reported earlier Target locks for BVR, RWS or TWS keep and keep disappearing for no reason

[DST]

I have this adressed here a few times already, but I don´t seem to get any understanding of this problem. I can´t believe I´m still the only one with this. The whole BVR radar in the F18 just appears broken to me, I´m sorry I have to say so.

 

Why do target locks via TDC press keep disappearing over and over again? I played the same little mission I build for training purposes with 3 or 4 bandits right headed towards me, sometimes no problem, sometimes target disappears right in front of me, sometimes no blips or tracks show at all on attack radar screen, although I´m in range, (against a clear blue sky, so no notching), cursor is right over the target (if it shows up at all)

 

What the actual f*** do I miss here??? In the F16 for comparison it is no problem, I get rock solid locks all the time, and targets nearly always show up on DDI. This definitely seems to be a specific F18-issue.

 

I´m playing the stable version btw.

[Vander]

I have the exact same issue. I assume I’m doing something wrong, so I hope someone can shed some light on this.

[oho]

having similar issues under 20 nm and hot, but I thought it was because of some rapid movement of the locked aircraft.

[evilnate]

I have trouble keeping targets locked (STT) within 20 nm as well. Wasted lots of slammers.

[DST]

"having similar issues under 20 nm and hot"

 

 

Yes, exact in that situation. So is this realistic behaviour due to the other aircraft manouvering?

 

 

 

What confuses me, in the F16 this occurs almost never in the same situation.

[opps]

Do you use TWS AUTO and increase Target Ageing?

Unlike F-16, "just lock" in F/A-18's RWS and TWS MAN will not adjust radar automatically to maintain lock.

Use TWS AUTO and it will try to maintain lock just like F-16 or F-15C.

[oho]

It's in STT from RWS.

[Notso]

I'm not having any issues with STT holding lock. But I have seen TWS drop all L&N, and other contacts suddenly and inexplicably with non maneuvering targets. I've had this happen quite often right around 20nm ish range or just before Rmax.

[Stubbies2003]

I fly the hornet live side quite a bit and there are only a few situations where I see this but never without explanation.

 

1. If you try to use RWS LTWS and your width and bar settings are too high it will fail to maintain lock. Easily duplicated. Set the FCR to 40 wide and 4 bar. You will be able to maintain lock IF you manage antenna elevation fine. Now bump your bars from 4 to 6. You will see the FCR fail to maintain soft lock at that setting.

 

2. Directly related to what people have talked about above in that you must manage the antenna elevation on soft lock targets like TWS/RWS LTWS. If the target gets outside of the radar beam you will lost the lock.

 

3. Only time I've ever seen the FCR have issues from STT is when the target notches the radar or if the target is 25nm or greater.

[Swift.]

We have seen some challenges in maintaining STT locks, I think it might be something to do with lag and desync acting as a built in walk off jammer of sorts.

[ExNusquam]

I fly the hornet live side quite a bit and there are only a few situations where I see this but never without explanation.

 

1. If you try to use RWS LTWS and your width and bar settings are too high it will fail to maintain lock. Easily duplicated. Set the FCR to 40 wide and 4 bar. You will be able to maintain lock IF you manage antenna elevation fine. Now bump your bars from 4 to 6. You will see the FCR fail to maintain soft lock at that setting.

 

2. Directly related to what people have talked about above in that you must manage the antenna elevation on soft lock targets like TWS/RWS LTWS. If the target gets outside of the radar beam you will lost the lock.

 

3. Only time I've ever seen the FCR have issues from STT is when the target notches the radar or if the target is 25nm or greater.

 

Re #1. Make sure you're updating the AGE setting from the data sublevel. With AIM-120 selected it defaults to 4 seconds, which means that at anything more than a 140/2B sweep the targets will age out. 16+ will work for larger scan volumes.

 

The other 2 are just how the Radar works (other bugs non-withstanding.)

[Preendog]

Maybe next time it drops a lock, check if the PRF was in MED or HI.

 

If STT goes into MED, you can lose the lock if the contact was detected with INTL or HI. In DCS as far as I can tell, HI always detects farther than MED.

[...]

I have this adressed here a few times already, but I don´t seem to get any understanding of this problem. I can´t believe I´m still the only one with this. The whole BVR radar in the F18 just appears broken to me, I´m sorry I have to say so.

 

Why do target locks via TDC press keep disappearing over and over again? I played the same little mission I build for training purposes with 3 or 4 bandits right headed towards me, sometimes no problem, sometimes target disappears right in front of me, sometimes no blips or tracks show at all on attack radar screen, although I´m in range, (against a clear blue sky, so no notching), cursor is right over the target (if it shows up at all)

 

What the actual f*** do I miss here??? In the F16 for comparison it is no problem, I get rock solid locks all the time, and targets nearly always show up on DDI. This definitely seems to be a specific F18-issue.

