ECM Effectiveness Option

[DCS FIGHTER PILOT]

As the If ECM modeling in DCS becomes more mature, eventually we will arrive at a point where it can go no further due to the shroud of secrecy surrounding the topic. Undoubtedly, it will be nearly impossible to know just how effective ECM is against ECCM at any given moment in time. As most of you know, both ECM and ECCM techniques are evolving constantly and what might work one day, could very well not the next. One can think of this as a game of electronic warfare leapfrog.  Perhaps one solution to simulate this is to have a mission editor ECM Effectiveness Option. Perhaps have three different options. Low, which would correspond to ECCM techniques having a maximum impact on ECM, Medium, a setting that would likely correspond closely to what we have now in game, and High which would make ECM highly effective against radars and missiles. 

 

I appreciate any feedback and further ideas on this subject. 

Edited December 5 by DCS FIGHTER PILOT

[_Hoss]

You need to remember what aircraft you're in and what decade you're simulating to determine adversary Target Tracking RADAR and corresponding coalition DECM, ECM, ESM capabilities. Everyone seems to think DECM, ECM, ESM, and ECCM, is the answer to surviving a hostile environment. It is to a certain extent, but your onboard deception repeaters can only do so much. You'll need AI Prowlers, Growlers, and Ravens to actually simulate a real battle space. The devs don't need to know secret, or classified information to simulate the effects of RADAR, ECM, DECM and ESM systems. What we really need is a stable public version of the game, that the Devs don't constantly break with every update. And the beta MP servers locked from the public. With a stable public version, with MP servers where everything is thoroughly tested before release. You will be in a better position to determine whether or not if your flight plan to ingress the target area was sound or not. And if your countermeasure systems are effective or not. Like I mentioned earlier, dedicated ECM aircraft are needed in the game. Chaff dispensers on the A7, A6, and F/A-18s would also carry jammers in tandem with Chaff and flares. There are also towed jammers on the modern jets. We don't have the ALE-41 Chaff pods to stick on the AI A6, to lay down corridors like they did with window in WWII. 

JMTCW. 

Edited December 4 by _Hoss

[MAXsenna]

2 hours ago, _Hoss said:

And the beta MP servers locked from the public.

You do know that there are no public beta servers anymore? Unless one is part of the closed beta team, there is only one accessible version of DCS.  

[_Hoss]

The game has not changed even if they removed the "OpenBeta" label. I only had the Open Beta on my E drive; no Public release version was installed. Call it what you will, but you are still paying full price and testing modules that are not done—i.e., they are in Beta. Potato/potatoes... it's still a beta.        

[MAXsenna]

14 hours ago, _Hoss said:

Call it what you will, but you are still paying full price and testing modules that are not done—i.e., they are in Beta. Potato/potatoes... it's still a beta.

Ah, I see your point now, and I agree. (I was against the change though). But you come off as there are still a Stable and an OpenBeta version, which is not correct. 

[DCS FIGHTER PILOT]

On 12/4/2024 at 12:19 AM, _Hoss said:

Everyone seems to think DECM, ECM, ESM, and ECCM, is the answer to surviving a hostile environment. It is to a certain extent, but your onboard deception repeaters can only do so much. 

Oh I have little doubt of that. I would imagine that even with the best EW suite, your best defense against an incoming missiles is still the good old split s and burn away play. 

[_Hoss]

The SOP for tactical and fighter aircraft is to switch the ALQ from Receive to Repeat when you fence in. There is no interfering with it; it all works automatically. When you fence out, you switch it back to Receive. Maybe one day, ED will figure out how to make it more realistic. You don't need to know the Freq ranges, deception techniques, or any other secret stuff to make it look real for a Simulation.....

17 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

Ah, I see your point now, and I agree. (I was against the change though). But you come off as there are still a Stable and an OpenBeta version, which is not correct. 

I deleted the public version years ago for disc space; it was as useless as tits on a boar hog for MP (Cricketville). I've had nothing but the beta installed since that time. So they just did away with the download for the public version and renamed or un-named the beta. Nothing has changed about it. I still have it named beta on my desk icon and folder in E drive.