investigating SA-11 vs Missiles

[Photon]

Maybe I'm misinformed, but from all the publicly available info about the SA-11 system, it should be (and was designed to), intercept and shoot down cruise missile type weapons.

However, I don't think I've seen a SA-11 site, engage HARMs or any other missiles a single time, during the many many times I've engaged them.

 

Is this intended behavior ?

[Photon]

Anyone? 

[Ironhand]

They should based on the Buk system designated in the sim but they don't. This, of course, is based on the publicly available sources I've seen. For all I know everyone is referencing a single faulty source. But, anyway, track attached.

Buk vs Cruise Missiles.trk

Edited January 24, 2022 by Ironhand

[Photon]

Thank you :). Yea, if there's a source somewhere that says it cannot shoot at missiles, I would like to see it. From what I could google, it would seem that it has successfully engaged missiles IRL

[Ironhand]

IIRC, the Buk never has been modeled in the sim to shoot at anything other than aircraft—so jets, prop aircraft, UAVs, etc. That may change in a decade or two.

[NineLine]

From the team: 
 

Quote

I think Buk can attack high-altitude cruise missiles at a limited range. This is a quite old system, not designed to defeat small objects.

 

[Ironhand]

Ok. Thanks for checking though, personally, I don’t fully agree. But I have no data with which to counter.

[NineLine]

7 minutes ago, Ironhand said:

Ok. Thanks for checking though, personally, I don’t fully agree. But I have no data with which to counter.

If you can find anything, let me know, even if its via PM. Thanks.

[Tippis]

It depends heavily on the size of the weapon — with a reflection limit of 0.18, it is just barely incapable of detecting AGM-84 and -86 (a reflection stat of <0.17), and equally just barely able to detect and defeat Kh-29 and -58s (reflection 0.18–0.2). So most anti-armour and anti-radiation weaponry that will be aimed at it will get through. Some of the larger cruise missiles and gliding bombs will get shot at though.

Another problem it has is its relatively low detection range combined with a fairly long lock-on time — most missiles would just fly right by it while it's trying to get a lock, even if and when they get detected to begin with. Again, gliding bombs and some of the more massive cruise missiles are viable targets because they aren't fast enough.

A second aspect of that is the way the system works, with its different levels of search and tracking radars, including the ones on the TELARs themselves — if given enough warning from search radars and the like, it can be very nasty; if it only relies on the inherent capabilities of the TELAR, their detection capabilities are drastically reduced and you can literally fly circles around them in a Hercules without ever getting locked on. The SR and CC are good at spotting things at long range, but suck at seeing small targets; the TELAR is decent enough at locking even smallish targets, but is absolutely horrid at actually spotting anything to begin with. It's not a very effective combo for defence against anything other than aircraft, so supplementing them with SA-15s is usually a good idea.

[VFA41_Lion]

original SA-11 was introduced in the 1980s so its not that surprising.

 

maybe if ED modelled and released the SA-17 however.... that would spice up the sim