinging y’all in case you wanted to take a look too, if not already.
The FS-X radar program is significant in that it may be the first program to develop an operational acute phased array radar (APAR) for airborne fire control.
The FS-X radar will probably be developed several years sooner and at a much lower cost than the F-22 radar.
As per our discussion @quartas121 , seems like Japan was ahead, though this is in comparison to the F-22. If I remember correctly, the F-15’s APG-63(V)2 was in development and operational earlier?
The operating ranges of the FS-X EM radar are several times worse than the APG-68 in track-while-scan
and range-while-scan modes. FS-X imaging resolution specs were also several times worse than the APG-68 and APG-70.
I think this is referring to the prototype J/APG-1 which did not use all of its T/R modules but it checks out.
Also interesting tidbits:
Development timelines indicate that MELCO had completed the development of five APAR prototypes successively from 1967 to 1975.
Japan had commenced flight testing of an X-band APAR system prototype as early as 1986, four years before the first US. flight tests of the ATF Dem/Val radar.
While the FS-X radar performs at a lower level than front-line US. systems such as the F-15 along several measures, the FS-X radar still represents a significant achievement as the world’s first APAR operational in a tactical fighter.
Woah, did not notice this. another thing i read was that the US progress into AESA, specifically in the ATF Dem/Val made upgrading existing radars to AESA standard feasible to the USA. US flight tests of the ATF Dem/Val means that F-15 AN/APG-63(V)2 was likely used as a testbed for upgrading other fighter radars instead of the precursor to the F-22’s radar i thought it was.
By the way, ATF Dem/Val radar was the precursor to the F-22’s AN/APG-77, the ATF stands for Advanced Tactical Fighter which was the name of the F-22 program. It appears that it predates all other US AESA fighter radars to fly, as 1986+4 is 1990 or 1991 depending on the month. though the document did seem to mention earlier development of US AESA radar technology for fighters which was held back by production costs and manufacturing issues. There may have been earlier flight tests with much much simpler radars but there is no concrete proof.
Crazy how we all found out about this literally today lol, glad i stumbled upon that document it clears up a lot and answers quite a few questions
Yea, I’m curious what the development timeline of the AN/APG-63(V)2 was and match it up with the FS-X program.
i honestly have no idea, i tried to look for some information on it for a little while, but couldnt really find any concrete data on dates or the program, which is why the document i found makes me think it was some split off small project of the ATF radar.
It shows that FS-X is older than ATF prototype, and it makes sense that the v2 would come into service much quicker since it was probably riding off developments from ATF program and any transfers in manufacturing tech from Japan. It is, after all, a regular F-15 radar with a new antenna and cooling system, with probably upgraded computers to actually run the radar. It is much more rudimentary than other AESA since it added a lot of weight, which was resolved with the later v3. This also further leads me to think the v2 was more of a testbed for future AESA on operational US fighters like F-16, F-18, and F-15, compounded with how just one squadron had them i am fairly confident in my theory.
Summarized, i think the v2 was a more recent development than the FS-X by a solid margin, and that it was a testbed for upgrading other US aircraft radars in the future rather than actually becoming a full scale operational radar.
Makes sense to me.
I know there was some debate to whether the J/APG-1 or the APG-63(V)2 equipped on their respective fighters was the world’s first AESA production fighter. However it seems when it comes from scratch to production, that title still goes to the F-2.
oh, and about the previous discussion we had about technology transfer. the whole document is about why the US SHOULD get radar tech transfer, and though the document says there was visits by DoD officials in 1990 and 1991, and some papers were transfered around the same time. However, this is either around the same time or after the ATF Dem/Val test flights which means there was more parallel development than either of us thought for fighter radars, though
The USAF, after a one-year negotiation with Japan, had received five
sample T/R modules from a MELCO production run of the FS-X flight model
(FM) radar in October 1993.
This, with the papers mentioned, means there was undoubtedly transfer of technology from japan to USA.
That also tracks as well.
F/A-18A+ it might next pre-order pack rank 8 after F-20A ? really ?
Gaijin could add F/A-18C with AN/APG-79(V)4 AESA radar instead AN/APG-73 RUG II radar and advanced equipments
Don’t count on it lol
this means YF-23 and YF-22 have better chances of coming into the game. if more data comes out about whether or not the yf23 ever mounted the radar or if any specs about the dem/val radar comes out, yf23 with GE engines (Mach 1.72 supercruise tested) and aim9, aim 7, and aim 120 (never mounted but the weapons bay was made to accomodate them) and MAYBE M61 (never mounted, would require more significant changes which is why im on the fence about that part) would be such a cool plane to have.
fingers crossed for PW engine prototype as an event vehicle and GE one as sqaudron or tech tree
Honestly anything is possible lol.
nothing anyone has really rivals a CVN though, they are on their own level and unless gaijin limits it to smaller carriers, LHA, and amphibious assault carriers like USS Wasp and USS America (which would be super lame) CVN will have the most jets, hardest to sink, and superior onboard weapons
Unless they change the maps and spawns (they won’t) CVs are going to spawn well within AA range lol
Their airwings are just gonna get spawnkilled and CVs are gonna be flattened by gunfire
actually DOA lmao
there is still EC though
Dev blogs this upcoming week?
Ofekk213 made this interactive Concept Tree. (You can click on all the stuff to see images / info about them).
There’s enough domestic content to fill five full lines. So Subtree should be last resort many many years from now.
Or the week after.
Nah, should have been last week :P
(was thinking leak lists not devblogs)