Fredrik Thörnell wrote in message ...
Gary Evans skrev den 2 Feb 2004
15:32:41 GMT:

Do military aircraft utilize transponder signal based
collision avoidance systems?

Yes, and this does not amuse controllers as they have a fast jet blasting
upwards at umpteen thousand fpm, setting off all the TCAS bells in the
traffic above the sector.

Cheers,
Fred

It depends. The newer, large transport (and tanker?) military
aircraft probably have TCAS, since they are usually equipped to
airliner standards. But they also will almost always be on an IFR
flight plan.

Fighters are a whole different bag of fish: Most have air-to-air
radar that may or may not see a glider (I have seen F-16 radar detect
and lock on to a glider). Some Harriers have a radar, but not all.
Some fighters also have the capability to interrogate a transponder,
much like ATC does; this includes F-15s and some F-16s, not sure about
the radar equipped Harrier 2. In this case, a transponder in the
glider will help a lot. As far as I know, no fighter-type aircraft
have TCAS or similar.

All military aircraft have transponders and are squawking mode 3 and
mode C - but if there are two fighters in formation usually only the
flight lead will be squawking - the wingman will be in STBY as long as
he is part of the formation. So a TCAD or similar device in a glider
may not detect all the threats.

Kirk