Switching from active to passive target tracking

[Belphe]

Is there any way to determine if the currently radar-tracked (but not locked) target remains detected by the EOS after I disable the radar?

[esb77]

I forget the full list of conditions for which the IR scanner automatically turns on/off, but if you see the IR targeting information on the HUD, then yes.

 

The difference between the radar and IR modes on the HUD are fairly small, but at the least you should have a 2-3 letter code indicating that your EOS system is active, and I think that you'll probably loose range information on the HUD. At least if you only have your own aircraft's radar to work with.

 

It gets a bit more complicated if you have AWACS support or datalink from other fighters, because they can feed you range data. I can't remember if when you have AWACs the range comes up on the HUD or just on the HDD.

 

We should probably both go read the manual pages about that.:)

 

There are differences, but they're small and easy to forget if you don't practice on regular basis. If I want to be sure I'll be lazy and turn off everything, and then turn on an EOS only mode, if I reacquire then I know it's a good EOS signature. That's not the best way to do it though.

Edited December 12, 2016 by esb77

[red_coreSix]

Is there any way to determine if the currently radar-tracked (but not locked) target remains detected by the EOS after I disable the radar?

 

When you're in search mode with the radar, not really. Obviously if you see the target being very fast he's likely to be in afterburner or supersonic, increasing his IR signature. But other than that, no.

 

If you have him locked in STT you can press the IRST activate button ("O" iirc) which will be displayed as "EORL". In this mode the radar will transfer lock to the IRST as soon as it (the IRST) has a lock.

You can do this the other way around too, with a target in IRST. Once you activate the radar it gives the system "permission" to switch to radar if IRST lock is lost.

 

The system is designed to prefer IRST locks and not switch to radar unless commanded to do so, keep that in mind :)

[Ironhand]

...

It gets a bit more complicated if you have AWACS support or datalink from other fighters, because they can feed you range data. I can't remember if when you have AWACs the range comes up on the HUD or just on the HDD.

It's actually pretty simple. the HUD only displays information generated by your own sensor systems. Data-linked info will only be visible on the HDD.

[DarkFire]

The real Su-27 has a HUD mode that allows datalinked information and GCI guidance cues to be shown, however our DCS Su-27 doesn't feature this so as Ironhand said, the only thing that your HUD will show is data from your own on-board sensors, be it radar or EOS.

 

This is why it's a good idea to also pay close attention to your HDD: together with your SPo-15 it's your primary source of situational awareness. For more on how the HDD works with the datalink read this thread:

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=160144

[Belphe]

Gentlemen, you've been very helpful. Thank you!