Tips for killing/evading SAMs at low approach

[Nuggit]

Hi, I have been in a multiplayer "catch the airfield" scenario but I have a little bit of a problem... Some of the airfields are guided by some sort of SAMs. The problem is that they dont lock into me until very very late in the approach, lile 200-300 feet radar altimeter. Which gives me absolute zero chance of evading since im landing and the speed is very low.

 

I have been trying to find amd destroy the vehicles and radar stations around the field using my litening pod and some bombs... But apparently it has not been enough.

 

And I have not spotted the sam sites... What are your tips for this scenario? Just keep bombing away and eventually when all mankind is gone, just land? =)

[Harker]

Kinda what you say at the end... You have to make sure that there are no hostile AA units before you even lower your altitude. And it sounds like the mission maker is using SAM traps, SAMs that activate only when you're well within their range. That's good mission design, as this is a tactic that is used IRL. It's not supposed to be easy.

 

A few suggestions:

 

1) Work with some other people and spend more time scanning with the TGP and the Mk1 Eyeball. Divide the area into quadrants and assign each one to a different pilot to slowly scan for threats.

2) Use ground units. Wait until they can come in and clear the airfield area.

 

Ideally, you want to stay out harm's way, while engaging enemy positions from a stand-off range, without risking your plane.

 

3) Not advisable but potentially fun. Try and bait the SAMs by having one pilot doing low, very high speed passes while popping flares/chaff preemptively. The rest of the team can stay high up and spot any SAMs that launch at him and then take them out.

3b) Use a teammate with an A-10C loaded with flares for the same thing. They can carry a ton of flares and are very durable.

4) Again, not advisable, but it's something. Use teammates with helicopters to slowly approach and scan the area, hidden by the terrain/trees.

[Nuggit]

Thanks for the tips, that leads to another question.. That is of course how to tell when they are gone... Since they dont show any sign of life until its too late... =)

[Repsol2k]

Did u used the SA Page in your Hornet? Did u had your DL On ?

 

These could give u an approx estimated area were to look for the SAM Sites.

 

As @Harker said its helpful to have a buddy ho can try for go near to the sam and u can find out were the sams are shooting from.

 

Do u have some Hills around the Area were u might think the SAM Sites are ? If yes then try to lock the target from a safe position and go hided behind hills as near as possible to the SAM site. Then u need to be fast to bring your bomb into the Range.

 

Try to find an entry point were u get out of the hiding which is nearest as possible. And also try to find an escape route were u can hide yourself as fast as possible after pickle the bomb.

 

For the lightning u can see the area within approx 48nm. If u can stay high and 25-30.000 feet and look directly after going into the 48nm u have some time to find and lock the target for the MSN page of your bomb.

 

Then turn back and go low and hided.

 

HARM or JSOW are good for deploy in a quite safe area but some SAM Sites will shoot them down because they can and will track them.

 

I try to use GBU-38 Bombs. But its a bit tricky and need practice to get them off in a close range. I also try to make kinda TOSS Bombing. This gives me the chance to be low and in the last moment i can reduce the IN RNG distance.

 

But im not an Pro or something like that and there are several options to approach something like this. But in the past few sessions this worked kinda nice to destroy some SAM-Sites.

[Nuggit]

I did not know the sa page woth DL on gave info about SAM sites? Thats something i would have to look into=)

[Hog_No32]

I did not know the sa page woth DL on gave info about SAM sites? Thats something i would have to look into=)

 

Well...you will get SAM rings on the SA page provided the mission designer chose not to hide the SAM units. If they are hidden, they won‘t show up.

[Harker]

I did not know the sa page woth DL on gave info about SAM sites? Thats something i would have to look into=)

If they're not set as Hidden in the Mission Editor, they'll show up on the SA page, with the type of the SAM in the middle of a dashed circle. The circle radius represents the range of the SAM.

These are considered known SAM positions and IRL they're loaded to the system via the Data Cartridge, so they shouldn't require DL to be on. They're essentially just marked positions.

The below go a little more in depth in the logic of realistic air defense systems and tactics, at least in the context of DCS. They may or may not apply to the mission in question.

It's up to the mission creator to decide how many/which systems are Hidden (thus don't show up on the SA page). It's normal that an SA-10 site's position would be known, but for small units, such as a Shilka or a Tunguska, their positions or presence would not necessarily be known, especially since they can move around easily.

So you'd have to assume that an important SAM site or an airfield or other high value target would be surrounded by short range air defense systems (SHORAD) and take appropriate precautions. The above describe the most basic form of an Integrated Air Defense System (IADS), consisting of many different SAM and AAA systems, all working together and covering different altitudes, sectors and each other.

Long story short, HVTs are (supposed to be) well protected against air threats and its not advisable to fly low over them. You'd normally have ground forces come in and clear the area while jets support high above.

[Repsol2k]

+1 for @Harker for that good explenation :)

[Nuggit]

Many thanks for all the replies!

 

And thanks to Harker for that explanation!:)

[Repsol2k]

Is the Catch the Airfield an Online Multiplayer Mission to find on a Server ? Or online private Multiplayer Mission ?

 

Would nice to take a look into that :-) And they myself to get some SAMS down.

[Nuggit]

Repsol2k:

It is a multiplayer server, unfortunately I cannot remember the name of the server at the moment.

(Im currently at work and can check the name as soon as I get home)

 

The task is (as I have understood it anyway) that there are 3 different airfields that start as neutral, then your team has to land and stay on the ground for xx amount of seconds to assign it to the blue/red team. Then after that you defend it.