Slewable ACM mode?

[Bog9y]

I'm trying to understand how the slewable ACM mode works.

 

Is this currently implemented in DCS because I wasn't able to get it to work properly.

[Svend_Dellepude]

Not in yet.

[Bog9y]

Ah that explains it. I read in the Early Access manual from Oct 2019 that it will be implemented later on, just wasn't sure if it had been implemented since.

 

I was able to play around with the HMCS slewing. Interesting feature. I wonder why there is the BORE method and the SLEW (by holding the cursor enable button)?

[imacken]

Incidentally, there is a 31 March manual now if you are on the OB branch.

[Svend_Dellepude]

Ah that explains it. I read in the Early Access manual from Oct 2019 that it will be implemented later on, just wasn't sure if it had been implemented since.

 

I was able to play around with the HMCS slewing. Interesting feature. I wonder why there is the BORE method and the SLEW (by holding the cursor enable button)?

 

Probably so you can slew the missile seeker wvr in case the radar is unable to obtain lock and you cant get the nose on the bandit.

Just as you should be able to assign poi to tgp via helmet when they get it implemented.

[Top Jockey]

Probably so you can slew the missile seeker wvr in case the radar is unable to obtain lock and you cant get the nose on the bandit.

Just as you should be able to assign poi to tgp via helmet when they get it implemented.

 

Interesting, the kind of stuf I like to know.

 

Played BMS Falcon for many time and really didn't know it was possible to slew the AIM-9 seeker...

[Zohardv]

Interesting, the kind of stuf I like to know.

 

Played BMS Falcon for many time and really didn't know it was possible to slew the AIM-9 seeker...

 

AFAIK, you cannot slew the AIM-9 seeker. It's either SLAV or BORE and can be set to SCAN or BP.

Closest thing you can do is set it to BORE and SCAN. That way the seeker scans it's entire aperture, but you can't control the scan pattern.

 

Slew ACM mode is quite like BORE, but instead of being centered on the the A/C nose, you can change the azimuth or elevation of the radar scan zone.

[Top Jockey]

AFAIK, you cannot slew the AIM-9 seeker. It's either SLAV or BORE and can be set to SCAN or BP.

Closest thing you can do is set it to BORE and SCAN. That way the seeker scans it's entire aperture, but you can't control the scan pattern.

 

Slew ACM mode is quite like BORE, but instead of being centered on the the A/C nose, you can change the azimuth or elevation of the radar scan zone.

 

Ok then, so what was @Svend_Dellepude talking about ?

 

You mention also: " SCAN or BP "... shouldn't it be: " SPOT / SCAN " instead ?

 

The " BP " you mention is also related with " TD ", as in:

BP (bypass) : seeker must be manualy uncaged (press uncage button)

TD (threshold) : seeker automaticaly uncages, if a threshold heat level is detected

 

My "take" on the subject at pic below (based on another sim).

[Zohardv]

Ok then, so what was @Svend_Dellepude talking about ?

 

You mention also: " SCAN or BP "... shouldn't it be: " SPOT / SCAN " instead ?

 

The " BP " you mention is also related with " TD ", as in:

BP (bypass) : seeker must be manualy uncaged (press uncage button)

TD (threshold) : seeker automaticaly uncages, if a threshold heat level is detected

 

My "take" on the subject at pic below (based on another sim).

 

You're right. I had TD/BP mixed up with SPOT/SCAN

I'm not familiar with the option of manually slewing the AIM-9 seeker. I don't know of any controls or inputs for it in the cockpit. From my (very little) experience in real life F-16s, that not an option

[Frederf]

BP (bypass) : seeker must be manualy uncaged (press uncage button)

TD (threshold) : seeker automaticaly uncages, if a threshold heat level is detected

 

My "take" on the subject at pic below (based on another sim).

 

I think other sim gets TD/BP not exactly right. TD isn't auto-uncage but an additional requirement for uncage beyond uncage switch. BP bypasses the signal requirement.

 

There is auto-uncage but it's an option in the BORE, SLAVE rotary (e.g. BORE, SLAVE, AUTO). AUTO requires FCR track, in range, in seeker angle limits, missile seeker alignment to target LOS. If this version doesn't have AUTO then all uncaging is commanded by the pilot.

[Top Jockey]

You're right. I had TD/BP mixed up with SPOT/SCAN

I'm not familiar with the option of manually slewing the AIM-9 seeker. I don't know of any controls or inputs for it in the cockpit. From my (very little) experience in real life F-16s, that not an option

 

Neither I'm I; that's just what I understood from @Svend_Dellepude's post.

