[REPORTED]AGM-65E can't be fired on buildings unless FLIR page is SOI

[Bankler]

Repro:

 

* Load AGM-65E + Tpod

* Point pod at the top floor of a high building

* Designate

* Arm Laser

* Sensor switch to Mav E DDI to Uncage

* Hold Pickle (without switching SOI back to FLIR page)

 

LTD engages (indicating that the laser is firing), but you will not get a Maverick lock, so the missile will not fire.

 

Remarks:

 

* Since the pod actually is pointing on the ground behind the building, if you pull up until there is a line of sight between the pod and the ground behind the building, the missile will fire, targeting the ground.

 

* On SOME (smaller?) buildings, it's possible to successfully launch a Mav E. I'm not sure if these buildings have another kind of hitbox or something.

 

* As you're closing in, you will sometimes get an intermittent "Mav Locked" HUD message, but usually not long enough for the missile to fire.

 

* Firing a Mav E on a vehicle or on the ground always works flawlessly.

 

Track included:

 

1) Trying to hit a tall building. Maverick doesn't fire until I get close and shake the aircraft so the pod gets line of sight to the ground behind, hitting that ground.

 

2) Hitting a T-55 tank. Works great!

 

3) Trying to hit another tall building. Maverick never locks.

 

4) Letting the pod point at the same spot (ground behind the building), attacking from the other direction. Maverick locks on to the ground with no issues.

Hornet_MavE_Bug.trk

Edited September 28, 2020 by Bankler
Added that it only happens unless you switch back the SOI to FLIR page.

[BIGNEWY]

Hi Bankler,

 

try getting a better lock with the TGP first, TMS right to lock, you should have no issues releasing the maverick then.

 

Some larger buildings with various other mavericks may require force correlate also

 

thanks

[Bankler]

Hi Bankler,

 

try getting a better lock with the TGP first, TMS right to lock, you should have no issues releasing the maverick then.

 

Some larger buildings with various other mavericks may require force correlate also

 

thanks

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

"TMS Right"? I think that's a Viper/Warthog thing. Do you mean "Sensor Switch" to go into Area Track and/or Point Track mode? If so, which one?

 

I will try this. However, I'm not entirely sure what you mean with "better" lock and why the Mav E would not be able to see the laser unless it's one of these modes. Is it the angle changing as you're flying (since it's ground stabilized behind the building), causing the laser spot to move slowly on the wall?

[Bankler]

BIGNEWY:

 

Did some more testing.

 

It turns out that I'm only getting these problems when my Maverick page is the SOI. If I switch back focus to the FLIR page before holding pickle, the Maverick seems to fire.

 

In other words:

 

1) Designate with pod (Mode, as in area/point track doesn't matter)

2) Switch to Mav page to uncage Maverick

3) SWITCH BACK to FLIR page!

4) Hold pickle to fire

 

If I skip step 3, the missile will not fire. I'm not sure if this is intended behaviour? It's certainly not this way when firing at vehicles. Please give it a spin and see if you see the same results.

[Harker]

I will try this. However, I'm not entirely sure what you mean with "better" lock and why the Mav E would not be able to see the laser unless it's one of these modes. Is it the angle changing as you're flying (since it's ground stabilized behind the building), causing the laser spot to move slowly on the wall?

Your only option for automatically tracking a building is to use PTRK and make sure that the pod is actually tracking that building, otherwise (in ground stabilized and ATRK) the pod will track a point on the ground.

 

You can also try to manually adjust the TPOD LOS yourself so that it's always on the correct side/point of the building, as your angle changes.

[Bankler]

Your only option for automatically tracking a building is to use PTRK and make sure that the pod is actually tracking that building, otherwise (in ground stabilized and ATRK) the pod will track a point on the ground.

 

You can also try to manually adjust the TPOD LOS yourself so that it's always on the correct side/point of the building, as your angle changes.

 

Yes, that makes a lot of sense.

 

However, as mentioned in my latest reply. regardless of point track, area track or ground stab, it seems that you have to select the FLIR page as SOI (rather than the MAV page) to consistently be able to fire.

[Harker]

Yes, that makes a lot of sense.

 

 

 

However, as mentioned in my latest reply. regardless of point track, area track or ground stab, it seems that you have to select the FLIR page as SOI (rather than the MAV page) to consistently be able to fire.

Yeah, that's indeed strange. The laser should be on the TPOD's LOS anyway, no matter what the pod is tracking and of course, if it's selected or not. I've also had a few difficulties with getting the LMAV to see the laser, even against vehicles, but I don't have a track.

 

It could be that I didn't notice the problem because I mostly keep the TDC on the TPOD, only switching to the LMAV page for uncaging.

[maxTRX]

Your only option for automatically tracking a building is to use PTRK and make sure that the pod is actually tracking that building, otherwise (in ground stabilized and ATRK) the pod will track a point on the ground.

 

You can also try to manually adjust the TPOD LOS yourself so that it's always on the correct side/point of the building, as your angle changes.

 

I was just screwing around with Burj Khalifa demolitions:D using various weapons.

 

The way Mav E works now:

 

I locked one of the terraces on the building, about 2300ft up above ground with Tpod.

I approached the building directly and didn't worry too much about the lock point sitting on the ground behind and drifting away slightly from the building.

I uncaged the Mav way before getting in range then moved SC to Tpod.

When in range, I made sure the Tpod was on the target and pressed the pickle switch once to start LTD/R. At that point the laser will keep your aim point on the building surface (no drift)

Refine the aim and press pickle switch again to launch.

 

Having Tpod as SOI before the missile launch kinda makes sense since you may need to refine the laser spot after the launch.

No need for PTRK or ATRK.

 

Of course having a waypoint on a building is best. You can play with elevations in DATA on HSI and the wpt/tgt will not shift coordinates.

Too bad we can't change elevation on mark points yet.

Edited September 28, 2020 by Gripes323

[Bankler]

BigNewy:

 

Do you want me to start a new thread, or can you simply change/narrow the subject of this one to "AGM-65E can't be fired on buildings unless FLIR page is SOI" or similar, removing the [CAN NOT REPRODUCE]?

Granted it's not intended behavior that is. :)

[BIGNEWY]

Title changed

 

I will take a look

 

thanks

[BIGNEWY]

Reported for investigation,

 

with AGM-65E as SOI it will not fire on a tall building, if the target is the ground or a unit, no problem.

 

thanks