How does an/alq-144 work?

[dresoccer4]

What exactly is the an/alq-144 and how does it work? I didn't see a training module on it

[Hootman9104]

The full details are Classified. As a former 20 year Blackhawk guy, I was there when the initial "Disco Balls" came out, later upgraded. Basically they spoof IR missiles by making the missiles think the aircraft is somewhere else in space. Think of it as a constant "flare". Pretty effective, not perfect, but better than nothing.

[Iron Sights]

Pretty good explanation in Wikipedia on it. Looks like newer missiles may have out paced it over time, so that may explain the upgrade.

”The ALQ-144 and 147 IRCM produced a pattern of pulses that was approximately synchronized with the rotation rate of these reticles. Before launch this would prevent the missile actually locking onto the target, preventing the operator from firing the missile. After launch this would cause the missile to think that the target was off to one side and cause the missile to steer away from the aircraft carrying the IRCM.”

[Mistermann]

 

[NeedzWD40]

A hamster is on a wheel made up of mirrors. When you turn it on, a feeder tube comes out and force feeds the hamster radioactive mountain dew. This in turn causes the hamster to run, spinning the mirrors, while simultaneously giving off flashes of radioactive energy across the IR spectrum. This then causes the missile to see a repeating image of a radioactive hamster in its field of view, causing it to miss the aircraft's hot exhaust.

Or it's magic, which we don't have to explain.

[Hootman9104]

Y'know, I retired in 2005 (did 3 years in the 82nd, and 17 years as a full-time National Guard at our Army Aviation Support Facility), and even though I still live near my old Battalion and we have a pretty active group that keeps up with retirees and current members, I was not aware that the ALQ-144 was retired in 2009 (according to the user guide). So if you install it in the mission editor, it removes the AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System. I tried it in mission editor, and it seems the APR-39 remains in both configurations. So the AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System also came after my time, and I'm a bit confused as I thought that system would replace the APR-39. But I guess they are both used? The APR-39 was always passive and we used to joke that it was just there to let you know what's about to kill you. Chaff, Flares, and Disco Ball was your bread and butter.

Not that I would miss the 144, they were notorious for being inop most of the time, and just a hassle moving them around on the aircraft. It got to the point once where we kept them off, and kept the working ones in the Avionics shop to be installed when they were actually needed. P.I.T.A.

Learn something new every day.

Side note, I was in the same unit as Casmo, A Troop 1/17th Cav, but I predate him there. I was there when the Cav troops had 5 UH-60A, 5 OH-58A, 5 AH-1 (not sure what model), and an infantry scout platoon. I was a Blackhawk Chief, and we'd fly the scouts out and drop them off "behind enemy lines". They even had some camo dirt motorcycles at one point we'd load up and take with. In late 1986-early 1987, the "AOE-Army of Excellence" program came along, which mandated switching the Cav over to the then "new" OH-58D's, and getting rid of the Hawk, A model Kiowas, and Cobras. They made absolutely no plans what to do with the people during the transition, so me and some guys went pro-actively looking for a slot, I went over to the 82nd Aviation Battalion which was then stationed at Pope AFB (not Simmons AAF), and they put me right into a Crewchief slot there. As part of the AOE, soon after that the 82nd Aviation Brigade was formed, and we became A Co "Redhawks", 2nd Battalion, 82nd AVN BDE. 1/82nd AVN was fielding their brand new AH-64 Apache's and were at Fort Hood for a year TDY for that. We moved over to Simmons AAF into the brand new hangers designed specifically for the H-64 and H-60, and we got brand new 1986 model UH-60's. I ETS'd a year later. When I got to my Guard unit the next month (they had just begun getting UH-60's) lo and behold the aircraft on the ramp was the same ones we turned in from the 1/17th and the 82nd CAB.....the Guard unit even had my first Blackhawk I crewed at Bragg, 80-23464. The people there didn't believe me until I showed them in the tail boom where I had inked my name with a felt pen years before. And a year after I got in that National Guard unit, two of the Flight Platoon leaders I was with in A 2/82nd joined that same Guard unit, one of them being my former platoon leader. We all remain friends now 40 years later.

I love Army Aviation, it's a large but small community, and if you hang around long enough you seem to run into the same people from time to time  DCS bringing all the Army Helos has been a great thing for me, so many memories, and I get to "re-live" a great period in my life. Sometimes I just fly around in the 60, 64, or 58 just enjoying the scenery and reminiscing. Flying along at treetop level, doing some NOE, watching the trees below and remembering hitting a few every now and again, man, it's great. Really looking forward to adding the <profanity>hook to my inventory also.

If we ever get to the point we actually have physical troops animated loading and disembarking from the H-60 and H-47, and maybe even the ability to do some paradrops, I'll be in Heaven on earth