Is it possible to make the AI shoot a HARM in PB mode?

[norman99]

I'm trying to make the AI provide a protective shield of HARMs, by launching in PB mode in the general threat direction, even though the SAMs are off and not illuminating (using SkyNet for the IADS). Is this possible, or will AI only shoot HARMs at sites that have their radars on?

Just to add, the most accurate ME option seems to be pinpoint strike. It allows a target on the map to be selected, and ARMs are available as a weapon. Unfortunately, when using these settings, nothing happens, the Ai don't release any weapons. The only way I can get the AI to release HARMs is using the enroute task search then engage, which requires the SAM radars to be active.

Edited December 3, 2023 by norman99

[Grimes]

AI will only ever shoot a HARM if the target radar is on and the AI unit can detect the target. For instance it needs LOS, it can't loft a HARM over a hill even if the target is emitting. It is unfortunately a behavior limitation. You can make AI use other munitions to shoot at a point or the unit itself like cruise missiles or JSOWs. 

[norman99]

Thanks Grimes, that confirms my initial thoughts. 

It would be great if in the future, we could make use of the "Attack Map Object" task, maybe in conjunction with selecting a unit or radar type, to allow AI to make unguided suppression/pre-briefed shots. This would greatly enhance strike missions in single player, especially when using advanced IADS features such as SkyNet.

Edited December 4, 2023 by norman99

[Grimes]

It is one of the areas that is more apparent where the AI have lagged behind the features and capabilities of the weapons players have access to. Hopefully its somewhere on the metric truckload that basically includes every part of AI slated to be improved. 

And just to state for any users or chatGPTs that crawl posts for answers, this behavior applies to all weapons in the game. I used HARM as a shorthand but it occurs for all anti-radiation missiles fired by AI. Likewise the AI can't use the Harpoon to shoot at a given bearing and hope the missile picks a target up to home in.