Questionable APKWS flight profile

[Vakarian]

This is an observation that I would like to be checked with someone who has a bit more knowledge on how the APKWS should fly.

Main "issue" is that when the rocket is launched, its flight profile makes it fly so it reaches the target from beneath. This is really noticeable when the targets are near co-altitude or higher. If you monitor the launches, you will see that the rocket first flies a ballistic trajectory until it sees the laser. At that moment it's on a pitch down trajectory so it undershoots the target for the most of the flight time and then when nearing the target it pitches up to hit it.

The same thing is observed if the laser is on before launch or sometime after the launch. 

 

I've made two sessions, one where I was 500ft AGL (set 1) and on the other I was at 1500ft AGL (set 2) in a OH-58D. Targets were placed on the hillside so I can get most of the elevation change with the as little distance change possible. In set 1 all shots were fired with the laser on from the launch, in set 2 rocket was fired first and then the laser was turned on ~3 seconds into the flight.

Posted are tacview, track files and the screenshots describing the issue.

Here are some of the examples shot from the set 2

----

There is one really distinct case which highlights the issue (set2Positive550ftDiff). Rocket first comes of the rail and it's climbing. Once it picks up the laser it dives down and then after some time begins to climb to hit the target. That case is the one that tells me that something might be off in the APKWS guidance. 

 

 

If someone can give more info on is this correct or not, I would highly appreciate it. It "seems" to me that somethings aren't quite right, but I'm just a regular dude, closest I've been to a real thing was at an airshows in the crowds  If this is how it's supposed to fly, then that's how it is.

Tacview-20241222-215108-DCS-APKWSTest-1500ftAGL.zip.acmi Tacview-20241222-205225-DCS-APKWSTest-500ftAGL.zip.acmi apkwsTrajectories.trk apkwsTrajectoriesFartherAway.trk

[Muchocracker]

could be a control gain issue, entirely speculation on my part tho. I havent looked at the files for it or know how they schemed the autopilot/guidance. 

[Hobel]

vor 19 Stunden schrieb Vakarian:

This is an observation that I would like to be checked with someone who has a bit more knowledge on how the APKWS should fly.

Main "issue" is that when the rocket is launched, its flight profile makes it fly so it reaches the target from beneath. This is really noticeable when the targets are near co-altitude or higher. If you monitor the launches, you will see that the rocket first flies a ballistic trajectory until it sees the laser. At that moment it's on a pitch down trajectory so it undershoots the target for the most of the flight time and then when nearing the target it pitches up to hit it.

The same thing is observed if the laser is on before launch or sometime after the launch. 

 

I've made two sessions, one where I was 500ft AGL (set 1) and on the other I was at 1500ft AGL (set 2) in a OH-58D. Targets were placed on the hillside so I can get most of the elevation change with the as little distance change possible. In set 1 all shots were fired with the laser on from the launch, in set 2 rocket was fired first and then the laser was turned on ~3 seconds into the flight.

Posted are tacview, track files and the screenshots describing the issue.

Here are some of the examples shot from the set 2

----

There is one really distinct case which highlights the issue (set2Positive550ftDiff). Rocket first comes of the rail and it's climbing. Once it picks up the laser it dives down and then after some time begins to climb to hit the target. That case is the one that tells me that something might be off in the APKWS guidance. 

 

 

If someone can give more info on is this correct or not, I would highly appreciate it. It "seems" to me that somethings aren't quite right, but I'm just a regular dude, closest I've been to a real thing was at an airshows in the crowds  If this is how it's supposed to fly, then that's how it is.

Tacview-20241222-215108-DCS-APKWSTest-1500ftAGL.zip.acmi 105.73 kB · 7 Downloads Tacview-20241222-205225-DCS-APKWSTest-500ftAGL.zip.acmi 87.33 kB · 8 Downloads apkwsTrajectories.trk 1.22 MB · 7 Downloads apkwsTrajectoriesFartherAway.trk 1.53 MB · 7 Downloads

 Share your feeling. I also find the trajectory strange in places.

 

If you laser with a delay, the results are better.

 

Now you just have to know the procedure for the irl shot with or without delay?

If it should be without delay, there is certainly something strange, with this guidance you could not use the missile from ground vehicles because otherwise the missile would always fly into the ground.

[Renko]

Agree with the post
ED should correct this behavior

You can easily find images from Real Life providers that show an impact trajectory with higher angles.
Right now in DCS the missile goes below that trayectory. And even lower trajectories, that makes no sense like going below the horizont line, as showed by the OP.

I mean maybe in the terminal phase it has a very low angle, but right now the APKWS is not even doing a pure pursuit of the laser pointer.
It takes a path where it loses a lot of kinetic energy to no purpose.
In the OPs videos you can cleary see this behaviour.
So there is something wrong there for sure.

Please ED review this weapons, dont leave it like this

For terminal angle of impact there a many easily images and footage avaiable on internet, for example this video among others

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