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82nd
ATRS and QF-4s.
The
82 Aerial Targets Squadron is very unique by the type of aircraft
it operates. This squadron is the only unit left in the USAF to
fly the venerable F-4 Phantom II reduced to the role of aerial targets.
Located at Tyndall AFB, Fla., the 82nd ATRS is a subordinate of
the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group assigned to Air Combat Command's
53rd Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla. The 53rd WEG is responsible for conducting
the USAF Air-to-Air Weapons System Evaluation Program known as Combat
Archer from Tyndall AFB and the Air-to-Ground version known as Combat
Hammer from Eglin AFB. Both bases located at short distances from
each other in the Florida panhandle. During these exercises, the
82nd provides drone targets such as the QF-4 in the Full Scale Aerial
Target (FSAT) role next to the MQM-107 Streaker and BQM-34 Firebee
as Sub-Scale Aerial Targets (SSAT). To perform surveillance and
gather telemetry data during shooting over the Gulf of Mexico, the
units uses the only two E-9A in the USAF inventory. The E-9A is
a special version of the civilian DASH-8 specially equipped with
a large phased-array antenna on the right side of the fuselage.
The E-9A can record all data onboard and can retransmit it in real
time to the ground control station. Also called "Tyndall Navy"
is the Watercraft Branch of the 82nd ATRS. It comprises three 120
ft drone recovery vessels designated MR-120 and two smaller vessels.
These vessels are used for providing direct sea support to recover
aerial targets like the MQM-107 and BQM-34, range safety patrols
and salvage operations. The 82nd ATRS also has a Detachment at Holloman
AFB which is responsible for FSAT operations at the White Sands
Missile Range near Holloman AFB, NM. |
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How
do you transform an F-4 into a drone? You simply pick suitable aircraft
in the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB, Az., Fly them
to Mojave, CA, and put some kind of electronic boxes into them to
become remotely controlled drones. In the short, it's about it but
there's more to it! When the F-4 was selected to replace the QF106s
in use as FSAT, Tracor Flight Systems Inc. was selected in 1992
to do the conversion at his facility located at Mojave. The same
company had done the conversion of F-106s into QF-106s and were
ready to convert F-4s for the same role. Following the purchase
of Tracor and a merge between Marconi Electronics Systems and British
Aerospace, the company became known as BAE Systems in the early
2000s.
Modifications
to the airframe and installation of major systems to transform the
F-4 takes about four months. This includes installation of the primary
and back-up Automatic Flight Control System, Command/Telemetry System,
VDOPS Scoring System, Flight Termination System, Visual Enhancement
System and Ancillary Subsystems.
There's
two kinds of QF-4s. The first is NULLO Full-scale Aerial Targets
which keep the above basic drone conversions. For the 82nd, NULLO
means Not Under Live Local Operation. A NULLO flight always requires
at least three drones, the ones to be shoot down, a spare and a
manned QF-4 flying as chase plane. The second one is the manned
full-scale drones fitted with advanced countermeasure systems installed
by the USAF. While some of the twin-stick QF-4s retain their dual
control system as trainer and both ejection seats in working orders,
the other manned QF-4s have the rear cockpit ejection seat removed.
All NULLO aircraft have both ejection seats removed. Noticeable
differences between the twos are the six antennae from the VDOPS
scoring system, the hump on top of the fuselage, a crude box on
the left intake and a fairing in the left forward Sparrow well. |
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| To
commemorate four decades of USAF F-4 operations, six QF-4s have been
painted in special schemes to take part in the Heritage Flight at
airshows across the United States. Operated by the 82nd ATRS, four
QF-4E from Tyndall and two from Det 1 at Holloman were given special
commemorative paint scheme during 2003.
The
first QF-4E from Tyndall to receive a special scheme was 72-1490.
It was painted in a Southeast Asia camouflage from the 1960s era
of sand, two-tone green and light grey undersurfaces. The second
one, 74-1652, received the "Egypt One" two-tone grey and
a sharkmouth. Third to come out of the paint shop was 73-1171 in
a "European One" scheme followed by 72-1035 in a SEA wrap
around scheme. Two QF-4E from Det.1 at Holloman received the SEA
camouflage, 74-0665 in wrap around and 72-1485 with the light grey
undersurfaces.
The
photos on this page were taken in January 2005 during Combat Archer.
All photos by author, Philippe Colin. |
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