P3 radar

[toonsis]

Is the radar for the P3 Orion correct ?

How do I get 360 degree coverage with no round dome housing ?

Shouldnt it be a wedge shape zone of coverage and I should have to turn the aircraft 360 degrees ?

:salute: to any and all who help

[TLAM Strike]

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/660/p3radar.jpg
the radar rotates 360 degrees in the nose cone.

If anyone wants the full cutaway:
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/2184/lockheedp3corioncutaway.th.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/i/lockheedp3corioncutaway.jpg/)

EDIT: Photos showing the rotation:
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5171/texasinstrumentsaps137a.th.png (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/texasinstrumentsaps137a.png/)

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/1125/1191v.th.jpg (http://img87.imageshack.us/i/1191v.jpg/)

[toonsis]

Nice finds, 2 of those pix were new to me. Thanks

But isnt the crew exposed to radar energy, from close range, over a long time ?

Doesnt the aircraft itself block the radar from looking behind its 3-9 line ?

[TLAM Strike]

Nice finds, 2 of those pix were new to me. Thanks

But isnt the crew exposed to radar energy, from close range, over a long time ?

Doesnt the aircraft itself block the radar from looking behind its 3-9 line ?

I'm guessing there is a baffle to block the radar signals from zapping the crew and gear.

I think I read that the P-3 has a rear radar dish as well. That would explain a few things...

Maybe one of our resident MPA aircrew like OneShot could enlighten us?

Edit: Look at this cutaway. You can see the rear radar emitter better...

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/3628/57163172967500p3c20orio.th.jpg (http://img130.imageshack.us/i/57163172967500p3c20orio.jpg/)

(Anyone got the English version of this?)

[ASWnut101]

The older P-3 models featured the two-antenna AN/APS-115 radar system. Since 1998, all P-3Cs went through the Update III AIP (Anti-surface warfare Improvement Program), which replaced the APS-115 with the AN/APS-137(V5) ISAR radar. The update plan mentioned only one 63-pound antenna, not two (pg. 24 below).

So, my assumption is that the DW team simply did not model the radar to it's real capabilities. It's not surprising, considering they did that with every damn player-controlled radar in the game, save the ones on the Perry. Oh, how I wish the ISAR capability was modeled... :shifty:


The update plan, if anyone wants to read through it:

http://www.fas.org/man//dod-101/sys/ac/docs/P-3_update_train.pdf


EDIT: Found the date of the start of Update III

EDIT2: I was right the first time about the date. Grr

[dd149]

Nice finds, 2 of those pix were new to me. Thanks

But isnt the crew exposed to radar energy, from close range, over a long time ?

Doesnt the aircraft itself block the radar from looking behind its 3-9 line ?
There is an interlock which switches off the emission towards rear fuselage and crew in general, anyway the rear baffle is wasted as no echo would come through the whole body of the airplane.

[OneShot]

As mentioned above originally the P3 had two radars installed, one in the dome up front and the other 3/4 down the plane on the underside pointing backwards. Thus 360 Coverage.

Another example how to get 360 Coverage would be the now decomissioned German Breguet Atlantiques which had a 360 radar in a deployable dome close to the cockpit of the plane. Was only extended in the air of course.

I think the US P3's at least have 360° even with the upgraded radar ... they simply installed them again both in the dome up front and to the back. Am not sure on that tho.

[toonsis]

I hope a real worlder can get to the bottom of this. I dont see a rear housing or radar I wish I spoke Japaneese

[ASWnut101]

Alright, so I think I've got the answer. The new P-8 aircraft use the AN/APY-10, which is really just a smaller version of the AN/APS-137 used on the P-3C. P-8s to be used by our navy have a single APY-10 radar up in the nose section and that's it. P-3Cs have the APS-137 upfront as well.

Well, India wanted their P-8i aircraft to have 360° radar coverage, so they requested a second antenna in the rear of the aircraft. It seems with only one up front they have a 240° coverage area only. And if the APY-10 is the same basic thing as the APS-137, wouldn't it go to show that the Orion doesn't have 360° coverage either?

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/02/03/337974/singapore-2010-boeing-to-integrate-aft-radar-for-indias.html

[toonsis]

Well done ASWnut. :rock:I could just see that there was no 360 dome and no rear housing but figured the DW people would not model this wrong.

Its a shame the sim airborne radar didnt have more modes and realistic operation.

I read the said P-8s will not have MAD gear but thats a post for another time