AN ACR B727 FREIGHTER FLC HAD AN NMAC WITH AN SMT TWIN ENGINED ACFT WHILE TURNING TO ITS BASE LEG ON A VISUAL APCH TO MDT. THE RPTR COMPLAINED THAT THE LACK OF A TCASII MADE THE CONFLICT MORE DANGEROUS THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

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WHILE TURNING A L BASE LEG INTO MDT RWY 31; THE TWR ADVISED US OF TFC AT 3100 FT; 5 NM HDG W. THE FO WAS FLYING; SO I ASKED THE TWR TO KEEP US ADVISED. THE TWR THEN SAID THE TFC WAS AT 2 NM AND THAT WE SHOULD LEVEL OFF AT 3500 FT. THE LIGHT TWIN FLEW ALMOST DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH US. THE TWR ALSO STATED THAT THE LIGHT TWIN WAS NOT IN COMMUNICATION WITH ANY FACILITY. NOTE FAR 121 SUPPLEMENTAL CARRIERS NEED TCASII! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: AN ACR B727-200 FREIGHTER FLC HAD A LIGHT TWIN ENGINED ACFT; THAT THE CAPT THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLY A BEECH BARON; FLY UNDER THEM AS THEY WERE MAKING AN APCH TO MDT. THEY WERE THANKFUL; THE CAPT SAID; THAT THE CTLR HAD GIVEN THEM GOOD ADVISORIES AS THEY DID NOT SEE THE TFC UNTIL IT WAS ALMOST BENEATH THEM. HE SAID THAT THIS INCIDENT POINTS OUT THE NEED FOR FREIGHT ACFT TO BE EQUIPPED WITH THE TCASII SYSTEM. THE CAPT HAS APPARENTLY HAD SEVERAL NMACS LATELY AND HAS REQUESTED THAT HIS COMPANY DISCONTINUE ITS PRACTICE OF REMOVING THE TCASII EQUIPMENT FROM CONVERTED FORMER PAX ACFT. THE COMPANY IS CONSIDERING HIS REQUEST.