Updated: 07Sep2020 # TCS The television camera set, or TCS, was constructed as a replacement for the IRST which was present in the first F-14As produced. When the IRST was found to have insufficient capability it was decided to replace it with the TCS giving the F-14 a long range visual identification capability. The TCS is located underneath and behind the radar radome, just in front of the nose gear well. It contains an aircraft stabilized high resolution (for it’s time) closed circuit television camera. The sensor has two fields of view (FOV), narrow (NFOV) which is 0.44° or 10X magnification and wide (WFOV) which is 1.42° or 4X magnification. The gimbal limits are +/- 15° except upwards which is limited to +11° and the TCS is capable of independent contrast lock or being slaved to the AN/AWG-9 radar. The TCS is controlled by the RIO using the sensor control panel, DDD, TID and the HCU. Video from the sensor can be displayed on the TID and the VDI in the front seat. Also, the video can be recorded using the airborne video tape recorder for later review. (Not currently implemented in DCS.) # TCS Viewing Stations Located in position 6 on the upper diagram and position 5 on the lower. # TCS Controls Located in upper portion of position 1 on the lower diagram. It also uses the HCU (RIO Flight Stick). ![[F-14 Pilot Cockpit Panels.png]] ![[F-14 RIO Cockpit Panels.png]] The controls on the sensor control panel for the TCS are; the TCS trim knobs, the SLAVE switch, the field of view, FOV, switch and the acquire, ACQ, switch. ![[Pasted image 20230905132857.png]] The **TCS TRIM** knobs controls TCS sensor line of sight, LOS, calibration relative the AN/AWG-9 radar LOS. If needed these can be used to trim the TCS so that the two sensors LOS correlate. They have a ±2° range of motion and the easiest way to check and calibrate the TCS is to lock up a friendly target in STT and adjust the knobs until the TCS LOS is correctly aimed at the locked target. The **SLAVE** switch controls which sensor is controlled by the other. If set to **RDR** the radar is slaved to the TCS as long as an optical track exists. If set to **INDEP** each sensor operates independently of the other. And if set to **TCS** the TCS is slaved to radar LOS as long as an STT track exists. The **FOV**, field of view switch controls what FOV is used in the TCS. **WIDE** sets the 1.42°, 4X magnification FOV and **NAR** sets the narrow 0.44°, 10X magnification FOV. ![[Pasted image 20230905133035.png]] Lastly the **ACQ**, acquire switch controls the acquisition mode in use in the TCS. **AUTO SRCH** enables an automatic acquisition mode with a search pattern, enabling acquisition of the closest target even if outside current FOV. **MAN** selects purely manual acquisition with the HCU where the target needs to be pointed at directly. **AUTO** sets an automatic acquisition mode without a search pattern making the TCS snap to a target as long as it’s inside the TCS FOV. ![[Pasted image 20230905133235.png]] # To view the TCS: TID Mode switch must be set to TV IR/TV power switch must be set to IR/TV To control the slew of the TCS the HCU mode must be in IR/TV >[!note] >Selecting TV on the TID disables the TID repeat on the pilots HSD. ![[Pasted image 20230905133523.png]] # What it looks like... The solid cross is where the camera is pointing. The hashed cross is where the radar is pointing. The vertical lines show you are not zoomed in, FOV wide. The 4 small squares define the active track window. The same 4 small squares when a target isn’t being tracked collapse back to the center of the screen. They will be smaller (2% of screen width) when in manual mode and slightly larger (5% of screen width) when in an auto mode. (default) ![[Pasted image 20230905133603.png]] # How to use it... All acquisition modes of the TCS has in common that they can be controlled using the HCU in IR/TV mode. Selection of the IR/TV button on the HCU enables this mode and also sets the DDD EL meter (right indicator) to show current TCS sensor LOS elevation. Half-action enables the HCU to directly control the LOS of the TCS and full-action commands target acquisition using the selected acquisition mode. For manual, **MAN**, TCS acquisition mode this means that the HCU must be used in half-action to position the tracking window indication over the target and then selecting full-action. If successfully acquired the track window will then expand to encompass the target and tracking will begin. In automatic, **AUTO** acquisition mode half-action works the same but when selecting full-action for acquisition the TCS will instead automatically try to lock on to the target closest to the center in the current FOV. Automatic search, AUTO SRCH mode further enhances this by enabling a search pattern around the commanded FOV (by moving the sensor LOS) acquiring the first found target. # How to use it... When using the TCS slave to radar option the two auto modes will automatically try to lock on to the STT target as soon as it exists and the TCS has been slewed to that target, enabling a fully automatic track of a target locked in STT. Additionally as soon as a track is acquired from an STT lock the TCS will compare its own LOS to the radar LOS to check if the correct target has been locked, if the two LOS differs by more than a couple of degrees during a 3 second window a new acquisition will be attempted. The manual mode will also slave to radar LOS but will not lock on, instead just following the radar LOS. To unlock a tracked target when not being slaved to radar, select half-action and release. # What RIO’s need mapped in DCS Mapping the Hand Control Unit (HCU) to your joystick and the 2 stage trigger are essential to using the TCS. Mapping the HCU and TID Modes are optional, as these are clickable items in the RIO’s cockpit. ![[Pasted image 20230905134246.png]] What RIO’s may want to map... The entire TCS control panel is mappable but most are seldom if ever used. Mapping the TCS FOV toggle can be useful but also not required. ![[Pasted image 20230905134316.png]] # Pilot mappings... Mapping the VDI Mode for Norm and TV or toggle can help to rapidly switch to the TV and back when necessary. ![[Pasted image 20230905134344.png]] # What everyone needs to map Mapping your ‘Video Export Toggle’ for both the pilot and the RIO causes your entire screen to go blank and a super enlarged view of the television or LANTIRN are shown. ![[Pasted image 20230905134425.png]] ![[Pasted image 20230905134429.png]] # Using the LANTIRN to help identify targets Putting the LANTIRN in HUD mode and zooming in for the pilot can help him better identify target for iron bomb or zuni rockets attacks. This requires coordination between pilot and RIO since the LANTIRN doesn’t track with the radar like the TCS does. Finding the target with the LANTIRN, having the pilot designate it with CCRP and then quickly switching to TCS takes practice but ensures the correct target is being designated.