Originally Posted by
dangermouse
There are no such things as an Army Wildcat and a Navy Wildcat, they are the same airframe fitted with role specific kit, any Army one can be turned into a Navy one and vice versa (unlike a Merlin for instance)
so as correctly stated above to give a 360 radar picture the radar goes underneath, if you want a radar and an EO on a helicopter that fits into a ships hangar that you can change by LRU swapping into an 'Army' aircraft guess where the EO goes?
(BTW there is no such thing as a Lynx Mk10)
DM
Hmm, but the Merlin manages to get both radar and EO on underside of aircraft.
The radar and EO would not unduly obstruct each other if fitted underneath if there was a gap between them - no more obstructive than the fixed gear on a helicopter anyway.
Would be interesting to know if EO with limited horizon is really that constrictive on Wildcat role. It would be nigh on impossible to use on a fixed wing aircraft.