A-10A Maverick Air to Air Usage

[TheMaroon47]

Hello all. Forgive me for this incredibly noob question (coming from a noob). Is the A-10A capable of utilising the AGM-65 Mavericks as an air to air weapon or is it only possible on the A-10C as it has a data link? Thanks in advance.

[Kayos]

I've never tried it on the A-10A. The datalink should have nothing to do with you firing on an aircraft though. As long as you can lock the mav onto the aircraft you should be fine.

[razo+r]

As long as it is a unit/have a heat source or enough contrast to lock, it's possible

[TheMaroon47]

Thanks for the responses. So far I've tested all the Mac's (except the training versions) to lock onto a Su-17. The Mavericks were unable to lock it even when it was in afterburner. I'm assuming that you two are indeed referring to the 65D model.

[Winston 60]

The A-10A can lock slow moving targets with it's Mav's. Slow or hovering Helo's and some planes on short final are very susceptible. Can't lock onto fast moving aircraft.

[TheMaroon47]

The A-10A can lock slow moving targets with it's Mav's. Slow or hovering Helo's and some planes on short final are very susceptible. Can't lock onto fast moving aircraft.

 

How fast would you define "fast"? I recall the Su-17 traveling at around 240km/h as it was at a very nose high angle.

[Winston 60]

How fast would you define "fast"? I recall the Su-17 traveling at around 240km/h as it was at a very nose high angle.

I've never locked anything, helo or plane, going more than around 150km/h. This means a helo going less than top speed or hovering, or a plane close to landing.

[red_coreSix]

From what I've seen with the new FM of the maverick it seems like they've actually modeled seeker angular tracking rate. So anything over a certain LOS-rate can't be tracked by the sensor. This means that you could theoretically kill a fighter flying Mach 1, if he is coming straight at you (so slow LOS-rate).

[JazonXD]

Yes, A-10A can use Mavericks. Hotel models will lock onto CONTRAST in terms of visible spectrum IIRC, and Delta models will lock onto INFRARED contrast (a tank on the ground which is hotter than the ground). Locking up aircraft is difficult because the sensor is limited to a speed which the target is moving at, or angular speed. Mavericks are an air-to-ground missile so you shouldn't really ever use it for shooting at airplanes.

[TheMaroon47]

Thank you all for the help. I've managed to lock a heli in my free time and destroy it. An unrelated question here, one that might seem very weird. The A-10 obviously carries ECM pods, being the AN/ALQ-131 and AN/ALQ-184. Would it be beneficial to carry both pods on the two outermost pylons or does DCS only model the basic functionality of ECM?

[Winston 60]

A good DCS ECM pod discussion is going on here: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=187810

[MRaza]

I often use AGM-65Ds against Hinds because I've found that the Sidewinders are unreliable as I dont want to get to close, Hinds will chew you up and spit you out

[Rider1]

I was flying the A10 and had a pod down on the target area around 35 miles out. I spotted a K50 in the pod. Monitored and tracked that guy for 30 miles and disintegrated him at 5 miles out with a mav D. :)