Is that R2D2 immediately to the front right of the fighter cockpit?
Infra-red search and track (IRST). It’s kinda like radar, but detects heat sources passively, so it can detect other aircraft without having to turn on it’s radar.
“Is that R2D2 immediately to the front right of the fighter cockpit?”
It looks to be an Infrared Search and Track Video system.
With that thing you can detect aircraft without activating your search and attack radars. Slave your missiles to it.