The AWG-9 and later APG-71 form the aircraft's defining advantage here, with an explicit warning that published radar ranges should not be read as complete operational truth. Data links between aircraft could widen the formation's awareness, reinforcing the principle that first detection preserves decision time. That sensor and weapons power came in an aerodynamically ambitious package whose engines, controls, and moving wings demanded substantial pilot training. The Tomcat's combat value depended on integrating crews, sensors, communications, weapons, and airframe performance rather than on any single headline statistic.
Notable Point · 22:18-25:48
AWG-9 radar and the first-look advantage
The Tomcat's large radar, networked sensing, and variable-sweep wings were intended to detect threats first, shoot first, and still handle the carrier environment.