Missile Evasion questions

[Daz85UK]

Hi All,

I have a couple of questions regarding the RWR and missile evasion.
When the RWR begins to scream at you about a missile that is tracking I start to notch it, pump out chaff and manoeuvre a bit, then the RWR goes silent….

1) Does the RWR falling silent mean that missile is now defeated and is no longer tracking?

2) The RWR starts again with a missile tracking warning, Do i take this warning as a new missile that is tracking that will need to be defeated, or can the first missile start tracking me again?

hope that makes sense

Thanks

[Moonshine]

there are multiple reasons for the RWR going silent

1 - you are in the notch, missile cant see you anymore - RWR silent

2 - you are in a bank so that the missile is in the blindspot of the RWR (directly below you or above you)

3 - missile lost track on you and cant find you anymore

 

when defending a Fox 3 (Amraam for example) if it starts again shortly after your maneuver, chances are you are no longer in the notch and the missile has reacquired you and is tracking again

or a new missile has been fired. usually you can see a radar guided missile on the RWR as "M". if there is only 1 M showing and the M is blinking, chances are its the same missile that has found you again. if there is a second M showing and blinking, a new missile has been fired. if the M is on the RWR (not blinking) but the RWR is silent, the missile does not see you but your RWR detects the missiles radar beams

 

Edited November 19, 2022 by Moonshine

[Daz85UK]

Thanks Moonshine, appreciate the detailed answer. 

[skywalker22]

1. You have to CHECK where exactly are RWR antennas, it this case for F-16, and you have to check which area are they covering. This is very important, so you can know when you RWR would track a bandit and when not (based on the pitch and bank of your aircraft). There are spots on the F-16 which are not covered by RWR (2nd picture).

2. Depending the relationship between your aircraft and the bandit, can also influence on RWR tracking or not tracking, that's what @Moonshine explained well (crack, notch, dive, too big elevation difference, and could be some more factors).

Keep in mind, there are different tones of the RWR, or you are either tracked by some radar, locked (STT mode) or a missile has been fired on you.

Edited March 3, 2024 by skywalker22

[Daz85UK]

Thanks Skywalker. I have always struggled with knowing when a missile has been defeated so i can turn hot again. 
i guess I need to practice some more!

[Aquorys]

On a side note, unless some threat has suddenly popped up somewhere or you need to get really close due to ROE, you probably should not be so close to your threat that notching would be your best evasive maneuver

[gavagai]

On 11/19/2022 at 4:03 AM, skywalker22 said:

1. You have to CHECK where exactly are RWR antennas, it this case for F-16, and you have to check which area are they covering. This is very important, so you can know when you RWR would track a bandit and when not (based on the pitch and bank of your aircraft). There are spots on the F-16 which are not covered by RWR (2nd picture).

2. Depending the relationship between your aircraft and the bandit, can also influence on RWR tracking on not, that's what @Moonshine explained well (crack, notch, dive, too big elevation difference, and could be some more factors).

 

 

Keep in mind, there are different tones of the RWR, or you are either tracked by some radar, locked (STT mode) or a missile has been fired on you.

 

This is the correct answer. The RWR going silent does not necessarily mean the missile has lost its acquisition.  If you are diving and rolling for terrain cover your RWR will go silent even though the inbound missile is still tracking.  The only time I'm confident that a notch has defeated a missile is when my wingtip is pointed at it.  Even then you shouldn't immediately turn in again because the missile can reacquire.

Edited December 13, 2022 by gavagai