Bunyap Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) This is a very simple mission I set up long ago to learn the RWR Tones, ECM, Countermeasures, and basic threat avoidance in the Viggen: Viggen SAM Avoidance.miz The goal is to learn the behavior of the aircraft systems and how to use them to evade these threats so my recommendations are to fly this mission with labels on and immortal set under your gameplay options. This will allow you to see exactly what is going on and determine which techniques work for you and which do not. As a reference, I would recommend part 10 of Chucks Guide to the AJS-37 Viggen. It covers ECM and countermeasure systems as well as anything else you would ever need to know about the aircraft. You can find it here: http://www.mudspike.com/chucks-guides-dcs-ajs-37-viggen/ The mission's route takes you past the primary SAM and AAA types you will encounter in the Red Flag campaign. Threat avoidance is a very deep subject and I do not know of any comprehensive guide for the Viggen. The best way to learn is by doing it so look for these things as you fly the mission: - RWR Tone generated by the different SAM/AAA systems - Distance you pick up the search radar tone - Distance you pick up the tracking radar tone - Time between radar tracking tone and missile launch - Difference in threat behavior with ECM or without ECM - Difference in threat behavior flying directly at the threat vs flying with the threat to your side (beaming/notching) - Effect of terrain masking, and how breaking line of sight between you and the threat affects their behavior - Effectiveness of chaff against radar guided SAM/AAA. - Effectiveness of flare against IR guided SAMs (the SA-13 is the only one in this mission) - Effectiveness of aircraft maneuvering without countermeasures against the missiles - How long the automatic chaff and flare dispensing programs last before you run out - How aggressive you can be with manual dispensing of countermeasures before running out Getting into these details is way beyond the scope of what a mission designer is responsible for but I'll do my best to pass along any additional tips on threat avoidance that occur to me here. Some of these only apply to the Red Flag campaign missions and not the simple practice mission linked above: - Do not arrive at the target early. I can't stress enough how important this is. Some missions have a specific time on target and some have a time window when protection in the target area is available. For example, mission 4's briefing states "Time on target is planned for 0926 but anything within a 0926-0936 window will allow us to hit the target with adequate SEAD and CAP support from the rest of the package. Springfield flights (F/A-18C) will be targeting known SA-10s and SA-15s operating southwest of bullseye. Monitor RWR and comms regarding this threat. The Dodge flight leads will make the decision to press on with the attack or hold between Belted and Quartzite based on a real time read of the situation." There are no intentional traps set for the player but you are one piece of a larger strike package. The mission will obviously be harder (but not impossible) if you choose to 'go rogue' and do your own thing. - Be prepared to identify and avoid some threats yourself. This is intended to be a realistic Red Flag. Missile shots are sometimes scored as a miss and SEAD or CAP are sometimes shot down. The AI SEAD and CAP flights have performed exactly as intended in every video or stream I have seen. Reacting to threats the other aircraft do not deal with is part of the Red Flag experience. That is where this practice mission comes into play. - Use the terrain for cover The safest path along the route is not a straight line from nav point to nav point. Time is built into the route to allow for terrain masking. From the briefings: "The nav system uses an economical airspeed of around mach .6 to compute route timing. This speed is low enough to allow deviation from the exact route for ridge crossings and tactical low-level navigation while still remaining on time." Cross ridges at an angle so you can quickly cross back to the other side if a visual or RWR threat pops up. Consider whether it is wiser to fly through the middle of a valley or to hug a ridge on either side of it. Plan all this out before the mission starts or have a closer look at the map as you fly to the marshal. You have the time. Notes on threats in the order they are encountered in this practice mission: SA-19 - Distinctive radar search RWR tone - No launch warning so take the search tone seriously - Fires missiles optically without radar tracking - A low, fast aircraft is practically untouchable at greater than half the missile range - Simply change course 30 degrees left or right if RWR search tone is off your nose - Missile very easily defeated by maneuvering at any range SA-13 - Short range - Easily defeated by flare - If you see other acft dispensing flare, be prepared to do the same in that area - Periodically drop flare as a preventative measure if you are on a target run and can not look around for a launch ZSU-23 - ECM reduces tracking range - Chaff interferes with tracking (Some dispute this but that is how it works in the real world. I have no reason to assume it does not work that way here in some fashion.) - Tracking shots are easily evaded if you jink and keep the aircraft moving around SA-8 - ECM reduces tracking range - Dispense chaff at RWR radar track tone and break away from direction shown on the RWR lights. - Very easily spoofed by chaff - Almost no threat at all if you have an automatic countermeasures program running in the target area SA-15 - ECM reduces tracking range - Dispense chaff at RWR radar track tone and break away from direction shown on the RWR lights. - Missile can be spoofed by chaff but it takes a LOT. Proof: - The earlier you react the better. Do not hesitate. Break and start dropping chaff the instant you hear that radar track RWR tone - Do not depend only on the auto countermeasures programs, manually dump it out as well SA-6 - ECM reduces tracking range - Dispense chaff at RWR radar track tone and break away from direction shown on the RWR lights. - Terrain masking is your best defense against this and other med-long range systems - Use more chaff and force missile to maneuver if you have no terrain cover escape route and the missile continues to track Like I said, this is not a comprehensive guide but these are the things I consider when flying the missions. As always, please feel free to add to this thread!Viggen SAM Avoidance.miz Edited January 19, 2018 by Bunyap 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bunyap Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) I'll also move these here from another thread full of tips. There are also some very good demonstrations of SAM avoidance techniques provided here by the 476 vFG: See the link in the video description for Tacview replays of each. As you'll see, you really, really, need to pay attention to RWR tones. This is especially important if you choose not to track the threat locations called in by the other flights. All primary threats give you a warning as you approach. - This RWR Tone generator by 2-niner is extremely useful! The expected threats are always listed in the briefing so use this to familiarize yourselves with the tones before, or even during the mission: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=184283 - This ELINT database by grunf is also very handy: https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=182490 Also, the RWR tone volume can be adjusted in the cockpit using this knob: Edited January 19, 2018 by Bunyap 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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