Electronic Warfare

AN/ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures pod

Also known as
  • AN/ALQ-87
  • ALQ-87
  • AN/ALQ-87 ECM pod
  • QRC-160-8

The AN/ALQ-87 was a General Electric electronic countermeasures pod, originally designated QRC-160-8, that gave 1955 Vietnam War strike aircraft a podded radar-jamming option against radar-guided air defenses. U.S. Air Force history ties the pod to late-1967 combat introduction, broad 1968 strike-aircraft use, and F-111A Linebacker operations, while the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force displays an F-4C 1967 loadout with one ALQ-87 on the right inboard pylon.

AN/ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures pod, Electronic countermeasures pod, Electronic Warfare
Image source: McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II | National Museum of the United States Air Force

Role in Conflicts

1955 Vietnam War
Side
United States and South Vietnam
Role in conflict
Aircraft self-protection radar jamming

U.S. Air Force history describes ALQ-87 pods entering combat late in 1967, becoming a principal electronic countermeasures pod for strike aircraft in 1968, and still being carried by F-111A aircraft during the Linebacker air campaign.

Vietnam-Era ECM Role

The ALQ-87 page is strongest as a combat-support electronics record: the pod did not deliver weapons itself, but it was part of the aircraft survivability package used by U.S. strike aircraft against radar-guided air defenses over North Vietnam.

ContextDocumented roleReader note
Late 1967 combat entryPodded radar jammingAir Force history places the ALQ-87 in combat by late 1967 as U.S. aircraft adapted to radar-guided threats.
1968 strike operationsPrincipal ECM podThe pod became a core external jammer for strike aircraft rather than a niche test installation.
1972 Linebacker operationsF-111A carriageAir Force history documents F-111A missions carrying ALQ-87 pods during the renewed air campaign.
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Electronic countermeasures pod
Service note
1955 Vietnam War era

Specifications

Designation
AN/ALQ-87; originally QRC-160-8
Function
Aircraft electronic countermeasures pod for radar jamming
Jamming modes
Noise, beacon, and downlink jamming functions described in Air Force electronic-warfare history
Configuration count
380 configurations in the General Electric brochure transcription
Mounting
14-inch and 30-inch pylon bracket compatibility
Vietnam service
Entered combat late in 1967 and remained in use during Linebacker operations
Variants

The record covers the ALQ-87 pod family and its original QRC-160-8 designation rather than a single external aircraft installation.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
AN/ALQ-87 configuration familyModular ECM pod configurations

Aviation Archives' transcription of a General Electric brochure describes 380 ALQ-87 configurations and compatibility with 14-inch and 30-inch pylon brackets.

Sources: General Electric AN/ALQ-87 Configurations - Aviation Archives

Carrier Aircraft

The museum F-4C display and Air Force history place the pod in 1955 Vietnam War fighter-bomber and strike-aircraft loadouts.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
F-4 Phantom II, Twin-engine, two-seat supersonic fighter-bomber, Aircraft & UAVsF-4 Phantom IITwin-engine fighter-bomber

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force lists one ALQ-87 pod on the right inboard pylon in a typical 1967 F-4C loadout.

Sources: McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II | National Museum of the United States Air Force

Timeline

AN/ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures pod Key Events

  1. Combat introduction

    U.S. Air Force history describes ALQ-87 pods entering combat late in 1967 as strike aircraft faced radar-guided air defenses over North Vietnam.

    Sources: Tactics and Techniques of Electronic Warfare | All World Wars

  2. Principal strike-aircraft ECM pod

    The Air Force history describes the ALQ-87 becoming a principal ECM pod for U.S. strike aircraft in 1968.

    Sources: Tactics and Techniques of Electronic Warfare | All World Wars

  3. Linebacker F-111A carriage

    The same Air Force history describes F-111A aircraft carrying ALQ-87 pods during the Linebacker air campaign.

    Sources: Tactics and Techniques of Electronic Warfare | All World Wars

  4. Replacement by newer pods

    IPMS/USA notes that the ALQ-87 was phased out in the early 1970s as the AN/ALQ-119 replaced it.

    Sources: AN/ALQ-87 ECM Pod | IPMS/USA

Media

AN/ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures pod Images

AN/ALQ-87 electronic countermeasures pod, Electronic countermeasures pod, Electronic Warfare - view 1
Source: McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II | National Museum of the United States Air Force
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Sources

Tactics and Techniques of Electronic Warfare | All World WarsPublisher: All World Wars | Note: Transcribes Bernard C. Nalty's U.S. Air Force history and supports 1955 Vietnam War direct-use context: ALQ-87 pods entered combat late in 1967, became a principal ECM pod for strike aircraft in 1968, and were carried by F-111A aircraft during Linebacker operations. | Accessed: 2026-06-29General Electric AN/ALQ-87 Configurations - Aviation ArchivesPublisher: Aviation Archives | Note: Supports General Electric identification, 380 configurations, and the 14-inch/30-inch mounting hardware described in the brochure transcription. | Accessed: 2026-06-29AN/ALQ-87 ECM Pod | IPMS/USAPublisher: IPMS/USA | Note: Supports original QRC-160-8 designation, 1967 first-use context, carrier-aircraft context, and early-1970s replacement by the AN/ALQ-119. | Accessed: 2026-06-29McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II | National Museum of the United States Air ForcePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports the F-4C loadout line that lists one ALQ-87 ECM pod on the right inboard pylon and public-domain image context for the displayed F-4C weapons-load photos. | Accessed: 2026-06-29McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II weapons load image 1153Publisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for the primary F-4C weapons-load image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II weapons load image 1151Publisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for the gallery F-4C weapons-load image. | Accessed: 2026-06-29