[ARC5] Late ARA/ATA vs. AN/ARC-5

[arc5 at ix.netcom.com]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Morrow" <kk5f at earthlink.net>
Subject: [ARC5] Late ARA/ATA vs. AN/ARC-5


>.........  The R-23 and R-24/ARC-5
> restored the loop connection.
> 
> On wonders why this outdated feature was put on the AN/ARC-5 units.  It
> wasn't too useful by the time the AN/ARC-5 rolled out, not even for use
> of the R-24 with the ZB homing adapter.

They needed to be flexable, because not every aircraft 
was outfitted with "the latest and greatest" stuff.
ZB production was needed at the front.  That left 
service and logistical aircraft crews all over the place
with the loops they were used to and trained on.
There was also a cost factor-  ZB was expensive.
A Navy transport flying a weekly cargo hop didn't need ZB.

There was also a real possiblity of exporting the
sets for use by the other allied nations, although I haven't
found any documentation for installations 
beyond "onesie-twosies" so far.
Many still used loops and were not trained for anything 
more "modern."  There were "allies" with whom
you wouldn't have wanted to share a system like ZB
at the time, nor were their trained techs to maintain it.
No way you could be sure of the security of the system
if you gave it away to, say, Brazil or Iran.

73 Dave S.