Mission type.

[Skitter]

Hi guys,

I wonder if those who play on-line and have experience with various aircrafts could tell me if the M2000C is suitable for CAP and Air Interdiction missions?

 

Regarding CAP, what is the fuel efficiency comparing to other DCS aircrafts? Would it be able to keep up with threats popping up ?

 

Have anybody tried playing with Air Interdiction missions? I can see there is a limited supply of flares and I think CCRP can't be done on NAV points at the moment?

 

The cluster anti-rwy bombs, can you use them as general purpose cluster bombs too?

 

I know the version is a fighter...or rather an interceptor?

 

Cheers

[nomdeplume]

Regarding CAP, what is the fuel efficiency comparing to other DCS aircrafts? Would it be able to keep up with threats popping up?

For most 'real' CAP operations, it would be heavily dependent on tanker support, just like in real life operations. You'll pretty much use up the centreline external tank just getting airborne and up to patrol altitude. Fuel capacity can be extended considerably by using the wing tanks, but then you lose your SARH missiles, which is a trade-off most pilots would probably be unwilling to make.

 

It depends on the mission, of course. Most online/public PvP scenarios have the opposing airbases quite close together in order to create a fairly hectic environment, so there's a good chance you'll run out of munitions before you run out of fuel. On more 'realism' focussed operations, I'd expect to see standard real-world fighter operations, i.e. take off, refuel, patrol, refuel, patrol, refuel, ...

 

Ultimately, defending an area against N threats will probably just require more players if they're in M2000C than it would if they were in F-15Cs or Su-27s. So, online missions will probably remain more or less the same, but maybe with a bit of re-balancing for numbers if they're designed around the Mirage.

 

Have anybody tried playing with Air Interdiction missions? I can see there is a limited supply of flares

Along with the limited flares which restricts you to one or maybe two passes, the A-G loadout is also very restricted (realistically, only one type of A-G munition can be carried per sortie). You also have the challenges of having to acquire targets visually from a fast-moving jet, so it's definitely not going to be performing a CAS mission like an A-10 can.

 

If you've got intel regarding the enemy position and can place waypoint(s) at ground level in close proximity to the targets, you could probably perform reasonably successful interdiction just as long as you're not expecting to rack up a dozen or more kills like the typical A-10/Ka-50 mission.

 

Ultimately, the aircraft capabilities strongly favour "one pass, haul ass" types of attacks, rather than loitering in an area and engaging any and all targets of opportunity. Effective interdiction will either require some AI scripting to provide coordinates, talk-on, smoke markers, or similar; or players in other aircraft (or Combined Arms) who are able to direct the air strikes. Or of course, pre-briefed targets that don't move around too much.

 

and I think CCRP can't be done on NAV points at the moment?

This isn't an "at the moment" thing, the aircraft avionics do not have this capability. At best, when you're within 10 km (or 7-8?) of a waypoint, its symbol will change to a cross on your HUD, and you can place your CCRP pipper over it to "blind designate" the terrain (using the radar for ranging). This will probably provide acceptable accuracy for LGBs (assuming something is providing the terminal guidance) and might work well enough against large targets like buildings, but we'll have to see how the INS drift is modelled before we can be sure about either of these.

 

The cluster anti-rwy bombs, can you use them as general purpose cluster bombs too?

We'll have to wait to see what Razbam implement. The Belouga actually has 3 variants, of which of the anti-runway/surface is one. They also have an anti-armor and anti-personnel variant, but I don't think Razbam have stated anywhere exactly what they're creating.

 

I know the version is a fighter...or rather an interceptor?

I think of it as primarily an interceptor, secondary role as an air superiority fighter, and a tertiary ground attack capability. As the latter is my primary interest, I think the platform's limitations will pose an interesting challenge to both mission designers and players who are used to A-10Cs and Ka-50s chewing up battalions of MBTs on every sortie. I think the M2000C has the speed and navigation capabilities to make such sorties interesting and engaging - and of course a good self-defence and offensive capability when you want to mix it up in the skies.

[Skitter]

That's exactly the information I needed, thanks very much.

[Skitter]

I think CCRP can't be done on NAV points at the moment?

 

This isn't an "at the moment" thing, the aircraft avionics do not have this capability.

 

Hey Nomedeplume,

I asked about bomb on coordinates because of the video below.

Hopefully the link will take you to the right spot, but if not fast forward to 2 minutes 5 seconds. Cheers.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Skitter

[nomdeplume]

I asked about bomb on coordinates because of the video below.

Hopefully the link will take you to the right spot, but if not fast forward to 2 minutes 5 seconds.

Interesting, I've not seen any mention of the PI on the forum.

 

The closest is this post from Zeus, which suggests this is for CCIP mode - basically using the waypoint elevation as the target altitude.

 

So if my understanding there is right:

 

• TAS - normal method, uses the radar to determine slant range and therefore calculate an accurate solution.
  
• RS - backup method, uses the radar altimeter to determine aircraft's height above the ground, calculates the slant range with the assumption the target is at the same altitude as the terrain (over which the aircraft is currently flying). Only accurate if the terrain is fairly flat.
  
• IP - basically same as RS, but uses the difference between the aircraft's altitude and the waypoint's altitude to calculate the slant range. Should be accurate if the waypoint is accurate and the INS has not drifted too much.
  

To be able to use the waypoint directly as a target for CCRP would of course be "possible" but everyone so far has said it's not implemented in the 2000C's avionics (maybe it is in the ground-attack variants). So even if the IP mode button is available in CCRP, it may just be the same as for CCIP, i.e. a substitute for radar-ranging to calculate the slant range to the designated point, and not a system used to calculate an actual release solution.