RAFEngO74to09 wrote;
TISEO
P6 Driver,
I realize you jest, but TISEO was a bit more than a "camera".
In Vietnam, the ROE required a visident of a MiG before engaging BVR with Sparrow. Most engagements began head-on and Sparrow could be fired at a maximum of 10 miles and a minimum of 3 miles. However, head-on, the MiGs were much smaller and harder to see even with a radar lock achieved. With closure rates approaching a mile every 3 seconds, by the time the Phantom crew had a positive visident on the MiG, it was already too late to fire a Sparrow. TISEO had a 4x and 10x magnification and displayed the image on the WSO's radar display. When the WSO had a radar lock, he could command the TISEO to track the target and then switch to 10x magnification for a visident while the MiG was still in the firing envelope of the Sparrow missile.
Yes, my comment was very much "tongue in cheek", but re-reading it, I should have made that clearer!
Thank you for posting the information.