reported Flood mode issue

[Xhonas]

Hi there. There is an issue with the flood mode in the F/A-18. After selecting the flood mode to guide the Sparrow, the radar switches back to TWS after a few seconds for no reason, completely trashing the missile. 

Aim7 flood mode.trk

[Lord Vader]

Hi @Xhonas

I watched your track and I think you need to review how the flood mode works.

Unless the track has an issue, I see you designating the target prior to launching. If you want to use flood mode, you need to shoot the missile without a lock. This will use the flood antenna to track anything within the circle. The target is never locked in this mode, but it will be illuminated to guide the missile. As you can see, it is working:

[Xhonas]

Hi there @Lord Vader. Yes, i have the target in STT. So, after firing the missile, you can press the PB 10 (in the right mfd in this case) to switch to flood mode and guide the missile. It goes into flood for a few secs, and after that it returns back to tws/rws for no reason and that interrupts the guidance. I believe that is a bug because about 2-3 patches ago if you pressed the PB 10 after firing the missile the radar would switch to flood and guide the missile all the way if kept inside parameters, and in many other modules you can switch to flood / illumination mode after firing in STT. It would not switch back to tws/rws uncommanded like its happening right now. If thats not a bug, then fine, its just that it works very differently from every other module that have the same system. This was a very useful function to use against beaming targets trying to break your radar lock by notching. 

https://streamable.com/hxlswo Check this video. Both missiles guide in the flood mode after pressing PB 10, guidance is interrupted after the radar switches back to tws uncommanded.

Edited January 27, 2024 by Xhonas

[Tango3B]

2 hours ago, Xhonas said:

Hi there @Lord Vader. Yes, i have the target in STT. So, after firing the missile, you can press the PB 10 (in the right mfd in this case) to switch to flood mode and guide the missile. It goes into flood for a few secs, and after that it returns back to tws/rws for no reason and that interrupts the guidance. I believe that is a bug because about 2-3 patches ago if you pressed the PB 10 after firing the missile the radar would switch to flood and guide the missile all the way if kept inside parameters, and in many other modules you can switch to flood / illumination mode after firing in STT. It would not switch back to tws/rws uncommanded like its happening right now. If thats not a bug, then fine, its just that it works very differently from every other module that have the same system. This was a very useful function to use against beaming targets trying to break your radar lock by notching. 

https://streamable.com/hxlswo Check this video. Both missiles guide in the flood mode after pressing PB 10, guidance is interrupted after the radar switches back to tws uncommanded.

 

Okay, now I understand your point. Yesterday I tested FLOOD mode in its basic form and it was also working fine for me. But yeah, you are absolutely right. Flood mode is also intended as a fall back mode if for some reason your lock is broken. That way you basically save your shot. A good example is the Mirage 2000C which would switch to ILLU mode immediately after lock is broken in order to not trash your shot. This should also be the same in the F/A-18C. I would say this is a bug. Let´s see what Lord Vader has to say about this...

[Lord Vader]

Oh, I see now. You wanted to activate it as a fallback option. I was thinking you just wanted to use the mode traditionally.

Anyway, yes, this does look like a bug and I have raised this internally for analysis.

Thanks.