jojo

If like me you don't know what H-Build is :D https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104575/aim-7-sparrow/

Seems to work fine for me. I bought the module after the problem was fixed, but I saw reports from over peoples starting it was ok :smilewink:

You probably forgot more than I ever learned about the Tomcat :D

Of course not. But Iraq did loose a fair count of fighters in air combat. And some guys like Tom Cooper spent years studying the subject, even if it isn't an exact science.

Just analyze some TacView where AIM-54 is tracking a fighter target. You'll see that as long as it's going fast, it doesn't need to pull crazy G to catch a fighter pulling max G.

And if you wonder why the Tomcat was withdrawn, listen that interview. This is a fabulous insight on Tomcat service life by an admiral with 4000 flight hours in the beast ! https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=260596

There is a generation gap, yet you can jam the AWG-9... https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27889/confessions-of-a-navy-f-14-fleet-pilot-turned-f-5-aggressor :smilewink:

Certainly not in high altitude !!! Likewise US pretend that AIM-120D range would be has good as Meteor...no way !

Your manual says 8 bars +/-20° out to 15Nm for PAL :smilewink:

@IronMike: So would your AWG-9 detect a stationary helicopter in Doppler mode ?

IMHO, in combat pilots don’t really think “this weapon is too precious for this target”. They use what is hung under the aircraft which serve the intended purpose. Fire & forget is invaluable tool at close range.

+1 A missile is target agnostic. If it can lock and have to energy to reach it will kill. DCS may not be perfect representation, but it isn't limited to AIM-54. Month back I did some defensive test Vs HB Tomcat and AIM-54. I watched it in TacView. What I noticed is that if you manoeuvre hard, you are turning very tight and bleeding speed. The missile arriving very fast barely has to correct its trajectory to catch you. So it isn't that obvious that it won't catch a fighter just because it's big. You have to notch and chaff to evade.

Some RIM-7 Sea Sparrow have anti-ship mode. I'm not sure if it would be possible on air-launched Sparrow ?

I wasn't there so it isn't "my" story. But I read multiple times about different fighters that Doppler radar do spot rotor blade. And given the diameter and rotation speed, a significant part of the blades will be moving above Doppler speed threshold.

I read multiple times that metallic rotor blades should give some Doppler returns. There is a famous blue on blue incident that happened in Irak in 1994. 2 UH-60 Black Hawks were shot down by 2 F-15C after misidentification. The helicopters were detected by the AWACS and it seems that F-15C got them on radar around 40 (statute) miles. This is probably an ED thing.

Yeah, I noticed too that for Phoenix the manual is more “how it should work” than “how it’s actually working” due to delay for core DCS World to adapt. I’m not sure that P STT would be “iron grip” in BVR though IRL. Maybe some DCS/ module limitation here. Ground noise in look down, chaff, ECM range gate pull off mode (yes I know, only noise jamming in game). But that’s good to know, I will give it a try :thumbup: At least the PD STT should give you a better target discrimination. Launching in active mode, you’re not sure what will be locked...can be important in crowded fight :D

PAL is 15Nm :smilewink: http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html#pulse-doppler-mode

In P STT you would be launching AIM-54 in active mode, not in SARH mode. http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html#pulse-mode http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/weapons.html#id3

With PD STT it will be SARH until impact. In PD STT the antenna is continuously tracking only one target which is receiving all radar energy. Not exactly a stealthy attack mode :smilewink:

The name of the commands changed. It's now Weapons SystemCMD FWD/ DEPRESS/ AFT in HOTAS category.

Yep, chaff seems to work well too, both AIM-54A and AIM-54C. So far, AI Su-33 at FL350 are evading easily with chaffs is look down, even before being into the notch. Edit: replayed my custom mission a fourth time. 1 F-14B Vs 2 x Su-33 sweep + 2 Tu-22M3 anti-ship. High altitude. Launch 4 Phoenix in TWS. In total, 4 AIM-54A failed to intercept the Su-33, they went for chaff each time. 3 AIM-54C went for chaff, 1 stayed on the Su-33 and killed it. Before purchasing the F-14B module I tried with M-2000C Vs AI F-14B. Ok AI but missile is the same. I managed to consistently beam and defeat the incoming AIM-54. The hard part was to re-commit. I don’t see how the AIM-54 is OP ?

My 2 cents: It's already an incredibly complex simulation of the F-14. The most hard core ever published. Yet there are some important feature for game play missing (TWS Auto, Jester LANTIRN control...). But the more you give to people, the more you will have people nitpicking about smaller and smaller details like you're doing. (Hook skipping the wires). It may be a good idea, but I hope they do prioritize and will deliver missing features before making this kind of small detail which doesn't exist anywhere else (module or simulator).

Silly question...chaff ? I know, shouldn't be detected in Pulse Doppler.

+1 thanks :thumbup:

Great interview, liked and subscribed :thumbup: