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Tips for using AIM-7's


SgtPappy

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For the last month, I have been flying almost exclusively with AIM-7M's and AIM-9M's on servers like the 104th and 159th. I like flying around with a 1980's combat load, and since no one else does 1980's servers, I decided to just fly with the weapons I like. I also feel I'm more careful with Sparrows since I only have 4.

 

So far, I have had fairly good success. I fly around primarily near the mountains or hills and use them as cover. On good days, I'll have a K/D of 1:1, but sometimes I'm lucky enough get 7:2 or unlucky enough to get killed a few times with no kills.

 

Does anyone have any tips/advice on flying with this loadout?

 

I find that my primary problem is running out of fuel because I'm forced to fly low. As a result, I'm very hesitant to get rid of drop tanks because I want to keep as much fuel as possible. I get killed often while trying to drop them. Also, I end up having to merge a LOT, and if I lose the enemy for a second, I will have to run behind a hill or I'm dead. and that happens sometimes.

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Against fighters armed with AIM-120 or R-27ER you need to surprise them at close range and from flank or behind as you will lose every "fair" engagement due to shorter range and longer flightime of AIM-7. Basically what you are doing right now is what you should do, at least in theory.

 

Don't fly all the time with MIL-power as you will waste fuel and fly too fast unless maneuvering. Keep your speed around 400-450 depending on your weight and you will save fuel and have optimal starting speed for maneuvering.

DCS Finland: Suomalainen DCS yhteisö -- Finnish DCS community

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Even if I'm using SARH vs ARH, I don't necessarily fly low. Stay high and scout things from a distance. When you see someone that looks distracted, then you might chance going low and sneaking up on them.

 

Another way to deal with the fuel issue is just to use short trips. Make one attack and retreat and you should be able to do fine with only internal fuel. Just make sure you leave yourself a way out.

Awaiting: DCS F-15C

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I will experiment with staying high and being more careful. The other day I flew high and found a bandit who snuck up on me within 30nm, but while diving, I didn't pay attention to the closure rate.

 

We merged, I lost him and was hit by an R-73. I should have extended to reset the fight. If I practise flying high and diving in the right direction and at the right time, hopefully I'll be killed less.

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I try to never fire outside of 5nm with the Aim7.

 

3-4nm is super ideal, I always fire two in quick succession and they rarely let me down... it does happen but not often. Lots of energy at that range!

 

Obviously I don't try this when there are actives inbound, but if I'm first to fire, I'll hold until inside 5nm before any Fox 1

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;2473897']I try to never fire outside of 5nm with the Aim7.

 

3-4nm is super ideal, I always fire two in quick succession and they rarely let me down... it does happen but not often. Lots of energy at that range!

 

Obviously I don't try this when there are actives inbound, but if I'm first to fire, I'll hold until inside 5nm before any Fox 1

 

 

They work realy well out to 18nm if fired in the right parameters..

For the WIN

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If your desired effect on the target is making the pilot defecate his pants laughing then you can definitely achieve it with a launch like that.
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They work realy well out to 18nm if fired in the right parameters..

 

I don't think those parameters would apply online. 18 nm is a lot to ask for the AIM-120 even in its current state. The AIM-7 is terrible with energy bleed.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1992715&postcount=1138

Awaiting: DCS F-15C

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;2473897']I try to never fire outside of 5nm with the Aim7.

 

3-4nm is super ideal, I always fire two in quick succession and they rarely let me down... it does happen but not often. Lots of energy at that range!

 

Obviously I don't try this when there are actives inbound, but if I'm first to fire, I'll hold until inside 5nm before any Fox 1

 

Yea, I found if I locked someone too early, they'd be that much liklier to turn towards me and fire first. Preferably I like getting so close, they're at the bottom of the VSD before I fire.

 

It's tempting to lock people because the information the scope gives you in STT or TWS soft lock helps with my crappy SA.

