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When do we use Pulse STT and PD-STT


Zaphael

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I am not sure whether I am using it wrong, but Pulse STT seems to be dropping lock very easily. Target was co-alt, nose-hot about 40 miles. Quite often I ask Jester to lock up the flanker, and Switch STT. Sometimes, the PD-STT lock will drop immediately when he switches to PSTT. 

Incidentally, when does Jester switch between modes? I hear him call out "Switching to Pulse STT" sometimes, but I don't know when he is gonna do that. 

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30 minutes ago, Zaphael said:

Incidentally, when does Jester switch between modes? I hear him call out "Switching to Pulse STT" sometimes, but I don't know when he is gonna do that. 

He does that around 15-20nm afair. There is an option allowing him that in DCS > options > special > F-14.

Try to use P-STT in short to medium range and PD-STT for long range. Keeping the target in look up aspect helps keeping the lock.

https://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html#an-awg-9-radar

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PD-STT offers longer range, look down capability and can guide the AIM-54 (if you're into that sort of thing). The main consideration is that it is susceptible to the Zero Doppler Notch, so if a target has relatively little closure < +/- 100 knots, the radar will drop lock.

 

P-STT is shorter range (somewhere around 50 miles), has no doppler notch so should more reliably hold lock, but can't guide the AIM-54 (it can provide pre-launch cueing for an active off the rail shot). P-STT isn't susceptible to ground clutter unless the target is very low, but the modes that transition Pulse Doppler to Pulse, or if you're using Pulse Search are

Generally you want to use pulse against a closer, less cooperative (I.e. maneuvering) target. I would also recommend turning off the automatic switching to pulse. Jester will make that decision based on range alone, however he doesn't take into account whether the target is above or below you, or if the target is far off to either side. The further below you, and the further from center a target is, the more likely the PD->Pulse transition will fail and the lock will be dropped.

Jester had a habit of trying this when I was deep into a crank supporting a Sparrow, and now I don't let jester try any more. 

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9 hours ago, near_blind said:

PD-STT offers longer range, look down capability and can guide the AIM-54 (if you're into that sort of thing). The main consideration is that it is susceptible to the Zero Doppler Notch, so if a target has relatively little closure < +/- 100 knots, the radar will drop lock.

 

P-STT is shorter range (somewhere around 50 miles), has no doppler notch so should more reliably hold lock, but can't guide the AIM-54 (it can provide pre-launch cueing for an active off the rail shot). P-STT isn't susceptible to ground clutter unless the target is very low, but the modes that transition Pulse Doppler to Pulse, or if you're using Pulse Search are

Generally you want to use pulse against a closer, less cooperative (I.e. maneuvering) target. I would also recommend turning off the automatic switching to pulse. Jester will make that decision based on range alone, however he doesn't take into account whether the target is above or below you, or if the target is far off to either side. The further below you, and the further from center a target is, the more likely the PD->Pulse transition will fail and the lock will be dropped.

Jester had a habit of trying this when I was deep into a crank supporting a Sparrow, and now I don't let jester try any more. 

Yes, I've been trying to engage PSTT at about 25 miles or so while getting below the target and looking up.

The objective was to guide a Active Phoenix further than 10 Miles (outside the ACM submodes). Trying an alternative to a TWS launch at 20 miles so that the missile is active in the event I have to drag away from a return 120 or R77.

So far, 20 mile launches do connect though the Phoenix slows A LOT. But I was not aware that the PSTT was actually not guiding the Phoenix... That was new to me. 🥲

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, Zaphael said:

So far, 20 mile launches do connect though the Phoenix slows A LOT.

Fly higher and don't try to spam mad dog missiles - not a good tactic, poor pk.

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2 hours ago, draconus said:

Fly higher and don't try to spam mad dog missiles - not a good tactic, poor pk.

The issue with flying higher was that Jester drops the lock a lot. Which was strange because pulse is used to pick up or grab fighters notching or flying low among clutter.

Flying lower so far has better chances of sustaining a pulse STT.  I don't know why this is happening.

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21 minutes ago, Zaphael said:

The issue with flying higher was that Jester drops the lock a lot. Which was strange because pulse is used to pick up or grab fighters notching or flying low among clutter.

Flying lower so far has better chances of sustaining a pulse STT.  I don't know why this is happening.

There's no point in using P-STT over 20nm. If you want to shoot AIM-54 you either do that in PD-STT or TWS-A but you try to be high and fast then. Of course breaking locks and losing tracks happen but you act accordingly and either push more (prabably in P-STT now) or bug out when overwhelmed.


Edited by draconus

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The problem I've found with being high up is that if the target is down low, that is thousands of feet for the Phoenix to plunge down to and it slows it down and loses energy, making it easier to spoof.  I've seen this happen way too many times if I launch say from angles 30 and the target is at say angels 15 or less, 50 nm out.  If the bandit refuses to come up to close the altitude gap, I get in closer to say 20 miles and only 5000, maybe 10000 above him to fire.  They almost always kill then.  If he fires on me, my Phoenix usually is pitbull shortly thereafter and he drops the lock to defend or I crank away and evade.

And yes, in both situations, I keep my speed fast, not just to give the Phoenix extra energy but also so that if I need to crank away or defend, I have the energy to do so and run if need be,

v6,

boNes

"Also, I would prefer a back seater over the extra gas any day. I would have 80 pounds of flesh to eat and a pair of glasses to start a fire." --F/A-18 Hornet pilot

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That's the problem with the Phoenix now. It's long range teeth against got plucked, and it's terrible medium range because it accelerates way too slowly. 

Phoenix used to have a sweet parabolic loft shot (40 to 50), giving it plenty of energy coming down on a target. That's nerfed hard. 

At the 15 to 20 miles medium range medium alt shots, it's so slow that it barely makes the shot if the target cranks. The Tomcat can probably keep up with the missile if it jettisons everything because the missile will slow down so fast. 


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On 4/19/2022 at 9:15 AM, near_blind said:

I’m concerned we’re considering 50 miles to be long, and twenty miles to be medium ranged for the AIM-54.

 

20 miles is for Sparrows.

In DCS, under 7 miles for a head-on-shot with the Sparrow. And if the target notches, its not going to make the shot. 

After the advent of AMRAAMS, and Fox 3 missiles, the only reason you shoot Sparrows is when you have nothing left. It is not a tactically viable option. 

 

The only possibly good reason to shoot a Sparrow is to distract the adversary to defend against a Sparrow shot with chaff and notching, while sneaking a sidewinder shot in. 

 

 

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10 hours ago, Zaphael said:

In DCS, under 7 miles for a head-on-shot with the Sparrow. And if the target notches, its not going to make the shot. 

After the advent of AMRAAMS, and Fox 3 missiles, the only reason you shoot Sparrows is when you have nothing left. It is not a tactically viable option. 

 

The only possibly good reason to shoot a Sparrow is to distract the adversary to defend against a Sparrow shot with chaff and notching, while sneaking a sidewinder shot in. 

 

 

The missile has the kinematics to comfortably make it 20 miles from a medium/high altitude shot, you can stretch that out to around 30 if you're very optimistic, but battery life becomes the limiting factor. Inside of that targets can ignore it, defend against it, or try and out shoot it. In case one they're likely to die. In case two initiative stays with whoever shot first, which means you have an advantage on your subsequent shots. In case three, you get to do some of that pilot <profanity> and things stay fun. 

I generally don't worry about AMRAAMS as I usually don't pick shooting fights with jets belonging to my own country, but that's just me. In any case it's a Tomcat. I don't need to force a SARH vs ARH match up if I don't want to, I have the speed and gas to decline the fight if I feel like it. 

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