Thunderbolt379
MFJ -- I did a quick online search for the use of the ALQ-119. The pod has been around about 40 years now, constantly upgraded and reprogrammed, and has ben carried on F-4, F-15, F-16 and A-10 aircraft. It's currently used by Germany, Turney and Japan, all F-4 users as well. The pod is a radar warning and jamming system to provide a defensive countermeasure to fool antiaircraft radar systems. It would seem most important for aircraft in the ground attack role, which would be exposed to ground fire most directly, so I would expect to see a jamming pod on -E aircraft loaded for attack, and most likely on -G aircraft in their natural environment, going in against gun and missile guidence units.
Berny, am I close?
Cheers, Mike/starhawk379
Very close. The ECM pod would be carried in a forward missile station for the ground attack mission. On the E and G model it would be carried on the left forward station. On the D model it would be carried on the right forward station with the left station used to carry a Pave Spike pod, if it was a "Smart D".
When I was stationed in SEA we carried the AN/ALQ-87 ECM Pod on our F-4D. Normal load out would be on the left forward station with a strike camera on the right forward station. AIM-7 missiles would be loaded on the two aft stations for ground attack missions. On air to air missions all fuselage stations would have AIM-7's loaded and the ECM pod would be carried on an inboard pylon. AIM-9's would be loaded on launchers on the inboard pylons.
When we deployed to SEA for Linebacker from Eglin AFB, our F-4E's only flew in the air to air role. For short range CAP we would fly with a full missile load out with a AN/ALQ-87 pod on one pylon and a AN/ALQ-101 on the other pylon. The centerline would be empty. For long range missions, three gas bags, full missile load and one ECM pod, usually the AN/ALQ-101 pod on an inboard pylon. If they were going into RP-6 than two ECM pods would be loaded. The centerline tank would stay on unless they engaged any enemy fighter. The reason is the AN/ALQ-87 is a noise generating pod and the AN/ALQ-101 is a deception pod. With a strong ground based radar, it could burn through the noise picking out the aircraft. With a deception pod, the radar couldn't pin point the aircraft. This was done in areas where ground based radar controled AAA and SAM was active.
For BUFF escort missions our aircraft would have a full missile load out, three gas bags and one ECM pod. If one jet carried the 87 pod, the wingman would have the 101 pod. Reason being the fully loaded F-4 couldn't keep up with the B-52 at medium to high altitude. As soon as the centerline tank was empty, it would be dropped to cut down on drag and weight. The 370 gallon tanks would stay on when empty unless they engaged enemy aircraft.
Navy/Marine F-4's did not carry ECM pods. They relied on jammer aircraft such as the EA-6B. The F-4J/N/S eventually received an ECM up grade and carried the system on the side of the intakes. Today their aircraft carry the same type of ECM pod as carried by the EA-6B and F/A-18G. The only USAF aircraft to carry that type of pod was the EF-111
The AN/ALQ-119 pod is a fully programmable ECM pod capable of noise and deception. That way one pod can take the place of two pods.
The AN/ALQ-119 ECM pod has been replaced with new generation pods in the USAF. Many of the 119 pods are sent to other countries where they fly them on many different types of aircraft. Current users are Germany, Turkey, England, Canada, Australia, Korea, as well as most NATO countries.
Berny
Phormer Phantom Phixer
On the bench
TF-102A Delta Dagger, 32nd FIS, 54-1370, 1/48 scale. Monogram Pro Modeler with C&H conversion.
Revell F-4E Phantom II 33rd TFW, 58th TFS, 69-260, 1/32 scale.
Tamiya F-4D Phantom II, 13th TFS, 66-8711, 1/32 scale. F-4 Phantom Group Build.