F15/+ radar Friend or Foe for newbies in multiplayer

[mibsk]

Hello,

probably reposting but it happens quite a lot that new guys ask in multiplayer how to make difference between friend or foe (after they shot down 3-4 friendlies ... ) ... ussually sitting in F15 ...

So if you fall into this category please go see what 169th_ice posted on their squad forums ...

http://www.169thpanthers.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=527&highlight=radar

 

You might have to register to read that but that's no deal ...

 

So please go see those nice pictures ... one picture worth 1000 words ... or how it is ...

 

And don't forget to say thanks on that forum ;-)

 

Salut!

[S77th-GOYA]

There is no reason to go anywhere else to get all the information you need to Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) in the F-15. It is very simple.

 

1. Visual Identification - get close enough to see which's country's markings are on the plane. (And have the knowledge of which countries are enemies)

 

or

 

2. Radar Identification - Look at the symbol of the unlocked radar return on the radar MFD. Flat rectangles are enemy and dots are friendly. If there is a vertical row of flat rectangles, that means that the plane is jamming and you CANNOT tell if that plane is friendly or enemy. See below for examples of each.

 

 

Some of you may be saying, "But what about TWS mode? The symbols are the same in TWS mode."

 

And I will answer, "No, they are not the same. They are harder to see, but the rectangles and dots are still there."

 

 

If you use any of the autolock modes of the F-15 radar, you will not see the radar return symbols to establish that the plane you are attempting to lock is enemy or friendly. Once a plane is locked, the F-15 will NOT give you any information about whether the plane that is locked is friend or foe except for one possible exception: NCTR

 

NCTR, which stands for Non-Cooperative Target Recognition, will tell you which type of aircraft you have locked, but it won't tell you if it is friend or foe. But if you take the time to read the briefing and gather any useful information you can find BEFORE you enter the mission, you MIGHT be able to use the NCTR to identify friend or foe. To do this, you must know if there are any plane types that are ONLY on one coalition. For example, if you KNOW that there are no Su-33s on your coalition and you see this on your radar MFD:

...then you know that the plane you have locked is an enemy.

 

As a side note, if you notice the NCTR picture, that situation is a VERY BAD time to fire a 120 at that Su-33. If you don't understand why, just ask.

 

Another side note, if you see that there is a friendly plane on your radar, there are very few good reasons to lock it. And all the good reasons to lock it require you to be in communication with it. So, unless that friendly knows you are about to lock him (and tells you that it is OK), DON'T LOCK ANY FRIENDLIES.

[Kuky]

That was a very informative post Goya... I didn't even know that in TWS mode you still get shown if contact is friendly or foe :) And yes, picture does "speak" 1000 words :D

[S77th-GOYA]

I didn't even know that in TWS mode you still get shown if contact is friendly or foe

 

That's a very common problem. Once you realize the symbols are still there, it becomes easy to see the difference. :)

[Zuki]

Radar? what is this?....I don't seem to be able to find this function on my aircraft....dum de dum, I can relate to the first example..(visual identification). :^)

[PoleCat]

Hello,

probably reposting but it happens quite a lot that new guys ask in multiplayer how to make difference between friend or foe (after they shot down 3-4 friendlies ... ) ... ussually sitting in F15 ...

So if you fall into this category please go see what 169th_ice posted on their squad forums ...

http://www.169thpanthers.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=527&highlight=radar

 

You might have to register to read that but that's no deal ...

 

So please go see those nice pictures ... one picture worth 1000 words ... or how it is ...

 

And don't forget to say thanks on that forum ;-)

 

Salut!

 

That is an excellent post indeed. Usefull and informative.:thumbup:

 

Out

[Aeroscout]

sticky?

[Capt_Crunch]

While we are on the topic of friendly fire can we discuss missiles missing their intended target and possibly hitting a friendly? If someone could please confirm the following is correct:

 

IR Missiles:

A radar lock is required before firing a IR missile but if a friendly was very close to the intended targeted a/c then it possible, but unlikely, that the missile will go after the IR signal of the friendly if it was stronger than the target.

 

ARH Missiles BVR/WVR modes:

Once an AIM120 or R-77 goes active and you break radar lock on a target, if a friendly a/c is near by it is possible that the missile will track the friendly if it's radar cross section looks larger to the missile than the original target. If a radar lock is maintained for the entire flight of the missile than there is no chance of hitting a friendly unintended target.

 

ARH Missiles Visual mode:

If an AIM120 or R-77 is fired in Visual mode with no lock, if a friendly is nearby with a stronger RCS than the intended target, the missile will track the friendly!

 

SARH Missiles:

A radar lock is required for the entire flight time of the missile and therefore there is no chance of the missile hitting another a/c besides the locked target.

 

Thanks

[Kuky]

IR missiles are homing onto heat, not radar signature therefore radar lock is not required. The only need for radar lock, or lock of any kind is to point missile seaker in target direction. Once missile seaker obtains lock it can be fired.

[S77th-GOYA]

IR Missiles:

A radar lock is required before firing a IR missile but if a friendly was very close to the intended targeted a/c then it possible, but unlikely, that the missile will go after the IR signal of the friendly if it was stronger than the target.

 

ARH Missiles BVR/WVR modes:

Once an AIM120 or R-77 goes active and you break radar lock on a target, if a friendly a/c is near by it is possible that the missile will track the friendly if it's radar cross section looks larger to the missile than the original target. If a radar lock is maintained for the entire flight of the missile than there is no chance of hitting a friendly unintended target.

 

You've got a couple of misconceptions there. A radar lock is not required for a heater shot. You can fire with a lock from the missile's seeker itself. Think of an A-10 firing a Sidewinder. It has no radar. But yes, the missile might go after an unintended target if it looks more "appetizing". This is how flares work to draw IR missiles away from their target.

 

An ARH missile doesn't use the radar lock of the launching a/c after it has gone fully active. There is always a chance of hitting an unintended target if something else is nearby and it presents itself as a better target than the intended target.

[Capt_Crunch]

You've got a couple of misconceptions there. A radar lock is not required for a heater shot. You can fire with a lock from the missile's seeker itself. Think of an A-10 firing a Sidewinder. It has no radar. But yes, the missile might go after an unintended target if it looks more "appetizing". This is how flares work to draw IR missiles away from their target.

 

An ARH missile doesn't use the radar lock of the launching a/c after it has gone fully active. There is always a chance of hitting an unintended target if something else is nearby and it presents itself as a better target than the intended target.

 

Thank you sir! Better always carry some SARH missiles for those busy situations!

[muamshai]

use TS and confirm before launching.

That's what I'd do.

[RvEPaploo]

There are many "Good Reasons" to register to our forums. We have a hoard of detailed and comprehensive posts to help new and veteran pilots alike. The thread that mibsk kindly refers to also has quality information on how to IFF In Russian aircraft.

 

Registering to our forum is a must for any virtual pilot who is willing to learn from a squadron that has been a dominant force in combat flight simulation since 1998.

 

ha sht i can not learn anymore i m banned from 169th lol

PaP >> :chair:<< ice

 

btw short and good one Goya.

 

please new lock on pilot, one short tips, first of all, read manual and fly practice mission it will help you a lot.

you will find the manual here >>>> C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\Eagle Dynamics\Lock On\Doc

[S77th-GOYA]

use TS and confirm before launching.

That's what I'd do.

 

You shouldn't need to ask. You should know it is enemy before you lock.

 

Besides that, most times, there are friendlies that are not on TS.

[G3]

 

As a side note, if you notice the NCTR picture, that situation is a VERY BAD time to fire a 120 at that Su-33. If you don't understand why, just ask.

 

 

i think i know but would prefer you to explain Goya, as i am sure it will sound better than my effort :)

[S77th-GOYA]

Because the chances of hitting that friendly aircraft is unacceptably high.

 

The 120 flies a lead pursuit course which would mean that if you launched at that point, the 120 would be flying more toward the friendly than the bandit although it would be "looking" at the bandit. And it looks like they are turning toward each other for a knifefight. Chances of the bandit breaking the lock of the 120 is very high and there is a friendly that will likely be in 120's field of view while the 120 tried to reacquire the target. If the friendly presents a better target than the bandit, the 120 will start to track the friendly. That's a bad thing.

 

Never fire a 120 into a furball. They are too unpredictable.

[G3]

cheers Goya.

as i thought, far better than my explaination, makes sense.