[REPORTED] AIM-9 lock behaviors in TWS/LTWS soft lock.

[Reckoner]

Hello, I've noticed some weird behaviors when using AIM-9 in TWS/LTWS soft lock. I don’t have documentation to verify if these behaviors are correct as they are now, but they all seems odd and counterproductive and I thought that might be incorrect.

 

 

When: Radar is in TWS or RWS w/ LTWS enabled and a target is Soft locked

 

Issues:

 

A. Unable to lock AIM-9 (high-pitch noise) on target -- Seeker is slewed on the target but lock is not achieved.

1. Soft lock target in either mode

2. Press Cage/uncage button -> No tone

Note: Quickly repeated press of the Cage/uncage button will allow you to briefly hear the high pitch lock noise with the seeker slewing in lock mode (<0.1s).

 

B. Unable to use HMD to slew and lock a different target than the one in soft lock

1. HMD on

2. Focus HMD search cone on different target

3. Press Cage/uncage button -> No effect

Effect: Firing in this state will result in the missile to track the soft locked target, but track might be lost in a BFM fight.

 

 

Differences from STT Lock: Repeating the same steps will result in a lock (high-pitch tone) in both cases.

 

 

---

 

Additionally, in all cases above (STT lock, TWS/LTWS Soft lock) breaking/losing radar lock results in seeker slewing back to center caged position, even when the seeker was uncaged and locked with high-pitch noise (and the IR seeker is still within its slew limit).

F-18C No lock tone bug - LTWS and TWS - Case A.trk

F-18C No lock tone bug - LTWS and TWS - Case B.trk

Edited January 22, 2020 by Reckoner
typos*

[NineLine]

Can you supply separate tracks of A & B?

[Reckoner]

Can you supply separate tracks of A & B?

 

 

Tracks uploaded. Let me know if you need something more specific to show.

[mole_man99]

I have seen this, and noted after using TWS, you can no longer uncage the seeker head on aim9 no matter how you try to reset. It just growls over target, will never move freely over it and give the high lock tone.

 

 

Before entering TWS for the first time, you can cage/uncage as much as you like.

[Reckoner]

I have seen this, and noted after using TWS, you can no longer uncage the seeker head on aim9 no matter how you try to reset. It just growls over target, will never move freely over it and give the high lock tone.

 

 

Before entering TWS for the first time, you can cage/uncage as much as you like.

 

 

That's not exaclty the same as the issues that I described.

[mole_man99]

Possibly related though? TWS seems to create issues with cage/uncage.

 

 

ED I can make separate bug report if deemed necessary.

[BIGNEWY]

Possibly related though? TWS seems to create issues with cage/uncage.

 

 

ED I can make separate bug report if deemed necessary.

 

Yes please make a separate report if you think something is not right, we will check it.

[NineLine]

Hey guys, just looking into this now, It seems like A is fixed internally. Looking at B now.

[NineLine]

B. Unable to use HMD to slew and lock a different target than the one in soft lock

1. HMD on

2. Focus HMD search cone on different target

3. Press Cage/uncage button -> No effect

Effect: Firing in this state will result in the missile to track the soft locked target, but track might be lost in a BFM fight.

 

Not sure I am experiencing what you are.

 

For me:

1. HMD ON

2. Focus on 1 target

3. Uncage -> lock

4. Focus on another target

5. Cage, then uncage -> Lock

 

Missiles all track as expected.

Let me know if I am missing what you are doing.

[Reckoner]

Not sure I am experiencing what you are.

 

For me:

1. HMD ON

2. Focus on 1 target

3. Uncage -> lock

4. Focus on another target

5. Cage, then uncage -> Lock

 

Missiles all track as expected.

Let me know if I am missing what you are doing.

 

 

That's weird I'm still able to reproduce. Made a short video hopefully is clearer.

 

 

 

0:00 to 0:20 - No target is in radar lock; IR seeker is free to lock any desired target as intended. High pitch lock tone is audible. No bug.

 

0:21 to 0:55 - Switch to TWS (set Auto but Man makes no difference) and L&S target is already selected. Now two things happen:

i) It's not possible to get the high pitch tone on the L&S

ii) It's not possible to slew the IR seeker on target that is not the L&S

0:56 to 1:15 - Switch to STT lock. It is now possible to hear the high pitch tone and to slew the seeker freely on a target different than the one in STT lock and to get a tone on it.

 

1:16 to end - Lost any radar lock, same as 0:00-0:20

FA-18C - TWS HMS IR lock BIS.trk

Edited January 23, 2020 by Reckoner

[NineLine]

Ok, I am getting the lock issue now, not getting a good high pitch tone in TWS.

 

As for slewing the seeker, I am not sure that isn't working as intended, if I break the lock (undesignate), it switches to the next priority target, I think that is correct as is, but I will ask.

Edited January 27, 2020 by NineLine