[trhway]

> easier to see.

One has radars even on recreational boats. That was a military helicopter. At night. It would be hard to believe that it doesn't have nor radar nor IR cameras, and the plane would be lightened up like X-mas tree in both.

[jahewson]

Marine radar is trivial compared to air-to-air radar. The Black Hawk, like most aircraft, does not have an air-to-air radar. IR cameras would be completely inappropriate for the situation but night vision goggles are a possibility I guess - though still have all the same drawbacks as using your eyes - you have to look in the right direction and recognise what that small dot is that you’re seeing.

[trhway]

>Marine radar is trivial compared to air-to-air radar.

like in the case of a boat, the air-to-air radar is still peanuts compare to the cost of the plane/helicopter

>The Black Hawk, like most aircraft, does not have an air-to-air radar.

Pretty surprising for the military. You'd like to know when an enemy fighter or a missile coming for you. And military frequently operates in the territories without any ATC, so you'd like to see even the friendly planes and helicopters too. Say at night over Iraq.

And even without radar - simple ADS-B receiver attached to notebook plotting onto the screen of the notebook would be a great improvement in that situation over DC or anywhere over US.

> IR cameras would be completely inappropriate for the situation ...recognise what that small dot is that you’re seeing.

in visual at night you have a sea of city lights with some low flying lights you can easily mistake for ground lights. In IR all those city lights would pretty much disappear, while the plane's engines and exhaust would be a very bright light against very dark background of the sky.

[bigiain]

>>The Black Hawk, like most aircraft, does not have an air-to-air radar.

>Pretty surprising for the military. You'd like to know when an enemy fighter or a missile coming for you.

I'd guess the answer to "when is an enemy missile heading towards me" would usually be "shortly after you turn on your radar transmitter and reveal your location"...

[trhway]

>turn on your radar transmitter and reveal your location".

That was in the past. Even if you don't turn your radar on, in IR cameras widespread today your engines are visible from tens of kilometers, and without your radar on the missile comes to you without you being aware of it.

[dumah]

Missile approach warning systems don’t need radar. Most use IR sensing and lasers.

Even in radar-based MAW systems, they are not multipurpose and do not detect aircraft by design.

[nradov]

Lack of air search radar on military utility transport helicopters is only surprising to aggressively ignorant people who can't be bothered to do a few minutes of basic research. Even some tactical jets that operate over hostile territory lack air search radar, although they do have other defensive systems.

[dumah]

The air-to-air radar is not necessarily peanuts compared to the helicopter. A recent sale of blackhawks to Greece was priced at 1.95B for 35 helos. A past sale of 36 Apache Longbow radars and support to Korea was priced at 3.6B.

A helo is a sitting duck for a fighter so what would it do anyways. AEW will tell the helicopter about a fighter and vector them to safety. An active military radar will only be lit when necessary.

I do agree that an iPad with flight radar should have been able to help avoid this incident, much less the engineered solution that is warranted in a combat aircraft.