Making sense of a busy AWAC's environment.

[bunraku]

Hi

 

Just started the Georgian Hammer campaign and AWAC's is calling popups, bullseye calls, targets and other friendly units and they are replyin etc.

 

So it's a cacophony of sound and a bit overwhelming.

 

My questions are how do you sort the important stuff?

How do I know anything concerns me. I'm not just meaning hearing my callsign, but hearing enemy SAM and AAA warnings. Do I have to mark or keep mental note of every report?

 

Do I have to listen to every bandit warning etc etc.

 

Like I said it's very noisy compared to the campaigns I've done so far and a bit hectic.

 

Thanks

[RIFLE_JTAC_TRAINING]

Bunraku.

 

Dont give up! I would recommend that the most important calls of course are those designated to your call sign.

 

At first perhaps you can draw out a picture of what is happening. A birds eye view of whats happening around the bulls eye or you.

 

In time however I think the end state would be for you to have a great pre mission study and recce so that you can have the best SA or situational awareness. It takes a while for most and dont forget its a perishable skill.

 

The more SA you have the better you can support your flight achieve the ground force commanders intent and provide safety for you and boots on the ground!

 

Hope that helps?

 

63

[Gliptal]

You can adjust the volume of each individual radio, which can help.

[baltic_dragon]

Well, for AWACS it really helps to get the picture with bandits, for picture it is useful that you know where the bullseye is. What Gliptal says may be useful, changing volume of different radios do help a lot. The problem with AWACS comms is that they are queued, so if there is a lot of things going on plus if you have other flights on the same frequency, you will wait a lot for all the messages to play. Still, it is a great tool which is really useful, especially in busy / high intensity missions.

 

Before you go, you should carefully study the flight plan, see where the other flights will be, so that when they call their waypoints you have an idea where to look for them.

 

Keeping good SA is a key!

[bunraku]

Thanks for replies guys

[DUSTY]

Don't forget you can request a 'BOGEY DOPE' which will give spur the AWACS to give you closest threat in BRAA format. Very helpful when your 'bucket is full'.

[bunraku]

Thanks again.

 

Is it best to take notes or just try and mark the points for threats etc on TAD or just try and remember?

[paulca]

Personally I glance at the message (or pick out the bits I want on the audio). I am listening for..

 

 

HOT ... if I don't hear that I more or less ignore it and think, "CAP's problem"

Range ... if he's more than 30nm away I ignore it... less than 30nm I note the bearing... less than 20nm and I consider my options and start looking for friendly AAW flights.

... less than 10nm and I break for the deck.

 

The trickier part is working out if it's just a helo flight. But when it gets inside 30nm and I start noting the bearing, if it's HOT and still 28nm away several minutes later, it's probably a helo flight.

[DUSTY]

Thanks again.

 

Is it best to take notes or just try and mark the points for threats etc on TAD or just try and remember?

 

I just try to build a mental picture from the comms. Typically you would be too busy to write down all the calls - it wouldn't be worth the time expense. Using mark points for threat calls is likely just to make your own targeting solutions more confusing.

 

If you have time to place the TAD cursor over the threat location to help you visualise it, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

Paulca makes a good point and rule of thumb. However a good understanding of the mission brief and enemy order of battle is crucial. If there are hostile High Fast Flyers (HFF) like there are in a few of the A10 RF16-2 campaign missions, you want to start running for the friendly goalie caps while they are greater than 30NM away. Those Mig-25s and 31s are bloody quick!

[bunraku]

Really good advice guys. Thanks