Tornado CWS?
 

Word seems to be that a ball if finally rolling with regard the Tornado muds getting a Collision Warning System? Anybody any info on timescales and how it will work. Mixed views on it altogether really - any thoughts?

I presume (dangerous I know) the requirement is for a LL capable system. Should be interesting to see what is/has been proposed - hopefully they will buy something more capable than a re-hashed IFF based system which would probably be about as useful as a chocolate fireguard.

I still find it hard to understand why some form of Collision system did not /has not arrived in a mil FJ cockpit.
Its not like you cant turn the thing of when you go to war .
After leaving the mil I was shocked at how much it improves see and avoid.Not to mention the fact that even some light twins have it .
Do the transport mates get it ?!

I wish!

Yes, bloody please! You lot scare me witless in North Devon. In the meantime, please keep a very good eye open for a yellow cub with a dreamy pilot taking in the view.

QDM

prang one

C-130J has TCAS/E-TCAS. E-TCAS is very useful at low level since it will interrogate and display all 7001 (or 10 different squawks of your choice) traffic on the NAV/RADAR displays, and if within the HUD FOV a boresight tracks said traffic; if outside HUD FOV a strobe points to where traffic is.

;) :) :D

Well Hoolie Poopoo!!

I had the understanding that the HUD in the J type was the dogs Balls !!! Know I understand why!
If the J has it then I dare to pressume that "when" the EuroFighter goes operational its going to have a point and avoid black box of similar smarts.

About time

Not being a TCAS type of flyer, I have to ask whether you J boys really think such a system has a place as a LL CWS on fast-jets doing 420 kts+ head-on? We also want to avoid puddle jumpers and helo's above pipes and pylons around the next corner. Is a TCAS/IFF based system ever going to detect and cue fast anough to respond. And any such system is totally dependent on some suitable kit on the other ac.

I guess the only really safely reliable high-speed LL CWS system would have to be based on satellite technology or something.

Have to agree with prang that its amazing nobody has come up with something yet for FJs, but then again I guess producing a ML CWS (a la TCAS ) is a doddle compared with a LL system.

Chris

TCAS operates in several ways depending on what the other ac is equipped with; as long as the other ac is squawking (not necessarily with Mode C) TCAS will give you an early enough cue even at 420 kts+ (range of 40nm). However, you are completely correct in that TCAS only operates line of sight and will not detect the other ac round the corner of a valley until v late. Yes, the gold plated solution would be a satellite based one, however who is going to fund it? Whilst not the be all and end all TCAS/E-TCAS is a large step in the right direction and would have prevented the Tornado/Cessna collision (assuming of course it was squawking?).

TCAS
 

Chris,
Just to add to facilitators comments TCAS isn't perfect and is certainly no substitute for lookout but its relatively cheap and it all helps as they say. Also with the E bit you can pre- load M3s as tgts(won't say much more here) but quite useful for SA on other players that might be around or finding tankers, also useful for ranging strobes etc when operating EO.
If you want to know more, suggest you come and have a play, .....not that there's much we blunt truckies could teach you pointy sky gods, unless it's about rates, hotels, food, etc

Don't dig in, check in !

Thanks guys for the gen above. My interest really is at the end-user stage, I have no input at all (well, not at the moment anyway) on this system. Having heard it was underway, I just have some concerns that we will simply get the cheapest solution i.e. a bastardised TCAS/IFF which I still think will come with several potentially serious issues when they try and move it into the fast-jet/LL environment.