dporter22

I've tested the autopilot many times now in several different missions and it just doesn't work properly. Sometimes it sort of does, most times not. It might have something to do with the fact that something is wrong with the flight controls because I have to input significant nose down trim as soon as I take off. All trims are neutral on the ground and I press the takeoff trim button before takeoff.

Cool mission, but it's not a moving target.

Doesn't really matter though because gun aiming is currently very broken. Rounds fall ridiculously short with both the gun cross and CDIP.

I know it's an old suite, but it seems odd that it would not include the capability to target moving targets. I've never heard that the A-10 was unable to target moving targets using the same pod, was it?

Could you please explain how you got a target diamond and ASL without designating the target? In my F-15E I have to designate a target in order to get the diamond/ASL to drop the weapon, and boxing CDES still requires a designation.

Yes, that's the problem. The designation does not remain on the moving target with a point track (regardless of whether CDES is boxed or not). It works on very slow moving ships because the designation is still close enough to the target that the weapon can pick up the laser. It's a significant bug so I'm sure they'll fix it soon.

Yes, very odd. I've tried several different times in three of your missions and the autopilot just doesn't work. Works normally everywhere else and I'm using the same procedures. No mods installed and haven't changed the comm settings.

Thanks, but the problem is not getting a point track, it's getting a designation to remain on the point track. You have to have a designation on the target in order to release the weapon accurately and currently the designation doesn't stay on a moving target.

Anyone have any idea why my autopilot does not work in any of Sedlo's missions? Works fine in any other mission or training, just not any from Sedlo.

Yes, that's a workaround for now but hopefully it'll get fixed soon.

Yes, designation of a moving point track does not work. It's reported as a bug so hopefully they'll fix it soon.

Confirmed. Target designation does not stay on moving targets, and if you try to redesignate it loses the point track.

Yes, that's what's wrong currently. The target diamond should be on the target (that's why it's called a "target diamond" and not a "somewhere in the vicinity of the target diamond"). The diamond and the ASL need to be on the target to provide guidance to the target and the correct weapon release location. See the track I posted of the F-18 for how it should work.

Please post a track. I posted a track of it not working, so if it's been fixed or if there's a procedure I'm missing that would be great.

So from the additional posts we can confirm that designating moving targets is currently not functioning correctly. You can sometimes get the weapon to track the laser if you're close enough, but the designation/target diamond/ASL do not remain on the target as they should.

Thanks. If you have one showing the target diamond remaining on the moving target please post.

That's what I'm saying, it shouldn't work like that. You do have to designate a point on the ground because you have to have a target diamond and ASL in order to release the weapon in auto mode. Currently in the DCS F-15E if you designate a moving target the designation point does not stay on the target, it stays right where you designated it. Then you have acquire a point track which tracks the target, but the target is not designated even when CDES is boxed. The target diamond remains back where you designated it while the target moves away. Then you fly the ASL to the previously designated point on the ground, because it is not moving with the target, and hope that by the time you get to the weapon release point that the seeker can pick up the laser on the target. This is not correct. It's not how it works in other DCS aircraft and it's not how it works IRL. Could you please post a track of the F-15E tracking a moving target with a continuous designation that remains on the target and an explanation of how you did it?

I'm even more confused then because the F-18 I fly definitely does continuously track and designate the target. See attached. If the DCS F-15E does not it has to be incorrect because no real-world aircraft would be able to operate effectively and safely if it had to designate a random point on the ground, then obtain a point track of the actual target without the target being designated, then fly the ASL to the previously designated point which is now nowhere near the actual target that is moving away, and hope that the weapon picks up the laser that is tracking the target by the time the airplane gets to the release point. In the attached track you can see that obtaining a point track automatically tracks and designates the target, the target designation diamond stays on and moves with the target, and the ASL remains attached to the diamond giving correct guidance to the moving target the entire time, even after weapon release and impact. It's the same in the A-10 and F-16 and should be the same in the F-15E. (Don't know why the bomb didn't hit the target, but that's another discussion.) F18 LGB.trk

Thanks, but I've tried various different angles, and that angle shouldn't matter anyway. The question is how to designate a moving target and no one seems to be able to answer that question. As you can see in the track, pressing designate either before or after acquiring a point track simply designates a spot on the ground. In the meantime, the target has moved away from that spot, but the ASL is relevant to the designated spot, so the bomb doesn't guide. If you're saying that you are supposed to fly the ASL and release the bomb in relation to the designated spot, and the bomb is supposed to track the laser which is following the target which has by now moved well away from the designated spot, that doesn't make sense at all. There are lots of times when the aircraft might take a long time to get to the release point, by which time the target is very far away. As you know, in the A-10, F-18, and F-16, the designation/SPI/TPOD/Laser all stay on the moving target once you've long pressed with a point track. I don't see why it doesn't work the same in the F-15.

And since the rounds fall way short and not anywhere near the gun cross or CDIP pipper, the gun will need a lot of work as they get around to fixing things.

It's just a tank. Could you please see the track I posted and tell me what I'm doing wrong?

The original designation is not "close enough" because the target is moving away from it. How do I designate a moving target and keep the designation on it? I've tried with CDES boxed and unboxed.

But that's what doesn't work. Designating a moving target designates a point on the ground, not the target, and the target diamond and ASL are relevant to the designated point. How do I designate a moving target is what I'm asking. Track attached. CDES is boxed, tank is point tracked, TPOD follows it, pressing designate removes the point track. Designate again, acquire point track again, fly ASL to weapon release, weapon does not guide to tank which is still being tracked because it's not designated as the target. F15 LGB.trk

So you're saying don't use designation at all for moving targets, just the point track?

That's what I'm saying doesn't work. If you designate after acquiring a point track, the designation stays at the point on the ground that you designate, it doesn't follow the target.