Hi everyone.
Im looking for some information on the large hemispherical bulges on the upper wings on the newer build Israeli 64D’s. I have not been able to find any info on the net about these new bulges.
Also, what’s with the new pink slimelights? Is it a new flourescence that works better under late generation NVG’s?
Thanks guys
David
David,
The Israelis have said they are SATCOM antennas, but I think that’s probably not the case. Not really sure what they’re for, and the Israelis aren’t talking much about them at all. As for the slime lights, honestly, I have no idea either. Anyone?
Jon
Hi Jon
I wouldn’t really buy the SATCOM either, and I note on some nice clear closeups that include stencilling for everything else there is no stencilling or other ID placarding on it, not as much as a BL number/ panel ID number.
The pink slime lights look a hair bigger than the yellow/green we are accustomed to.
Thansk for the feedback.
David
Jon and David,
for all us who don’t speak modern helo, what does a SATCOM look like and what the heck are “slime lights?” Pictures would be a great way to educate me on this subject, by the way.
Ray
Ray,
SATCOM is Satellite Communications. Basically an over-the-horizon radio. Slime lights are the small rectangular low-voltage formation lights on modern military aircraft. They’re nicknamed “slime” lights because they glow kind of an ectoplasmic green color.
Jon
Like this:
[:P]
Thanks Andy, couldn’t have said it better myself!
hehe hehhe ehhehe hehe ehe ehehehe he ehehehe
He said Ectoplasmic
heheh heh eheh ehhhe heheh
Actaully on the hemispherical so-claimed SATCOM domes, the first thing that ran through my mind the first time I saw them was cooling bottles for missile seeker heads a-la the Sidewinder. But then my mind rejected that as being too big. I dug much deeper on the subject, still came up zero on the subject, but did find a couple of defense industry articles about the Israelis wanting over the horizon and below line of site communications.
This is the more recent “look” of the IDF Apaches, there are also many humps bumps and mods not apparent in this photo.
There’s a brilliant walkaround of an Israeli Apache available online. I actually got permission from the photographer to use a number of his shots in my Walkaround book for Squadron. Wish I could find the link, but unfortunately, it didn’t survive the reformatting of my hard drive… nuts.
Jon
cobra,
not sure if this is the walkaround that you are talking about but here is a link to the one on Prime Portal:
http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/isaac_gershman/ah-64d/
I have no clue what those antennas are, but I am pretty sure that they aren’t SATCOM.
Matt
Matt,
Yep! Isaac’s walkaround is great, and he’s a great guy for letting me use some of his pics too.
As for the domes, my thought was something to do with the Defensive Aids Suite.
Jon
Jon,
That was my thought too, I did notice that the Isralies tend to put a more robust defensive suite on their helicopters than we do. Must be nice to have all those gadgets to use while on a mission!!
Matt