IFF - How does it work in the Viper?

[viper2097]

Unfortunately, I can't find any information about that in the whole wide web, so I need to ask:

 

How does IFF work in the Viper generally speaking?

 

How does radar contacts get interrogated by the own ship? (On the radar in RWS and in STT / With and without datalink)

I guess we'll have HAFU symbology on the FCR(?) like it is with the Hornet?

Are datalink contacts shown on the FCR, HSI, or is there a similar page like the SA page on the bug?

What are the HUD symbology for hostile / unknown / friendly?

I also heard about AIFF, will our one carry that? Whats the difference?

 

Thx for information.

Edited September 2, 2019 by viper2097

[Demongornot]

I don't have time to search it myself but if you can't find anything it might endup like the A10C where this is too classified and they basically did not implement it.

[AvroLanc]

Unfortunately, I can't find any information about that in the whole wide web, so I need to ask:

 

How does IFF work in the Viper generally speaking?

 

How does radar contacts get interrogated by the own ship? (On the radar in RWS and in STT / With and without datalink)

I guess we'll have HAFU symbology on the FCR(?) like it is with the Hornet?

Are datalink contacts shown on the FCR, HSI, or is there a similar page like the SA page on the bug?

What are the HUD symbology for hostile / unknown / friendly?

I also heard about AIFF, will our one carry that? Whats the difference?

 

Thx for information.

 

It's complicated but very very simply.....

 

• The Viper can interrogate Mode 1,2,3,C,4 and S codes.
  
• Selection of which codes to interrogate is done through a combination of a DED page options and an FCR page selection.
  
• Colour coded symbols are displayed for matching (or not) IFF responses on both the FCR page and the HSD. Generally these are green or yellow squares overlayed on the radar brick with the mode number in them. Green for matching response, yellow for a non-matching response. Of course a hostile will have no response.
  
• No HUD symbology, at least for a Block 50 AFAIK.
  
• There's no SA page on the Block 50 Viper. All IFF and Datalink info is shown on the HSD (and FCR) page.
  

[viper2097]

@AvroLanc:

Thank you, very helpful input.

Are (new) contacts on the FCR or HSD automaticaly interrogated?

What is the DED page?

So I'll guess the Viper will also have some close combat modes, like verical scan etc. As there is no information on the HUD, is there any indication if that locked contact is friendly, unknown or hostile?

 

@Mystic_J: Thank you, did not found that specific document so far. Only an older version where IFF was not included. (As it seems to be not included in older versions)

Edited September 2, 2019 by viper2097

[razo+r]

No, I think you have to do the interrogation yourself.

 

DED is the display on the top right, next to the HUD.

 

Yes, it has a dogfight mode which declutters the HUD and will make some special scan modes available. Not sure if you get any IFF info on the HUD.

 

And that document is from another sim, where they implemented IFF just recently.

[AvroLanc]

@AvroLanc:

Thank you, very helpful input.

Are (new) contacts on the FCR or HSD automaticaly interrogated?

What is the DED page?

So I'll guess the Viper will also have some close combat modes, like verical scan etc. As there is no information on the HUD, is there any indication if that locked contact is friendly, unknown or hostile?

 

@Mystic_J: Thank you, did not found that specific document so far. Only an older version where IFF was not included. (As it seems to be not included in older versions)

 

An IFF interrogation is initiated with TMS Left. You can interrogate in SCAN or LOS (Line of sight). SCAN does whole radar volume scan, LOS does a +-15 degree scan about the TDC cursor or bugged contact.

 

The DED is similar to the UFC display boxes in the Hornet. It does many more things though and is the main data entry method in the Viper.

 

There's Verical Scan, 20 Degree Scan, Boresight, and Slewable close combat modes. As well as a JHMCS mode. All similar to Hornet.

 

I don't believe the HUD shows Hostile/Friendly/Unknown status - at least it never does in the 'others sim' or in any manual I've read. You find yourself constantly referencing the FCR page for IFF.

[viper2097]

Thx, awesome input!

