1 Chaff 1 Flare

[26-J39]

Hey All,

I feel a lot of people look for a quick solution to pumping out 1 chaff and/or 1 flare per CMS push.

Here is, i believe, the quickest way to set it via UFC.    This will give you 1 flare with CMS up & 1 Chaff with CMS left.

• List -> 7
• Dbr Seq
• Entr
• Dbr Down x2
• Entr
• Dbr Seq
• 1   Entr
• ICP DED Down (Steerpoint Rocker)
• Entr
• Dbr Up x2
• Entr

Enjoy

EDIT:  Corrected

 

Edited February 23, 2022 by 26-J39
Spelling

[SCPanda]

 

47 minutes ago, 26-J39 said:

Hey All,

I feel a lot of people look for a quick solution to pumping out 1 chaff and/or 1 flare per CMS push.

Here is, i believe, the quickest way to set it via UFC.    This will give you 1 flare with CMS up & 1 Chaff with CMS left.

• List -> 7
• Dbr Seq
• Entr
• Dbr Down x2
• Entr
• Dbr Seq
• 1   Entr
• ICP DED Down (Steerpoint Rocker)
• Entr
• Dbr Up x2
• Entr

Enjoy

EDIT:  Corrected

 

 

Or just go to your DCS installation folder/Mods/aircraft/F-16C/Cockpit/Scripts/EWS/CMDS/device, open the CMDS_ALE47.lua file with notepad, and edit all of your countermeasure programs. Once you are done, you never have to edit these programs again manually every time you hop into a new jet in DCS. This saves a lot of time and effort before ED implements DTC. 

Edited February 23, 2022 by SCPanda

[Lace]

Or just put the CMDS panel MODE selector into BYP (bypass mode).  Then CMS FWD for 1 chaff & 1 flare.  

[itn]

7 minutes ago, Lace said:

Or just put the CMDS panel MODE selector into BYP (bypass mode).  Then CMS FWD for 1 chaff & 1 flare.  

You can use CMS left in normal modes for 1 chaff + 1 flare. More specifically, I think it runs the bypass program so it's exactly the same.

[itn]

If you modify the CMDS lua manually as suggested by SCPanda, you have to re-do the changes after updates (if the file changes) and after repairs.

DiCE ( https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3312680/ ) is nice. It modifies the files "real-time", so it just works.

[Lace]

5 minutes ago, itn said:

You can use CMS left in normal modes for 1 chaff + 1 flare. More specifically, I think it runs the bypass program so it's exactly the same.

Interesting.  Both sources I have in front of me now (DCS Manual and Chucks Guide) show CMS Left as 'No function'.

[itn]

5 minutes ago, Lace said:

Interesting.  Both sources I have in front of me now (DCS Manual and Chucks Guide) show CMS Left as 'No function'.

True. The manuals are incorrect, as in they do not reflect DCS in its current state. CMS Left functionality came possibly with SEMI/AUTO modes or with the ECM pod.

All subject to change of course and I'm specifically just stating the way it works in DCS OB at the moment. I can see how this might come handy especially with the towed decoys.

[Lace]

13 minutes ago, itn said:

True. The manuals are incorrect, as in they do not reflect DCS in its current state. CMS Left functionality came possibly with SEMI/AUTO modes or with the ECM pod.

All subject to change of course and I'm specifically just stating the way it works in DCS OB at the moment. I can see how this might come handy especially with the towed decoys.

Good to know. Thanks.

[SCPanda]

2 hours ago, Lace said:

Interesting.  Both sources I have in front of me now (DCS Manual and Chucks Guide) show CMS Left as 'No function'.

The manuals are probably not updated. Before CMS auto and semi were introduced, the only working CMS switch function was CMS forward, which dispenses manual countermeasure program 1-4. After CMS auto and semi were introduced, ED changed the CMS logic to how the real jet functions: CMS forward commands manual program 1-4, CMS left commands manual program 6, CMS aft gives consent to semi and turn the jammer on, CMS right stops consent to semi or stops auto, and turn the jammer off. Program 5 is controlled by the slap switch on the left wall, or aka chaff/flare release swtich (listed in the controls configuration menu), or aka panic button. 

