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Another change in the Block 15 aircraft was the introduction
of inlet hard points which are used to hang weapons and sensors.
The inlet hard points were necessary for a low-altitude,
nighttime, infrared navigation and targeting system that was
under development. Additionally, the size of the horizontal tail
was increased by 25 percent on Block 15 aircraft. The larger
tail not only changed the aircraft's aerodynamics, it also
required the addition of a counterweight to the front of the
aircraft.
The transition from Block 15 to the next production block,
Block 25, was substantial. The Block 25 aircraft carried
advanced computers, sensors, and interface systems. These
systems were developed under Contract 2038. Among the systems
introduced and implemented in Block 25 were: The AN/APG-68 fire
control radar, which could detect low-flying targets, provide
high-resolution ground maps, track moving airborne and ground
vehicles, and provide ranging data for more accurate weapons
delivery; multifunction display set, which included two video
monitors displaying a wide array of information that previously
had been supplied on separate displays; data transfer equipment
used by pilots to load navigation, target, threat, and mission
data into the aircraft's onboard computer; communication/
navigation/identification system, which essentially encompassed a
control panel and data entry display, a data entry electronics
unit, and backup and auxiliary panels, replacing individual
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