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Need help understanding the CMS with ECM in SEMI - Dispensing chaff and flare when activating the ECM


NightstalkerNOR

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I need some help understanding how the ECM works in SEMI-mode.

I flew a mission using the ECM pod and got tracked by a fighter. I wanted to break the lock, but ended up dispensing chaff and flare aswell as activating the ECM.

What I would've wanted to happen is to break the lock without dispensing chaff and flare until I am being engaged. Is this possible to do in semi mode?

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For jammer XMIT modes 1 and 2 (DECM radar priority and jammer priority respectively):

  1. Make sure the CMDS mode switch is in SEMI or AUTO
  2. Set the ECM XMIT switch to mode 1 or mode 2
  3. Ensure jammer 1-6 pushbuttons are depressed (S' should be seen on the buttons)
  4. To make set the jammer to active (i.e. ready to respond) from standby press CMS aft (As should be seen on the ECM buttons to the right of the XMIT mode switch). The jammer will automatically transmit when a radar in a track/fire-control mode is detected. The jammer will automatically stop transmitting and return to active once a radar in a track/fire-control mode isn't detected. EDIT: As Machalot said below, to avoid dispensing countermeasures, do this before you anticipate a threat or momentarily disable the countermeasure dispense switches (top row of the CMDS panel).
  5. Press CMS right to set the jammer to standby.

For jammer XMIT in mode 3 (OECM barrage jamming):

  1. Make sure the CMDS mode switch is in MAN
  2. Set the ECM XMIT switch to mode 3.
  3. Ensure the jammer pushbuttons are depressed (S' should be seen on the buttons).
  4. Press CMS aft to transmit
  5. Press CMS right to stop transmitting

Edited by Northstar98
Added Machalot's comments
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46 minutes ago, NightstalkerNOR said:

What I would've wanted to happen is to break the lock without dispensing chaff and flare until I am being engaged. Is this possible to do in semi mode?

Should be able to that in SEMI. Have a look here though I am not sure if things have been updated. Haven't flown the F16 for a while.

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5 minutes ago, GrEaSeLiTeNiN said:

Should be able to that in SEMI. Have a look here though I am not sure if things have been updated. Haven't flown the F16 for a while.

I saw that post. Useful stuff, but I am unsure if it works like that under every condition? For instance, I was able to activate/deactivate the ECM when not being tracked without dispensing chaff/flare. However, as soon as I was being tracked I started dispensing chaff/flare when activating the ECM. 

*Lightbulbmoment*: Will the ECM automatically activate when being tracked, so that the CMS-aft switch is really just a countermeasure dispense button when the CMS is set in semi mode?

 

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23 minutes ago, Northstar98 said:

To make set the jammer to active (i.e. ready to respond) from standby press CMS aft (As should be seen on the ECM buttons to the right of the XMIT mode switch). The jammer will automatically transmit when a radar in a track/fire-control mode is detected. The jammer will automatically stop transmitting and return to active once a radar in a track/fire-control mode isn't detected.

One key point the OP might be wondering about is that you should do this (CMS aft) before entering the threat zone, when you are not currently locked up by an enemy.  In CMDS Semi mode, CMS aft has a dual function* -- set jamming to active AND dispense countermeasures for the current high priority threat.  So if you want to just set the jammer to active without dispensing, you either need to make sure you are not currently locked, or turn off your chaff and flare switches momentarily.

*In CMDS Semi mode, CMS aft provides instantaneous consent to dispense once against the current threat.  In CMDS Auto mode, CMS aft provides prior consent to dispense indefinitely against future threats.


Edited by Machalot
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"Subsonic is below Mach 1, supersonic is up to Mach 5. Above Mach 5 is hypersonic. And reentry from space, well, that's like Mach a lot."

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2 minutes ago, Machalot said:

One key point the OP might be wondering about is that you should do this (CMS aft) before entering the threat zone, when you are not currently locked up by an enemy.  CMS aft has a dual function -- set jamming to active AND dispense countermeasures for the current high priority threat.  So if you want to just set the jammer to active without dispensing, you either need to make sure you are not currently locked, or turn off your chaff and flare switches momentarily.

I believe this explains my issue and how to relate to it. So I presume the jammer responds automatically to tracking as long as I activate it before entering a threat zone? Only that way will I avoid expanding chaff and flare but have the jammer active?

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1 minute ago, NightstalkerNOR said:

So I presume the jammer responds automatically to tracking as long as I activate it before entering a threat zone? Only that way will I avoid expanding chaff and flare but have the jammer active?

The jammer will respond automatically any time after you activate it, even if you activate it while you are already locked up.  But to avoid wasting countermeasures you should activate it before you get locked up or turn off your CMs momentarily while you activate the jammer, then turn the CMs back on.

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"Subsonic is below Mach 1, supersonic is up to Mach 5. Above Mach 5 is hypersonic. And reentry from space, well, that's like Mach a lot."

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Just now, Machalot said:

The jammer will respond automatically any time after you activate it, even if you activate it while you are already locked up.  But to avoid wasting countermeasures you should activate it before you get locked up or turn off your CMs momentarily while you activate the jammer, then turn the CMs back on.

Wonderful. Thank you for clearing it up for me! 🙂

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On 8/8/2022 at 3:25 PM, NightstalkerNOR said:

I saw that post. Useful stuff, but I am unsure if it works like that under every condition? For instance, I was able to activate/deactivate the ECM when not being tracked without dispensing chaff/flare. However, as soon as I was being tracked I started dispensing chaff/flare when activating the ECM. 

*Lightbulbmoment*: Will the ECM automatically activate when being tracked, so that the CMS-aft switch is really just a countermeasure dispense button when the CMS is set in semi mode?

 

UPDATE: Did some testing today (latest open beta). It still works as per diagram as far as I can see. But to add, when tracked in SEMI, ECM will transmit automatically from Active mode but not when in Standby. Also (when tracked in SEMI) you will start dispensing (the PROG determined by SEMI) with CMS AFT and cannot halt it halfway. There isn't really a need to stop it halfway since it is going to stop on its own once the PROG is completed.


Edited by GrEaSeLiTeNiN

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System works on a consent basis. CMS gives/takes away permission for both the dispenser and jammer. If you never press CMS aft then neither countermeasure nor jammer will ever function regardless of CMDS mode knob, even auto will not do anything. You'll also lose auto dispense permission and ECM permission when RF switch leaves norm which requires a fresh CMS aft to give again. You can give permission at any time and it will be remembered so you can CMS aft, then CMDS AUTO, and auto dispense is already present.

 

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