M2000 EW set

[Swson]

One small information about M2000 family EW.

Like its US or russian counterparts as first versions of ALR 69 or SIRENA, M2000 RWR is a 4 antennas CVR Crystal Video Receiver that cover a good part of the threats’ frequency spectrum. . Using such wide coverage quite instantaneously has a nice aspect which is instantaneous detection of threat's pulses everywhere in the covered spectrum but also a draw back which is limited sensitivity due to the B into the KTBFG noise level equation. All these principles of operation are based on laws of physic.

However, jammers have also often their own built-in receivers which are generally superheterodyne ones and are mandatory to detect and almost follow parameters' evolutions of threats to jam. This is mostly the case even if a RWR designation to jammer is possible for exemple like it is done in some US equipment when the RWR is itself a superhet or channelized superhet receiver like the one of the F-15. Superhet receivers are not or few instantaneous in detection over the whole covered spectrum because they have to be tuned and scanned  but their quite narrow IF (intermediate frequency) band provides them with very good sensitivity. It so allows a detection from far of few powered radars and SAM systems. In Mirage a smart combination of receivers allows long range protection and good warning.

When an AC is  using several built in different types receivers,  detections of the same threat occur separately in time at different ranges but at the end of the day information are correlated and merged in only one symbol. As many different radars can be used in the same weapon system different detection are associated to display a single weapon system and not radar symbol providing pilot with a valuable tactical information linked with average range and an indication of Direction of Arrival given by the goniometrical capabilities of the RWR.

The jammer antennas are not designed to provide an accurate DOA but to detect and jam most threats of the 3D environment using only front and rear but wide coverage antennas

Special symbologies and sounds as well as symbols position on display does also exist to distinguish levels of danger linked to the engaged threats’ modes and triggering or not of self protection jamming. Of course ranges to threats are not always linked to the real danger, you can be far of an SA5 and be endangered…but  if SAM system is well identified through the good measure of its parameters and comparison with pre mission programmed EW internal library and if average range is known it provides interesting tactical information to pilot at least for this generation of aircraft that does not own MFCD with scrolling maps and position of threats and danger circles either pre programmed or in real time more or less accurately geolocated thanks to existing last generation EW systems.

To finish, I’m fed up reading all these stupid things about the fact jammers would draw missiles to you and help radars to lock as well as about the fact they would not be effective at close ranges due to the infamous burn through range, itself only applicable if the jamming is achieved through a noise technique moreover against a pulse radar.

These are true facts but mostly linked to Vietnam era and even beyond noise techniques based not coherent generation of US jammers. I will not elaborate on the reason why this is widely false from the 80s and even before french jammers because it is not the place to do so but their smart effectiveness has been demonstrated particularly on the M2000 that had, and yet has for export AC, the best EW suite of its generation. I however understand that generally speaking neither Razbam nor DCS own the information allowing them programming a representative effectiveness of EW and this is true for all aircraft. This is however a pity because EW is presently the corner stone of any tactical and even strategic aerial operation but the matter is sensitive isn’t it ?

Edited November 28, 2021 by Swson