Training Mission miz file for using airborne JTAC

[Petercove]

I have put in a huge amount of hours learning the basics of the A10C, Mig 21bis, Mig-15 and Hornet FA-18. Now I am working my way through the FA-18 Air to Ground mode with the TPOD and various laser guided weapons.

Watching Wag's recent fascinating video using JTAC I was wondering how to I get to practice that art? There are no canned missions but is there a way to access the mission Wags was flying or perhaps there is a repository of submitted missions that would replicate a similar mission where you could drop a couple of GBU-16s cooperating with the JTAC.

As others have said this is a huge sim with many many hours of entertainment just learning to use what is there let along going multiplayer and joining in an online mission.

Cheers

 

PC

[silverdevil]

many people would answer that by saying make your own or download a user mission. open in mission editor if you want to change something. i have done this and also taken missions from the ones that came with DCS. check out the P51 mission called "alamo". edit the mssion with F18. there is a JTAC. its fun. i play it all the time with A10.

[Recluse]

If you like, here is a little mission I put together in the Persian Gulf for practicing all sorts of AG Stuff. There is an AFAC/JTAC who will target some stationary APC's for you. You can fly A-10's, Hornets, Harriers and Vipers if you want. There is an F10 menu item that will allow you to spawn some SAM sites and Russian Corvettes for more target practice.

 

It is a continual work in Progress so some things may still not be 100% tweaked. I have only flown the F/A-18 and AV-8B, so not sure how the others work. Hornet and Harrier have their radios pre-tuned in the Mission Builder, but frequencies are in the briefing. Attached a small TRK using the AFAC for GBU drops. The AFAC munitions call is set to AUTO, so they may request CANNON for the thin skinned vehicles. I also attached a version where the AFAC will ONLY request GUIDED ordnance so you get the call for GBU/MAV-E/MAV-F. I find with a mixed load of Mav-E and -F the AFAC will only call for Mav-E and then say no more targets.

 

EDIT: Hmmm I just watched the TRK.. it bears no resemblance to the actual mission I flew so I removed it.

Persian Gulf Tunb Island Weapons Practice_SAMS_Corvettes.miz

Persian Gulf Tunb Island Weapons Practice_SAMS_Corvettes_Guided.miz

Edited November 3, 2020 by Recluse

[Petercove]

Thanks. I look forward to having fun it. Yes writing my own missions have been fun but the JTAC ones are more complicated with mist files and scripts. Still onwards and upwards as I learn.

 

[Recluse]

No scripting in this one, just the built in functions. I haven't begun learning that stuff either, though everyone says they work better than the stock JTAC tools.

[Niehorst]

Wait for the next OB patch guys.

After that the hornet will finally be able to handle GRID coordinates. There is a mod that lets the JTAC provide LAT/LONG coordinates what is not as cool as the GRID format.

Be aware of the fact that setting up a JTAC in ME is a little "tricky" and often won't work at first try.

[Petercove]

OK. I have been playing around with Recluse's mission and the comms with the JTAC works fine. I have managed to destroy, using AGM65E, an APC being lased by the JTAC. But I then have trouble trying to get my next missile to lock on to his laser for the next. I basically fly away from the target for about 10 miles then turn in reporting IP Inbound. I get cleared hot and check my missile is uncaged. The seeker is going from side to side and I can see the JTAC over the centre of Tumb Island. I assume he is lasing in the vicinity of the first APC but how can you tell? But the AGM just remains a cross and then I am over and away the JTAC reports target not destroyed. And it is the same for the next pass and the next. I feel I must doing something wrong but what could it be? Are you supposed to call SPOT after a specific occurrence? I just call it after he says "laser on".

Cheers

 

PC

[Recluse]

OK. I have been playing around with Recluse's mission and the comms with the JTAC works fine. I have managed to destroy, using AGM65E, an APC being lased by the JTAC. But I then have trouble trying to get my next missile to lock on to his laser for the next. I basically fly away from the target for about 10 miles then turn in reporting IP Inbound. I get cleared hot and check my missile is uncaged. The seeker is going from side to side and I can see the JTAC over the centre of Tumb Island. I assume he is lasing in the vicinity of the first APC but how can you tell? But the AGM just remains a cross and then I am over and away the JTAC reports target not destroyed. And it is the same for the next pass and the next. I feel I must doing something wrong but what could it be? Are you supposed to call SPOT after a specific occurrence? I just call it after he says "laser on".

Cheers

 

PC

 

I call SPOT when I actually lock onto the target with either the LST or the MAV. I prefer the LST.

 

If you have a FLIR loaded, (recommended) use the LST to lock the target. LST/C must be set to the AFAC code. In this mission it is the default 1688 so you should be OK. Works better than the MAV, and then you also have a target designation possible to use other ordnance if needed.

 

It is important to have the Tracker/Mav seeker very close to the supposed Laser spot. Seems to have worked for you once, so things should be working OK.

 

Are you using ONLY the MAV seeker or are you using the LASER spot tracker in the TPOD? It helps to check the WSRC in the FLIR for a wider view for the spot tracker. Gives a larger area to search. What I do in that mission is actually DESIGNATE the target (WP 4) to get the FLIR looking in the area.OR put the FLIR in VVLSV and fly the VV over the general target area with LST active.

 

If you have used the LST to get the initial spot, and it locks onto it, you are good for subsequent attacks as it is already looking in the right place. If you are trying to locate the spot only with the MAV seeker, you need to nose down so the MAV seeker inverted Triangle is sweeping over the target area. More difficult in my experience. IN THIS MISSION, all the targets are close together.

 

Will try to post a TRK,but oddly, my recent TRK's don't play back correctly. Possibly because I installed the JTAC Lat/Long mod AFTER recording them. Removed the mod. Should play back ok.. Two passes using LST and initial spot via VVSLV maneuver.

AFAC_AGM65E.trk