steve65 Posted February 19, 2015 Posted February 19, 2015 Was just looking at some pictures of an f-18c joystick and throttle and have a quick question.what button locks a radar contact after it's been bugged in TWS mode.
Alfa Posted February 19, 2015 Posted February 19, 2015 Was just looking at some pictures of an f-18c joystick and throttle and have a quick question.what button locks a radar contact after it's been bugged in TWS mode. A button on the back of the throttle, while the un-designate button is on the stick(see attached drawings). Similar to the MiG-29 btw :) JJ
steve65 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) A button on the back of the throttle, while the un-designate button is on the stick(see attached drawings). Similar to the MiG-29 btw :) So it's the target designator controller? Does it also control the radar cursor? Edited February 20, 2015 by steve65
aaron886 Posted February 20, 2015 Posted February 20, 2015 The TDC is a force sensing four way "hat" with a button depress function. The Undesignate/NWS button on the stick is a little bit less cut and dry. If you are in AG or NAV, and have an STT target or an A/G FLIR/radar designation, it breaks that designation. If you are in AA mode, it will break STT lock. In ACM, with no STT lock, the radar will return to the previous mode. If you are in TWS, RWS, or VS, it does something akin to "bugging" the target to RWS-SAM in the F-16, which is something most flight simmers are familiar with from Falcon 4.0. In the Hornet it's called L&S or "Launch and Steer" designation. This is a way to slew a weapon sensor onto a target without hard locking it... think Sidewinder. One last function... the FLIR pod can be commanded to track the Velocity Vector by double tapping the Undesignate button twice in one second. I'm not sure if the FLIR needs to have TDC priority for this to happen, but maybe. The Hornet has a very feature-packed HOTAS. Lots of double-presses, long presses, etc.
Flagrum Posted February 20, 2015 Posted February 20, 2015 The Hornet has a very feature-packed HOTAS. Lots of double-presses, long presses, etc. How is the complexity - roughly - compared to the A-10C HOTAS? Seems that the F/A-18 has fewer buttons/hats and the A-10C makes extensive use of at least short/long presses as well. In which aircraft do you have to ... "knead" the controls more? :o)
steve65 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Posted February 20, 2015 The TDC is a force sensing four way "hat" with a button depress function. The Undesignate/NWS button on the stick is a little bit less cut and dry. If you are in AG or NAV, and have an STT target or an A/G FLIR/radar designation, it breaks that designation. If you are in AA mode, it will break STT lock. In ACM, with no STT lock, the radar will return to the previous mode. If you are in TWS, RWS, or VS, it does something akin to "bugging" the target to RWS-SAM in the F-16, which is something most flight simmers are familiar with from Falcon 4.0. In the Hornet it's called L&S or "Launch and Steer" designation. This is a way to slew a weapon sensor onto a target without hard locking it... think Sidewinder. One last function... the FLIR pod can be commanded to track the Velocity Vector by double tapping the Undesignate button twice in one second. I'm not sure if the FLIR needs to have TDC priority for this to happen, but maybe. The Hornet has a very feature-packed HOTAS. Lots of double-presses, long presses, etc. Ok now that you have confused me more than I was.i will give you a scenario .if you are tracking an A-A target in RWS mode and switch to TWS mode all targets within radars range should be soft locked.in the hornet which buttons on the HOTAS slew the cursor and which button locks the target for missile launch.would it be the same for STT lock in RWS mode.
aaron886 Posted February 20, 2015 Posted February 20, 2015 (edited) No, TWS does not "soft lock" all targets. It creates trackfiles in more detail for a maximum number of hits/contacts. The TDC slews and designates. The undesignate button undesignates, and with no STT target, creates a L&S target. It's not a simple HOTAS, you're not going to get a more simple answer. How is the complexity - roughly - compared to the A-10C HOTAS? Seems that the F/A-18 has fewer buttons/hats and the A-10C makes extensive use of at least short/long presses as well. In which aircraft do you have to ... "knead" the controls more? :o) Consider that the Hornet has 3 displays, air to air, and air to ground modes. Not only does it have targeting pod options, it also has a radar. You get the idea. More complicated than the F-16, which is similarly (or slightly more) complicated than the A-10C. Edited February 20, 2015 by aaron886
steve65 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Posted February 20, 2015 No, TWS does not "soft lock" all targets. It creates trackfiles in more detail for a maximum number of hits/contacts. The TDC slews and designates. The undesignate button undesignates, and with no STT target, creates a L&S target. It's not a simple HOTAS, you're not going to get a more simple answer. Thanks aaron886 that explanation makes sense to me.i will do some more reading on the undesignate button and L&S with STT.
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