TWS heading vector

[Bushmanni]

All the sources that I have read about US radar displays tell me that heading vector in TWS mode shows aspect but in DCS Eagle it shows heading relative to own ship heading. For example if my heading is 0 and contact heading is 180 the vector points directly downwards on the scope. This also means that if the contact points straight down when he's angle off is 0, he will turn to point 60 degrees to the right if I turn him to the left gimbal limit (ie. I make a 60 degree right turn). Is the current heading mapping correct for the F-15's TWS mode?

[GGTharos]

Yes, it is correct.

[Bushmanni]

Ok, then I'm interested knowing what are the advantages of this versus using aspect?

[GGTharos]

I don't know the philosophy behind it. Aspect of your target is displayed on the HuD, on the VSD you will essentially get a situational awareness display based on your radar, and it will align more or less with what you see on the MPCD. You can see where everyone's going rather than their aspect to you, so you can see who they're trying to intercept for example, which direction they're going in at a glance, etc.

[Bushmanni]

Thanks. The relative heading mapping seems to me only marginally better than aspect in that regard though. For example two planes flying towards each other will seem like that on the VSD only in some special cases, just like it would be with aspect. Aspect mapping on the other hand gives you much better SA regarding your own situation. It could be much easier to correlate the VSD with the MPCD in busy situations though but as we don't have the SA page in DCS for MPCD it's hard to tell.

[TAW_Blaze]

I'm not sure if I understood it correctly but the way a B scope works pretty much explains it. As far as why they use a B scope, many arguments can be made.