Y.G.B.S.M hints and tips.

[DelRoy]

Look, I think it's safe to say we'd all like to run the 'G' model. We can't. However the 'E' can be just as useful when employed correctly.
Can you take out a modern big-arsed SAM site solo?

Lets take a scenario. You are tasked with dismantling a reinforced Grumble site at Maykop. You are taking off from Sochi with a pair of Shrikes, a pair of Mavs a Jammer, a tank, and the rest kitted out for A2A.
By 'reinforced' I mean, an SA-15 TOR an SA-19 Tunguska, various Shilkas and maybe KORD or two you know. For laughs and stuff.

Your work starts before you take off.

Prioritize your targets.

You might think that the important target would be the SA-10. It's not. True you'll need to take it out, but the way you'll be flying the SHORAD are the much bigger threat. Take them out first. Beating an SA-10 is easy in broken terrain. Beating a TOR is a whole different beast. Beating a Pantsir is pretty much impossible. Leave those for the HARM jockeys.
Take out the longest range, deadliest SHORAD first. The SA-15. The SA-19 can wait.

Choose your weapons

The seeker heads on a Shrike are single target only. You need to pick the right ones off the bat.
Look up the Shrike chart in the manual and load a MK-25 on the left outermost, and a 50 on the right.
Unless its bright day or early/late either the A/B or D versions of the Maverick will have issues. So carry one of each or a mixture if you are going without A2A.

Choose your route.

You'll want as much terrain between you and Maykop for as long as possible. There is a handy valley running north/south terminating at Maykop city. Plan waypoints to follow that valley entering it high in the mountains and following it all the way along.

Get a good look at the positioning of these systems, remember where they are in relation to runways, treelines, shelter or buildings. You'll need that because the ingress is going to be visual and the Shrike has a limited seeker cone. Pick a reference point you can identify quickly for the SA-15. Also do that for the SA-19 and the SA-10 *TRACK RADARS*

Set your switches. 

Either leave it in A2A or AGM-45. It'll be set for Mavs. They are useless at the moment.
Call in CAP. The Rhino (bless her) is a big girl when she's fully loaded. The weapons systems are, well, old. Have help if you can get it.

As you pass over the highest peaks, instruct Jester to use countermeasures. I know he will, but do it anyway. Then flip on the Jammer. Pretty soon you'll get the SA-10 warning tone from it's search radar. And the jammer like the Maverick, has a 3 minute warm up.

ASSUME THERE IS ALREADY A MISSILE IN THE AIR.

The Grumble uses TVM (Track Via Missile). You may not get a launch warning.

Drop it like it's hot.

Get low. Get fast. Stay low until the SA-10 symbol disappears. If it reappears, pop a countermeasure and look for something to hide behind. It doesn't have to be high, it just needs to conceal you. Keep working your way towards Maykop city.

The Phantom cycles weapons from left to right. Have the Left pylon selected, the Missile in AGM and Direct. Master Arm on. (if you haven't already done all of that)
Finally as you near Maykop city the SA-15 should come active. You should be at or above 500Kts and either very low over the buildings, or preferably slipping between the taller ones. Drying laundry and blowing out windows. The tone should be going off from the Shrike.

Locate the reference point you planned earlier and head straight for it. Climb SLIGHTLY! and locate the SA-15. Either the spot it should be occupying if you're lucky or the smoke trail if you aren't. Launch the Shrike. REVERSE AND DIVE IMMEDIATLY popping countermeasures. Get back to the city and get down in the streets. If all goes well the Shrike should arrive before you trash the SA-15's missile and it won't shoot the Shrike down.
Again, if you are lucky it's now destroyed, But it should be at least disabled. And that's just as good. Either way it's out of the fight.
If the shrike doesn't get it done keep darting in and out of the city until the 15 has drained its missiles. - This is weaseling. Try to avoid that: "Better DEAD than SEAD".

Repeat for the Tunguska.

Notice the SA-10 isn't bothering you? You've jammed the WEZ for it. You are too low, too fast, too close for it to accurately target you.

Take some time to breath. Set the Mavericks up. Lazily orbit in that zone for the three minutes it takes to spin them up. The locate the search radars.

Stay back a bit and clobber them with a Maverick. Get too close and the AAA will murder you. Once the search radars are gone, the site is neutered. It can't launch. If all else fails you can go in with the cannon. But that is at best a crapshoot.

 

Edited November 17, 2024 by DelRoy

[MiG21bisFishbedL]

Thanks for this, I've been needing some guidance on how to utilize the Shrikes.

[DelRoy]

23 hours ago, MiG21bisFishbedL said:

Thanks for this, I've been needing some guidance on how to utilize the Shrikes.

Be aware some multiplayer servers have trouble with Shrike warning tones. If so, dodge the first SA-15 and get to a safe distance. Stay low. . If you never heard a tone, deselect the left pylon and select the right pylon. Point it back at the SA-15. Still no tone? Orbit and switch to Mavericks. In which case it's Russian roulette weaseling or a game of chicken getting the Maverick to lock. Either way, take out the 15 first then that should leave you with one Maverick for the search radar. Once the 10 is down, the follow up Eagle/Viper/Hornet drivers can clobber the remaining assets from a distance.