 

I´m playing the stable version btw.

 

 

+10 You are not alone, unfortunately since the launch of the F-16, the Hornet has been gradually losing its power. I am sure that the Hornet is much more than what we are seeing here, but it may not be interesting to restore its precision, because that would frustrate the owners of the Víper and with it their sales. Someone today celebrated a victory over me after escaping 4 AMRAAM on STT within 5 miles and my response was, "Give me a working Hornet and you won't be so happy."

[Arctander]

Yes - the hornet radar is very unreliable and has generally been getting worse since the Biper introduction.20-30nm is the bad zone for me (and yes I keep the data age relatively high and manage the antenna elevation). This also happens in RWS/Stt or TWS

[majapahit]

It's bloody horrible I stopped flying it.

Dirt Rally 2.0 is a lot more fun.

[Notso]

Has anyone officially reported this as a BUG yet?

[oldcrusty]

It's bloody horrible I stopped flying it.

Dirt Rally 2.0 is a lot more fun.

 

I'll stick around but when I'm back on MP... time to revert to old Lockon tactics. Nose cold, check the map for power lines and back in the weeds:D. Link16 will suffice.

[Padonis]

I also have such problems.. Many people say that the F-18 radar is blind at short distances. It detects allied aircraft very quickly, but removing the blockade in TWS is still a problem. Often I have the enemy machine right in front of my nose and there are problems blocking the nawt target in Boresight mode. The radar will sooner block the target which is very far away than the one in front of his nose.

[PoorOldSpike]

sometimes target disappears right in front of me, sometimes no blips or tracks show at all on attack radar screen, although I´m in range, (against a clear blue sky, so no notching), cursor is right over the target (if it shows up at all)

 

 

In some other sims and wargames and the real world, target blips sometimes vanish because they're jamming your ass.

Also, locks can come and go if the target aspect keeps changing like a tantalising cheeky stripper.

[majapahit]

In some other sims and wargames and the real world, target blips sometimes vanish because they're jamming your ass.

Also, locks can come and go if the target aspect keeps changing like a tantalising cheeky stripper.

It's the problem in PVP MP. I am sure F16 and F14 don't have these problems. These now have the way superior radar and the upper hand in MP, they can TWS u from 25nm and fire while you steer your F18 through a valley and they will keep you locked especially with a working E2 assisting them.

 

The other way around - nope, nothing, no such thing, no lock, lost lock, continuously lose locks, friendly locks in the way all the time 15-45nm, can't lock after merge when at visual limit, only can lock with helmet close visual, it's retarded.

[Arctander]

It's the problem in PVP MP. I am sure F16 and F14 don't have these problems. These now have the way superior radar and the upper hand in MP, they can TWS u from 25nm and fire while you steer your F18 through a valley and they will keep you locked especially with a working E2 assisting them.

 

The other way around - nope, nothing, no such thing, no lock, lost lock, continuously lose locks, friendly locks in the way all the time 15-45nm, can't lock after merge when at visual limit, only can lock with helmet close visual, it's retarded.

 

+1

[NineLine]

+1

 

Hey all, anyone have a track to share? They are much more helpful than +1s thanks!

[majapahit]

Hey all, anyone have a track to share? They are much more helpful than +1s thanks!

No track, go on Growling Sidewinder when busy (often). Watch for an E2 signal (half way Vaziani), have 4 blue in between and four red coming in, F14, F16, J11. U need ground cover when F14's are high, all red use TWS with mostly IR's now, there's the rare newbie but most are not, get yourself from BVR <20nm to low alt range ACM <10nm so there is merge, and try to do your locks. I imagine it even could be DCS coding is trying to follow high fidelity realism from the technical side of what the F18 radar might be, but that's the wrong way around when the operational brief should be 'it should lock and keep locked as seems realistic' and no F18 squad would be flying with a radar that does not lock the right targets that's right around u. Don't follow the - hypothetical - tech, target the results/specs that can be expected from a multi million USD USAF jet that needs to fight ruskies, F16, F14 and J11. In DCS mind you, where the opponents are different companies who can do whatever they want.

Edited April 27, 2020 by majapahit

[wilbur81]

Seriously, folks. Don't expect a fix for this stuff if you aren't willing to provide a track. The Devs have a million things going on, I'd imagine. Help them out and provide a track or the problem likely won't get addressed.

 

Thanks. :thumbup:

[majapahit]

Seriously, folks. Don't expect a fix for this stuff if you aren't willing to provide a track.

This is too obvious and confirmed. This is not just a bug, this is design versus other companies specs. It's the same level of problem in SATAL where FCS F15 is the killer toy plane - that I refuse to fly but will get you easy wins - but it's even more complicated because red team / F16 / F14 is done by out of house coders.

I am too busy rally driving now.

Edited April 27, 2020 by majapahit