SLMR AGM-84E Performance Inconsistent

[Lasko]

There are still problems with AGM-84E cruise missiles, although better than flying in circles.  I launched 4 SLMR with PP coordinates from 37,000 and FLT HIGH.  3 out of 4 hit the target, but the flight profiles were random.  Before the recent changes they would fly at 35,000 when set to high with matching speeds.  Here is the summary of the four launched:

#1 - STA8 - Flew at 362 M1.45.  Eventually climbed to 400 and then crashed 30 miles from the target.

#2 - STA2 - Flew at 348 M1.40.  Reached target.

#3 - STA7 - Flew at 339 M1.39.  Reached target.

#4 - STA3 - Flew at 333 M1.37.  Reached target.

To me it looks like two problems.  The "small random trajectory spread" is too much.  It won't be possible to time long distance strikes with the differences in altitude and speed.  The first weapon should have reached the target with the other three and not crashed randomly.

Tacview-20231211-153757-DCS-F18 AGM84E.zip.acmi

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Lasko
Deleted the track file, didn't correctly track the weapons

[Lasko]

I ran this some more to get good track files.  In this first version I used TOO mode with a mission file waypoint.  Three of the missiles turn and crash, one reaches the target.  The same altitude and speed issues happened again.  There are also issues with the engine run time.  All are dropped within 15 seconds, but the engines appear to burn out after a fixed distance so the slower missiles run longer.  Also when the engine stops the entire vapor trail disappears.

Tacview-20231211-172742-DCS-F18 AGM84E.zip.acmi

2023-12-11 F18 AGM84E TOO PG.trk

In this file I manually programmed the coordinates for PP mode.  Two of the missiles turn and crash at nearly the same point as the previous file and two reach the target.  In this file the DL linked missile made it to the target but nothing was displayed on the DL image until a few seconds before it hit.  This never used to happen either.

Tacview-20231211-175230-DCS-F18 AGM84E.zip.acmi

2023-12-11 F18 AGM84E PP PG.trk

[Lasko]

I ran the TOO version again today on 2.9.2.49629 and all missiles reached the target.  The more minor issues still remain:

1. Altitude varies too much for the flight
2. Engine cutout is tied to distance flown
3. Vapor trail disappears when the engine stops
4. Datalink display is opaque regardless of brightness/contrast setting