F-14 RWR Question

[Dudikoff]

I think this was already discussed in this thread. Tomcat RWR's were quite limited till AN/ALR-67 was installed. Perhaps you could ask which system he was referring to exactly?

Edited November 7, 2015 by Dudikoff

[BlackLion213]

To answer your question, he was deployed with VF-11 (Rippers) and later moved to VF-101 (Grim Reapers). At first he was deployed to the Kennedy and did I think 3 cruses, got his neptune certificate (Thats a good story for people that have never been in the Navy) and then went off to the Navy Fighter Weapons School. My memories really begin after he was deployed to the Ike in the mid 80's.

 

Excellent, great to have you and feel free to share anecdotes at will. :D

 

-Nick

[Diegeist]

Dudikoff,

 

He was speaking about the ALR-45.

 

~Dieg

[jester_]

Jester,

 

SCP and BlackLion are quite correct, there were no flight controls in the back seat of a Tomcat. I don't even have to ask him this since I spent many hours as a kid on base in the giant F-14 simulators. The only thing the RIO has is a small stick in front of the main radar screen.

 

As for the flight training, my father was a pilot before he entered the service. So I believe he could have flown the aircraft if he had the controls to do so, but again BlackLion is spot on. The RIOs only received NFO (Naval Flight Officer) training.

 

I have so many great stories from him, one of these days I will pull out the recorder and get them on tape. I feel that someday these amazing experiences could be lost to time unless we share them.

 

If you guys want me to ask him anything let me know, we usually talk shop over football on Sunday : )

 

~Dieg

 

Thanks brah. Can I come over for football on Sunday?

[Diegeist]

Only if you bring the beer : )

[Dudikoff]

Dudikoff, He was speaking about the ALR-45.~Dieg

 

Thanks for confirming that. I'd expect these would be present in the LN's mid-80's F-14A's? If so, it will be rather fun flying the A's over contested territory :)

Edited November 11, 2015 by Dudikoff

[Blaze1]

ALR-45

 

I just stumbled across this thread, so I'm very late to the party. :)

 

The ALR-45 was the premier RWR/RHAW for USN tactical aircraft prior to the ALR-67. It was used by some A-6 Intruders (ALR-45D) during ODS, which were tasked to penetrate ground defences (perhaps not the heaviest), so it did have some capabilities. In terms of display architecture, detected radar emissions manifested as radial strobes emanating from the centre of the screen (old Vietnam style tech). When introduced in 1970, up to at least 1974 it was a 2 - 15.5 GHz system, beyond that date its frequency range may have been expanded.

 

Also in the A-6 at least, the volume for the ALR-45 & 50 could be controlled.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Blaze1

[Reflected]

Sorry for reviving this old thread, but I just read through all the interesting info here.

 

Looks like the A model will have no place on modern day servers such as the 104th, facing SU-27s and such. Maybe the B model with its RWR on the right side of the panel, but even that one will be seriously inferior. The "A" model will be more "at home" on, say, the ACG cold war server, right?

[Coyote Duster]

She'll hold fine in the modern background, if the mig-21 can sneak an f-15 kill the tomcat should be able to snag a flanker or two

[Reflected]

She'll hold fine in the modern background, if the mig-21 can sneak an f-15 kill the tomcat should be able to snag a flanker or two

 

At a kill ratio of 2:10? Surely challenging, but not necessarily fun, or realistic.

[The Black Swan]

Um.... while the Phoenix missle isn't an end all argument, I would think that its crazy range would at least make it viable.... i mean when we say modern in DCS it's not like we are going up against f-22s and the like...

[BlackLion213]

Looks like the A model will have no place on modern day servers such as the 104th, facing SU-27s and such. Maybe the B model with its RWR on the right side of the panel, but even that one will be seriously inferior. The "A" model will be more "at home" on, say, the ACG cold war server, right?

 

I think both the F-14A and F-14B are going to be a "vintage" experience given the age of their avionics and weapon systems. Certainly the F/A-18 will feel much more sophisticated.

 

Having no place on the 104th? - Not sure. I expect that the F-14A will offer comparable overall A-A (combination/average of BVR and WVR) to the Mirage 2000C while the F-14B will be a bit better than the Mirage given it's updated RWR and better engines.

 

The Mirage is more user friendly than either F-14, but both the A/B will offer superior radar capability, better missiles (fox 3s), more range/fuel, and a second crew member (if Jester AI works as expected). Jester AI could offer some real advantages to the F-14 if the system is effective - things like enemy spotting during ACM might make a big difference. Also, though the radar is older than the Mirage's, it comes with an operator so it will be lower effort for the player despite it's analog nature. Lower pilot workloads may also have a significant impact of aircraft effectiveness (maybe...).

 

I doubt the F-14 (A or B) would be a dominant airframe on MP vs F-15s and Su-27s, but there will be redeeming features as well.

 

My 2 cents,

 

-Nick

[probad]

f-14 workload will never be lower than fc3 workload.

 

but that's not the point. considering there are players who regularly haze 15s and 27s with the mig21 i have no doubts there will be crews who will succeed with the tomcat.

[BlackLion213]

f-14 workload will never be lower than fc3 workload.

 

Yeah...though careful with the word "never". :)

 

I meant that pilot may be lower than the Mirage 2000C and lower than expected given the older avionics. Though it's difficult to know what it will be like since Jester AI remains an unknown quantity in terms of features and effectiveness.

 

 

but that's not the point. considering there are players who regularly haze 15s and 27s with the mig21 i have no doubts there will be crews who will succeed with the tomcat.

 

Agreed, which speaks to the fact that many players want different things. Some want the latest/greatest tool and are hoping that the next module will give them an edge in MP. Others want to really learn an aircraft and see what it can do - whether or not it is most effective compared to other aircraft.

 

Nevertheless, among available "modern-ish" modules the F-14A will probably be at least half-way up the pecking order and the F-14B a bit above that. Probably decent if you know it's limitations.

 

-Nick