F-15B, 77-0166, a little close formation

[Old Viper Tester]

F-15B, 77-0166, modified as the test bed for the Integrated Flight and Fire Control (IFFC) system. The IFFC tied the fire control system to the flight controls. In theory the system would automatically maneuver the aircraft to an "optimum" weapon employment position on a locked radar or targeting pod bogey (the pilots loved that idea😧) or it would provide steering cues in the HUD for the pilot to follow. The targeting pod used was an ATLIS pod. The system made news when '166 made a guns kill on a PQM-102 drone in what was essentially a head on engagement. A tracking camera caught a photo of '177 and the flaming drone in the same frame passing each other.

 

Anyway, I got to do a formation proficiency flight with this jet in June 1983...

 

 

 

The orange fixture over the missile launcher is the suspension rig for the ATLIS pod

 

 

 

 

 

On a similar mission in 1985

 

The IFFC project emblem

 

... and some McAir images of the same jet

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking,

Sven

[whiskey]

Y'all look to be having way to much fun on those proficiency flights Sven lol!

[Old Viper Tester]

Found the tracking camera image of the guns kill, 19 August 1982

 

[giemme]

Impressive!

 Ciao