Struggling with SEAD

[Fulgrim]

Hi fam, I find myself struggling with SEAD/DEAD in the sense that -whenever I encounter a SAM site- I don't know what to destroy first. Which launchers have their own radar? Which ones depend on an EWR + Search + Tracking or any combination? What are the minimum ceilings for each launcher? What are the best weapons for each task? Should I do a popup attack or am I gonna get blown up even at 50ft AGL? What are the reload times?...

The only info I know is the max altitude, max range, and missiles per launcher.

Is there some resource I can check to get a better idea of SAM tactics and capabilities?

Thanks.

Edited March 15, 2022 by Fulgrim

[Dannyvandelft]

Easiest way to tell is by looking at the threat ring on the HSD. if the rings are wide, it can go high as well, probably higher than you. Best way is to attack with HARM and the pod, and fly along the edge of the ring until you get a firing solution. If you carry 4 HARM, and you see 2 radar stations, fire 2 at each in case the site can fire at incoming missiles.

That's how I do it.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Blinky.ben]

Practice how to Toss in CBU-105’s. Use the HARM pod while your flying around and when you lock up something using the HARM wait till it gets more accurate. Then switch to you targeting pod and pin point the location of the SAM site. Create a mark point. Then fly in very low and fast and a few mile out pull up until the CBU-105 has released then dive back down quickly. I find this to be very effective and will always win against long range systems.

[press]

I use HTS with AGM-88 HARMs to destroy the radars (their ability to see) and afterwards I come with either CBU-105 or Mavericks to finish the job.

I stay at a safe distance from the SAM and from here I force them to fire their missiles on me. There are SAMs that have the ability to shoot down your missiles or bombs (AGM-154) that's why I choose to destroy their radars first. I wait for a break in their fire and that's when I use my missiles to destroy their radars.

[Lace]

Remember IRL SEAD missions are not single aircraft.  They are part of large strike packages with dedicated EW, jamming, HARM shooters, and other DEAD CBU armed aircraft.  You are not going to take down a protected IADS/SAM installation by yourself.  

 

The 476th publish a decent threat guide 476TTP3-1.Threat Guide - Public Release - Downloads - 476th Virtual Fighter Group (476vfightergroup.com) which gives a bit more info on the capability of various systems.

[Chaos_Out]

https://wiki.hoggitworld.com/view/Threat_Database

The bottom part of the page that has clickable SAMs, the "Overall" section, links to pages that give tactics on encountering them.  Some might be missing some info, but it's a start.  Simple trial and error is how I learned.  "What's that annoying thing shooting down all of my missiles?"  Ok, now I know, need to overwhelm that one first and destroy it before I can attack the rest...etc.

Edited March 18, 2022 by Chaos_Out

[Commander.99]

You have to destroy only 1 vehicle, the fire control radar.

[MadKreator]

Go for the track radar first. TR symbology on HAD and HSD. If the SAM site cant track you it can’t t shoot you. Disable the TR and the rest of the site is useless and inoperable. .. Of course there are exceptions, like sites that can track and shoot down your ordinance, or an SA-5 which has a much farther range than your HARMs or jsow’s.. for those, dive tossing up close from very low altitude or a RUK HARM strike using the same method can work as well. I usually either go really high and really far away, or really low and really close. I don’t know if I’d call what I do “tactics” by any stretch of the word, but it works for me.

Edited June 13, 2022 by MadKreator