 

It seems the procedure is something like:

- press "cursor enable";

- slew the seeker with: "TDC" on the throttle grip... (this isn't working yet at the F-16 controls options at the sim)

 

If it is indeed (in real life) possible to slew the AIM-9 seeker-head on the HUD, it is not implemented at the sim yet.

[Bog9y]

Below is an extract from the F16 MLU M1 Manual. Ok, it is for the APG-66 radar so the APG-68 that is simulated in DCS may not be the same or even have this function perhaps. And for me personally I tend to use ACM only within 10 Nm , so it's close to visual range. At visual range I would rather use the HMCS method to find a target because I only need to press the enable button and look at the target rather then try to slew the cursor around the MFD.

 

Slewable ACM mode allows the pilot to slew a scanning radar patch, approximately 60 deg wide and

20 deg elevation, anywhere within the radar FOV. Slewable ACM is the only available pitch and roll stabilized ACM scan pattern. SLEW is entered by slewing the cursor when in any ACM mode. Initial movement

of the cursor will command the radar scan to initialize at zero degree azimuth and elevation. Subsequent

movement of the cursor will cause the 60 deg x 20 deg patch to move about the radar FOV.

The Slewable ACM MFD symbology (Figure 3-8) includes an antenna pointing symbol, ACM scan

pattern indicator, and minimum and maximum altitude coverage depictions. The ACM scan pattern indicator box graphically depicts the 60° x 20° slewable scan area. The box moves on the MFD as the scan pattern is slewed to indicate scan pattern location. The antenna pointing symbol, the cross imbedded in the scan

pattern indicator box, indicates the center of the scan pattern. Minimum and maximum slewable search altitudes are shown in the center of the ACM MFD format.

The slewable ACM HUD symbology includes a slewable ACM borecross 3 deg below the aircraft

HUD borecross. Also displayed are a min/max search altitude depiction and a search cue. The min/max altitudes are computed at one half the selected ACM range (Figure 3-10). An 8 mR circle depicts the center of

the scan pattern relative to the slewable scan cross. If the center of the scan is up and left of the slewable

scan cross, the circle will be deflected up and left of the center of the cross. Minimum and maximum altitude coverage is displayed directly below and above the circle, respectively

[Top Jockey]

I think other sim gets TD/BP not exactly right. TD isn't auto-uncage but an additional requirement for uncage beyond uncage switch. BP bypasses the signal requirement.

 

There is auto-uncage but it's an option in the BORE, SLAVE rotary (e.g. BORE, SLAVE, AUTO). AUTO requires FCR track, in range, in seeker angle limits, missile seeker alignment to target LOS. If this version doesn't have AUTO then all uncaging is commanded by the pilot.

 

Interesting piece of information...

 

So, from what I undertstand (and bearing in mind that there were probably several different implementations of this in the F-16), you're saying that:

 

- the "auto-uncage" function, does exist; although activated in another way - the AUTO option in the BORE, SLAVE rotary ?

 

In that case what is exactly the "TD" function necessary for ?

Because at the other sim, even without FCR lock, the AIM-9 seeker would automaticaly uncage and follow the target by itself, merely by pointing it to the target, given the heat source was high enough.

[Frederf]

TD, threshold detection. It's a safeguard to not uncage the seeker until the signal is strong enough to support self tracking. I guess pilots were uncaging too soon? Maybe there was worry about IRCM disrupting track? Maybe so pilot can just hold uncage and wait until circuit gives permission.

 

I know how other sim behaves and I think it's wrong. Other sim has its errors like how OAPs work. It should be noted that in certain document it does say AIM-9P does auto-uncage but AIM-9ML does not. The AUTO feature is mentioned in some MLU paper.

 

If AIM-9ML have auto-uncage before then why would this AUTO feature be added?

[Top Jockey]

TD, threshold detection. It's a safeguard to not uncage the seeker until the signal is strong enough to support self tracking. I guess pilots were uncaging too soon? Maybe there was worry about IRCM disrupting track? Maybe so pilot can just hold uncage and wait until circuit gives permission.

 

I know how other sim behaves and I think it's wrong. Other sim has its errors like how OAPs work. It should be noted that in certain document it does say AIM-9P does auto-uncage but AIM-9ML does not. The AUTO feature is mentioned in some MLU paper.

 

If AIM-9ML have auto-uncage before then why would this AUTO feature be added?

 

Clarifying !

 

So I guess the AUTO feature is respectively the auto-uncage function...