Tail warning radars?

[Diamondback]

So, an Eagle jockey I know from AOPA and I were talking notes about "blank check" upgrades he'd want added to the F-15C fleet, and we came up with Tail Warning Radar at the same time.

Rub is, no Western system exists that I've found. If we look to Russian gear for inspiration, the Flanker and Berkut's Phazotron NP012 is about 350mm antenna diameter... so we're looking for something about that size, must be an Active Electronically Scanned Array with both search/warning and attack capability.

For a "written" system, I'm thinking specifying a reduced APG-63 antenna, which maybe could be driven by the same electronics as the nose radar. For parts list, what would you suggest (even a scale-o-rama) for a suitable-size radome to stick above and between an F-15's tailpipes in 1/48? Also, what would be a good fit for sticking an AESA on the rear of a CH-53E? Could probably just scab an appropriate-size flat panel onto the Echo... the Eagle mod is gonna be the challenging one.

[Weaver]

I was thinking "where are you going to put it?" as I read it. I would think you'd need an F-15B/D canopy, and then fit it with a new, fat spine, almost the same cross-section as the canopy, that extends to the tail. It could them carry the radar at it's rear and fuel in the middle, and the latter would free up the FAST packs for internal stealthy AMRAAM carriage as per the recent Boeing proposal. You'd have to re-engineer the speed brake to fit into the top section of the new spine, which is going to be interesting.

[Hobbes]

I'd widen the two bits of fuselage that stick out either side of the F-15's engines, put the radar in one and ECM in the other.

[rickshaw]

Weaver, you'd have to split the airbrake.  You'd lose rearward visibility as well.   The aerodynamics might get a bit messy and require bigger fins as well.

[Dizzyfugu]

IIRC, the 50ies F3D/F-10 had an all-around radar system with a small(er), rearward-facing dish in its tail cone?

[dogsbody]

Would not a passive radar sensor be better that an active radar scanner?

[maxmwill]

What about RHAW(radar homing and warning)?

[Go4fun]

Don't forget Air Mines to pop out and intercept incoming missiles, rockets, aircraft and flying squirrels.
The two go together like peas & corn.

[kitnut617]

Would not a passive radar sensor be better that an active radar scanner?

That's what I'm doing for my RAF F-15 (MDD Eagle F.1).  The Hasegawa 1/72 F-15E kit (one I'm using as the base for this build) has replacement tail cones which are round cannisters for the extreme ends of the tail booms so I'm going to use these. Also using the new AIM-9 launch rails which has a similar shaped canister at the front as the forward looking ones (I know that's not what they are  --- )

[Diamondback]

My pilot buddy and I were talking both passive and active modes--since he was also mentioning a major expansion of the C-model's missile capacity (at least four more rails, preferably eight or more above existing*) for his "Christmas List", possibly mounting a few missiles for rearward launch.
*Offtopic: We did a little brainstorming, and came up with 2ea Stn's 1/9 (4), 2ea Stn's 2/8 ( 8 ), use Mudhen CFTs with long pylons mounted in place of the stubs (4 ea CFT=8; final total 16). I debated suggesting addition of shoulder rails to Stn 5, but that seemed overkill even if it would work, in addition to being tight quarters for the ordies.

I'd assume an RHAW would probably be in the mix somewhere too, but this was primarily about a "look-back/shoot-back" capability. Thinking for mounting was to use the original F-15A "stinger" as a starting point, beefing up the area above it with a short spine starting just aft of the airbrake.

[PR19_Kit]

Mount a pair of Sidewinders on top of the fins, facing backwards............ 

[scooter]

My pilot buddy and I were talking both passive and active modes--since he was also mentioning a major expansion of the C-model's missile capacity (at least four more rails, preferably eight or more above existing*) for his "Christmas List", possibly mounting a few missiles for rearward launch.
*Offtopic: We did a little brainstorming, and came up with 2ea Stn's 1/9 (4), 2ea Stn's 2/8 (, use Mudhen CFTs with long pylons mounted in place of the stubs (4 ea CFT=8; final total 16). I debated suggesting addition of shoulder rails to Stn 5, but that seemed overkill even if it would work, in addition to being tight quarters for the ordies.

When I was in Iceland, 20-odd years ago, the 57th FIS/FS Eagles (F-15Cs) already had CFTs mounted (No photos I had survived, unfortunately).  And when sketched up my version of Cheetah (Dale Brown's F-15F variant), I brought back stations 1/9 for 'winders, with stations 2 and 8 proper and station 5 configured to mount AIM-54s (with four more mounted on pallets bolted on to the CFT, total of 7) as needed.  More bang for the buck, was my philosophy with her

[Diamondback]

Interesting--we figured the 1/A/B and 9/A/B setup of Silent Eagle and offered on F-15SA, and were talking about Phoenix airframes gutted and rebuilt with new avionics and motors, better guidance including terminal guidance as a possible "Advanced Long-Range AAM". (Adapting the SM-6 upper stage, much like how the old STARM was adapted from the Navy Standard SAM, was on the table too.) Problem is, any new missile will almost certainly have to be F-22 and F-35 compatible, which basically means the whole thing has to fit into a box the length of an AMRAAM and no bigger than its fins... including having to dimple one side for the launcher, and possibly use pop-out fins.

[kitnut617]

I'm going with four AMRAAMs (on two twin rails) for the outer pylons, four ASRAAMs (on the regular tank pylon rails) and two ALRAAMs of my idea/design (one each hanging off the CFTs)

[rickshaw]

I know the nose is new but it does look odd!