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I don't think those parameters would apply online. 18 nm is a lot to ask for the AIM-120 even in its current state. The AIM-7 is terrible with energy bleed.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1992715&postcount=1138

 

Yes well, as I said you have to be in PRIME launching conditions. I have scored several aim7 kills on 104th at +15nm shots.

 

Yea, I found if I locked someone too early, they'd be that much liklier to turn towards me and fire first. Preferably I like getting so close, they're at the bottom of the VSD before I fire.

 

It's tempting to lock people because the information the scope gives you in STT or TWS soft lock helps with my crappy SA.

 

You're flirting with the devil doing this.. Waiting for them to be that close some times makes it extreamly hard to get a hard lock..

 

 

You should softlock in TWS and hold the soft lock. When you get into the position you want to fire, just switch back to rws and it will auto transition to STT allowing you to fire, or you can switch to bore scope which is auto aquisition into stt or even flood mode.

For the WIN

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

If your desired effect on the target is making the pilot defecate his pants laughing then you can definitely achieve it with a launch like that.
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Yes well, as I said you have to be in PRIME launching conditions. I have scored several aim7 kills on 104th at +15nm shots.

 

 

 

You're flirting with the devil doing this.. Waiting for them to be that close some times makes it extreamly hard to get a hard lock..

 

 

You should softlock in TWS and hold the soft lock. When you get into the position you want to fire, just switch back to rws and it will auto transition to STT allowing you to fire, or you can switch to bore scope which is auto aquisition into stt or even flood mode.

 

If I hold a soft lock, will the enemy know I'm soft locking them? With the F-15's RWR, I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but I don't know much about the SPO-15.

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If I hold a soft lock, will the enemy know I'm soft locking them? With the F-15's RWR, I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but I don't know much about the SPO-15.

 

TWS is a "software" lock. The radar emissions don't change so there is no way for an opponent to tell the difference between TWS and the radar passively scanning.

Awaiting: DCS F-15C

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If I hold a soft lock, will the enemy know I'm soft locking them? With the F-15's RWR, I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but I don't know much about the SPO-15.

 

 

As Exocert stated it is a software lock I.e. the locked plane only sees your radar sweeps and cannot tell it is locked..

 

I do want to clarify what I mean by hard to get a hard lock.. If you're closure rate is high I find when a target is that close to me it can be difficult to get the tdc on the target and lock them.. Especially if they are towards the gimble limit of the radar.

 

:pilotfly:

For the WIN

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

If your desired effect on the target is making the pilot defecate his pants laughing then you can definitely achieve it with a launch like that.
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I do want to clarify what I mean by hard to get a hard lock.. If you're closure rate is high I find when a target is that close to me it can be difficult to get the tdc on the target and lock them.. Especially if they are towards the gimble limit of the radar.

 

ohhhh.. for a "step" function on the HOTAS

 

like in the real-deal

 

 

one press - nearest target locked

 

"go!"

 

 

no messing with a TDC

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ohhhh.. for a "step" function on the HOTAS

 

like in the real-deal

 

 

one press - nearest target locked

 

"go!"

 

 

no messing with a TDC

 

Wait what? Can you do this in DCS? If so, that would make close-range engagements and dogfights much easier for me.

Pr1mal's problem is mine as well. It's hard to look outside and have to lock a target blipping from one side of the VSD to the other in a second.

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Wait what? Can you do this in DCS? If so, that would make close-range engagements and dogfights much easier for me.

Pr1mal's problem is mine as well. It's hard to look outside and have to lock a target blipping from one side of the VSD to the other in a second.

 

No Dcs does not model this. It should. but it doesnt

 

That's what your aacq modes are for.

 

Well, there is NO reason it should not be implemented in the dcs. Same thing with supersearch. Leaving those options out imho is about as equal as leaving eos off the ru birds. There has been the "it's a PITA to model" Comment made before but if floodmode works with the same area as what SS is there is no reason it cannot work out to the 10nm is suposed to work at.


