Old guy here...got my RIO wings at NATTC Glynco (VT-86 was commissioned as a squadron when I was there) in the spring of 1972. At the time, we RIO types trained on sims and T-39s equipped with the APQ-94 (as I recall...), which was the old F-8J pulse radar. A 20 mile contact was a pretty smokin' hot system. Perfectly simple and fine for learning the basics of intercepts, and a perfectly fine stepping-stone at the time to the AWG-10s and APQ-72s I flew in two fleet F-4 tours.
What's the state of the art these days? Do you have track-while scan systems or other sexy stuff that really prepare you for the Super Hornet system (for the VFA types)? Just wondering how far we've come in the decades since "back in the day". Keep it UNCLAS, of course, even if you can only tell me "Spike...it's awesome...tell you any more and I'd have to kill you."
All the best and have great weekends wherever you are.
V/R, Spike
What's the state of the art these days? Do you have track-while scan systems or other sexy stuff that really prepare you for the Super Hornet system (for the VFA types)? Just wondering how far we've come in the decades since "back in the day". Keep it UNCLAS, of course, even if you can only tell me "Spike...it's awesome...tell you any more and I'd have to kill you."
All the best and have great weekends wherever you are.
V/R, Spike
