[NOOB] TWS Auto mode question

[VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants]

Say I have a group of 4 targets in a line formation with 200m apart each other. When I enter the RIO seat and switch to TWS Auto. I can see the enemy group at around 100nm, but are randomly highlighted at first. Then all of them dim and start flashing but the auto mode assign 1 to 4 to each of them. I launch an AIM-65C at 1, but 1 does not change to countdown next to its track. Press Next Launch button does not switch the lock to another plane.

What did I do wrong? If a video or track file is needed to help out, please kindly let me know.  Thank you.

[near_blind]

A video could help further display what's going on, but I think I understand. Every couple of seconds the AWG-9 should be doing a sort to rank each track and generate the shoot list ( the number next to the track). I've seen some reports that if you shoot a missile while this sort is going on, it will mess up the shot and that track isn't considered Track under Missile Attack (TMA). Because your contacts all have relatively similar characteristics, the computer might be having a hard time deciding which track is the priority and re-ranking them more often, thus providing more opportunity for this bug. 

 

I'll see if I can recreate it. 

[Comstedt86]

All 4 contacts visible as separate tracks during the whole time? 

 

[draconus]

8 hours ago, VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants said:

I launch an AIM-65C at 1, but 1 does not change to countdown next to its track. Press Next Launch button does not switch the lock to another plane.

It's AIM-54C. In TWS you don't lock the target, you "hook" them with HCU (RIO joystick) if you want more info on them or you want some action performed on them, and you have to hook it first before using NEXT LAUNCH button.

Most probably some target tracks are created and some are lost due to long range and radar resolution. Trial formation is a legit defense against proper detection of more units by the single radar since the first target obscures the others or at least confuses the signal returns.

6 hours ago, near_blind said:

Every couple of seconds the AWG-9 should be doing a sort to rank each track and generate the shoot list ( the number next to the track). I've seen some reports that if you shoot a missile while this sort is going on, it will mess up the shot and that track isn't considered Track under Missile Attack (TMA).

Link or more info? First time I hear that I can launch "in wrong time".

Edited June 2, 2022 by draconus

[VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants]

Here is a sample video:

Things to note:

• At start, it seemed that the TWS Auto mode worked as expected, one track was highlighted, IFF identified and all the tracks picked up, were properly assigned
• After I switched to TWS Manual, there was not HCU cursor and none also after I switched back to Auto
• Then, the tracks seemed neither highlighted nor IFF identified, and no range information was shown on top. They just blinked.
• When the targets were < 20nm, AIM-54C were fired and it seemed that the radar still gave a countdown and the "Next Launch" button still switched to the next track in line.

It may be my operation error, so any help would be highly appreciated.

Edited June 2, 2022 by VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants

[Comstedt86]

2 hours ago, VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants said:

Here is a sample video:

Things to note:

• At start, it seemed that the TWS Auto mode worked as expected, one track was highlighted, IFF identified and all the tracks picked up, were properly assigned
• After I switched to TWS Manual, there was not HCU cursor and none also after I switched back to Auto
• Then, the tracks seemed neither highlighted nor IFF identified, and no range information was shown on top. They just blinked.
• When the targets were < 20nm, AIM-54C were fired and it seemed that the radar still gave a countdown and the "Next Launch" button still switched to the next track in line.

It may be my operation error, so any help would be highly appreciated.

 

You need to IFF yourself if you are in the RIO seat, else Jester does it but it is not an automated feature.

 

No need to press next launch IIRC unless you specifically want to change the firing order the WCS (computer) selects. You will automatically launch on the next enemy or unknown target. 

 

Make sure you have TID cursor selected and not DDD or something else. 

[draconus]

3 hours ago, VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants said:

When the targets were < 20nm, AIM-54C were fired...

First shot was around 30nm.

Anyway, back to reading:

https://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/weapons.html#tws

[near_blind]

8 hours ago, VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants said:

• At start, it seemed that the TWS Auto mode worked as expected, one track was highlighted, IFF identified and all the tracks picked up, were properly assigned
• After I switched to TWS Manual, there was not HCU cursor and none also after I switched back to Auto
• Then, the tracks seemed neither highlighted nor IFF identified, and no range information was shown on top. They just blinked.
• When the targets were < 20nm, AIM-54C were fired and it seemed that the radar still gave a countdown and the "Next Launch" button still switched to the next track in line.

• As mentioned, it's the job of the RIO to manually assign HAFU to each track. This is done via the CAP.
• The HCU cursor only appears while you are pulling the HCU trigger to half action.
• Target information will only be displayed if the proper display mode has been selected (jester should have done this for you), and only if a track is hooked. You never hooked any tracks. Hooking is accomplished by holding half action to make the HCU cursor appear, moving it overtop of a thing on the TID you want to hook (a radar contact, a track, you can even hook waypoints), and pressing the HCU trigger full action. 
• As mentioned, that's not what Next Launch is for. The radar is specifically designed to only shoot one AIM-54 at one track. When you fire an AIM-54 in TWS, the radar automatically sequences to the next track in the shoot cue as long as it has another missile to fire. Next Launch is for when the RIO needs to override the automatically assigned shoot list: The RIO hooks a track, presses the next launch button, and the radar will bump that track from whatever its assigned priority in the shoot list was to 1. I.E. it is the track that will be launched on next. Pressing the button with no tracks selected like you were doing doesn't, or shouldn't, do anything.