Seen the DED before, just not knew its name.

So I'll guess, that we have to take a look at the FCR page after locking up a target with close combat modes, or JHMCS

[QuiGon]

• There's no SA page on the Block 50 Viper. All IFF and Datalink info is shown on the HSD (and FCR) page.
  

Well, I would argue that the HSD in the F-16 is pretty much like an SA page in the F/A-18, including things like threat rings.

 

 

Seen the DED before, just not knew its name.

And it's an insanely powerful tool, despite it's rather unimpressive appearance.

Edited September 2, 2019 by QuiGon

[AvroLanc]

Well, I would argue the HSD in the F-16 is pretty much like an SA page in the F/A-18, including things like threat rings.

 

Agreed, the HSD is much more an SA page than HSI.

[Kid18120]

When it comes to IFF, a lot of stuff are classified. You can get a very generic and broad-view like idea of the whole process which is basically aircraft A asks aircraft B for a specific set of instructinos (code, mode, ecc.) and if they do correspond to what it is expecting then you have a positive IFF.

[RightStuff]

Seen the DED before, just not knew its name.

 

Not going to nitpick, but sooner or later this would othwiese cause confusion, if not straighened.

 

DED - Data Entry Display

Showing at max. 5 lines every information of the current master mode or submode.

It is placed on the right side of the ICP.

 

ICP - Integrated Controls Panel

This 'keypad' is the correspondent item to the UFC of the Hornet.

With it you can change Master Modes (AA / AG), activate IFF and switch between the 2 COM radios. Furthermore with the DCS (sic.. this is here the Data Control Switch with 4 positions :)) you can move a cursor on the DED between the items of the current mode.

[Fri13]

It's complicated but very very simply.....

 

• Colour coded symbols are displayed for matching (or not) IFF responses on both the FCR page and the HSD. Generally these are green or yellow squares overlayed on the radar brick with the mode number in them. Green for matching response, yellow for a non-matching response. Of course a hostile will have no response.
  

 

No reply doesn't mean hostile.

The IFF systems doesn't define any target as hostile, you need to confirm that by other means first.

 

As friendly/you can have an malfunction, wrong code, out of range etc. Many reasons why a target doesn't respond or you get a wrong reply.

 

If the target is not identified as enemy by other two means, you need to perform a visual identification.

Why you fly lots of interceptions in international air space as NATO and Russians fly often IFF turned off, and different countries does visual identifications and interceptions almost daily to "dark planes".

Even in war you can't engage target that doesn't respond if you don't visually identify it hostile.

 

And that ain't easy, like read about how F-15 pilots engaged two UH-60 regardless they made visual identification close-by and mistake Blackhawks as Hinds, AWACS received their IFF and mistake it to radar return.... Lots of stupid mistakes were done from communications to recognizing even own totally different looking helicopters and IFF system failing.

[Contact409]

mode 1 is a 2 digits code, this share with all friendly unit. change at specific time of the day.

mode 2 is a 4 digits code hard wire to your airframe, some aircraft can program by pilot, like F16.

mode 3 is a 4 digits code use for civilian ATC

 

mode 4 is the player here, it's the code which cannot be spoof.

 

you can select different mode to be use from icp iff page,

and use TMS left key to send out the interrogate signal, and you will be able to see target reply on your mfd. and yes you need to put some thought process into it to prevent blue on blue.

 

some friendly unit don't have mode 4. o forgot to turn on, or flip the mode 4 a/b code set.

[USA_Recon]

Will it work in a similar way that the Hornet does do we know ?

[TheFighterPilot]

No reply doesn't mean hostile.

The IFF systems doesn't define any target as hostile, you need to confirm that by other means first..

 

A better way of putting this: Lack of IFF gives us "Lack of friendly" criteria. Based on that, you then use other criteria to "upgrade" that contact to include getting your eyeball on them.

 

Hopefully that is...would be a shame if your #2 forgot to squawk the appropriate codes on fence in, but then again that's what he gets for being lazy with Tac Admin.