You can manually edit the program 1-6 in the jet (need to do this everytime you select a new jet in a mission) via the DED page, or by editing the lua file, which saves your settings for future sorties. Keep in mind, however, game updates sometimes but not always reset the lua file to default. Additionally, you can also edit program 7, which is the bypass mode, in the lua file, but not in the jet. 

Some players also have complained that when using CMS aft to turn on the jammer to use the jammer's self protection jamming (SPJ) modes (keep in mind you have to be in semi mode to use SPJ, manual mode is only for active noise jamming), the jet also gives consent to automatic program release, which is how CMS aft should function in semi. This leads to uncessary dropping of chaff/flare when the pilot only wants to turn on the jammer without dropping countermeasures. To avoid this, you can also edit automatic programs 1-3 in the lua file to your liking, which is not achievable via the DED page in the jet. For example, you can edit the lua file to make auto programs 1-3 release 0 chaff/flare, This prevents semi and auto modes from releasing countermeasures, but since most players prefer to manually control countermeasure release, it works for them, me included. 

Edited February 23, 2022 by SCPanda

[SCPanda]

3 hours ago, Lace said:

Or just put the CMDS panel MODE selector into BYP (bypass mode).  Then CMS FWD for 1 chaff & 1 flare.  

Bypass mode works but it might not be very efficient if you know the threat type you are facing. For exmaple, if you are shot by a radar missile you probably wanna release chaff only since flares only works against IR missiles, and vice versa. It could put you in a bad spot lets say you are fighting against a bandit, you were both able to evade each other's fox 1s and/or fox 3s, but you ended up using all of your chaffs, and flares since you used Bypass. You and the bandit eventually come into a merge or within fox 2 range, then the bandit fires fox 2 at you. You will have no flares to help you evade the fox 2 since you unnecessarily dropped all of them when evading radar missiles. 

 

2 hours ago, itn said:

You can use CMS left in normal modes for 1 chaff + 1 flare. More specifically, I think it runs the bypass program so it's exactly the same.

CMS left is for program 6. Bypass runs program 7. They might function same by default tho. 

2 hours ago, itn said:

you have to re-do the changes after updates (if the file changes) and after repairs.

Only occasionally. Updates do not always reset the file. Plus, you can always save a backup of your edited lua file if that happens. Then, just copy and paste to replace the lua file that has been reset by a game update. Personally, I prefer just edit the lua file in the folder since I do not like running any mods with DCS. 

Edited February 23, 2022 by SCPanda

[Lace]

1 hour ago, SCPanda said:

Bypass mode works but it might not be very efficient if you know the threat type you are facing. For exmaple, if you are shot by a radar missile you probably wanna release chaff only since flares only works against IR missiles, and vice versa. It could put you in a bad spot lets say you are fighting against a bandit, you were both able to evade each other's fox 1s and/or fox 3s, but you ended up using all of your chaffs, and flares since you used Bypass. You and the bandit eventually come into a merge or within fox 2 range, then the bandit fires fox 2 at you. You will have no flares to help you evade the fox 2 since you unnecessarily dropped all of them when evading radar missiles. 

 

 

Well aware of the tactics required RE expendables, was just answering the OPs request.  Bypass useful for a FENCE check though.

[26-J39]

26 minutes ago, Lace said:

 

Well aware of the tactics required RE expendables, was just answering the OPs request.  Bypass useful for a FENCE check though.

I did not request anything.   I was simply showing how i set up my counter measures through the UFC so i can dispense one chaff   OR   one flare via CMS fwd & CMS Left.

That's all.

 

[Lace]

2 hours ago, 26-J39 said:

I did not request anything.   I was simply showing how i set up my counter measures through the UFC so i can dispense one chaff   OR   one flare via CMS fwd & CMS Left.

That's all.

 

Good point, well presented.