Edited by pr1malr8ge

For the WIN

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

If your desired effect on the target is making the pilot defecate his pants laughing then you can definitely achieve it with a launch like that.
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Yes well, as I said you have to be in PRIME launching conditions. I have scored several aim7 kills on 104th at +15nm shots.

 

I would dare to say that is possible only against not-so-skilled opponents. If an opponent has a slightest clue what he's doing, even 5nm is easily avoidable, and then better be prepared for dogfight, because it's gonna happen.

 

No Dcs does not model this. It should. but it doesnt

Well, there is NO reason it should not be implemented in the dcs. Same thing with supersearch. Leaving those options out imho is about as equal as leaving eos off the ru birds. There has been the "it's a PITA to model" Comment made before but if floodmode works with the same area as what SS is there is no reason it cannot work out to the 10nm is suposed to work at.

 

It's not a magic tool, it would help for sure, but don't think it would make a big difference.


Edited by =4c=Nikola

Do not expect fairness.

The times of chivalry and fair competition are long gone.

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I would dare to say that is possible only against not-so-skilled opponents. If an opponent has a slightest clue what he's doing, even 5nm is easily avoidable, and then better be prepared for dogfight, because it's gonna happen.

 

 

 

It's not a magic tool, it would help for sure, but don't think it would make a big difference.

 

I did not say it's a guarantee we all know this.. I can say that it has caught a few skilled players on 104th by complete surprise and bit them hard.

 

I'm not trying to argue that it's some magic stick kill that works all the time.. But if I can get into the position I want with it, It does one hella job for me.

 

As far as getting into 5nm if I'm firing that close I've committed to merging.

For the WIN

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

If your desired effect on the target is making the pilot defecate his pants laughing then you can definitely achieve it with a launch like that.
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It's not a magic tool, it would help for sure, but don't think it would make a big difference.

 

Nope not a magic tool but I think you're wrong with making a big differance. in WVR it could make a huge difference.

For the WIN

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

If your desired effect on the target is making the pilot defecate his pants laughing then you can definitely achieve it with a launch like that.
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If you fire a 7 at a guy from 15 nm then he'll either laugh at you because he knows what's up or he'll turn around, neither of them gonna result in a kill. If he does manage to die somehow then it's probably the result of being awfully incompetent or having no SA.

 

Flying in the age of sub 10 nm slammer shots where in many cases you can even dodge stuff from inside 8 miles and you want to kill someone from twice the range with a missile that has about half the kinematic capability of a slammer with the added bonus of waving a billboard that my missile is on the way. You're asking for a hell too much.

 

My best advice using 7s is very simple yet complex. HAVE A ****ING WINGMAN!

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Well, there is NO reason it should not be implemented in the dcs. Same thing with supersearch. Leaving those options out imho is about as equal as leaving eos off the ru birds. There has been the "it's a PITA to model" Comment made before but if floodmode works with the same area as what SS is there is no reason it cannot work out to the 10nm is suposed to work at.

 

Super Search is not a find all magic tool, it is used when in visual with a bandit, the pilot places the circle over the target and hits the AAQ button. Nothing special and not so much more super special than VS.

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I'm not sure the pilot has to do anything to lock a target, supersearch is one of the auto acquisition modes and has a range of 10 nm. *(corrected by GG). Search area is 20 by 20°.


Edited by Svend_Dellepude
Incorrect range

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It's 10nm like all other AACQ modes, and yes it is automatic. There's a long-rage boresight mode that is capable of putting 'the lock' on a target from 30nm out.

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Reminder: SAM = Speed Bump :D

I used to play flight sims like you, but then I took a slammer to the knee - Yoda

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It is insanely superior to VS where VS's narrow parameters are not required or satisfiable ... (see what I did there :) )

 

But no, it isn't magical.

 

Super Search is not a find all magic tool, it is used when in visual with a bandit, the pilot places the circle over the target and hits the AAQ button. Nothing special and not so much more super special than VS.

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

Reminder: SAM = Speed Bump :D

I used to play flight sims like you, but then I took a slammer to the knee - Yoda

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