Avoiding SAM hits

[tonym]

What is the recommended method for avoiding SAM strikes. It was Ok in the A10, just tempt him to fire 3 times deploying flares and running rapidly away, then splat him. In the Ka50 I seem to be a sitting duck! All ideas welcome.

[slug88]

The strategy in the Ka-50 is: if he's fired it's probably too late. Use terrain cover if you can.

[GGTharos]

You were able to do this in the A-10 because the AI SAM operator isn't very smart - he shoots you at max range.

Your helicopter on the other hand doesn't have the speed to exit the scene, so basically ... what are you doing flying anywhere near a SAM? ;)

[Silent Warrior]

Primary rule of dodging SAMs: Don't get shot at.

 

Sorry. :) Valid for every flying object, identified or unidentified.

[Zakk]

I seem to be a sitting duck!

 

That's what a helo is; wake up over there!

[nscode]

Roll left to slightly more than 90*, nose under, give right rudder and exit diving at in course ~-135* from what you've started with :) Naturally, you need some altitude to do this

[fox_111]

I do it by dumping all the flares I can.

 

Then, I try to turn tail to the missil while diving for cover, as fast as I can.

 

Beaming the missil will not really work unless you are at max speed and can reach cover in time, as it will only buy you a little time... very little.

 

If you spot the luncher and see it lunch on you, shoot it as fast as possible, if you are lucky, it's a type of missil that neet it's luncher to guide it. The missil will either miss, or self destruct.

 

It saved my ass a few time.

[159th_Viper]

What is the recommended method for avoiding SAM strikes....

 

Eliminate the Threat!

 

 

How?

 

 

Effective Recon and the 6 P's......;)

[EinsteinEP]

As mentioned earlier, try to set yourself up so SAMs don't get fired at you.

 

Failing that, there's all sorts of materials on teh interwebs on missile avoidance. Some key points:

Don't stand still.

Don't just go straight unless you can outrun the missile.

SAMs generally go fast and have horrible turn rates. Use this to your advantage by maneuvering so that the missile can't turn fast enough to get to you.

Use the terrain.

Flares only work on IR missiles, but lots of SAMs have IR terminal guidance, and flares still in the dispenser are no good against a missile that might have IR guidance.

 

If you'd like, you can set up a mission with SAM launchers and let yourself get repeatedly shot at to practice evasive maneuvers. I suspect you'll find that being extremely cautious in your advance into enemy territory is an easier skill to master than SAM evasion.

[LKNANML]

Recon Recon Recon.. Most of the time you have a wingman.. I don't know who this guy is next to me but damn that guy can fly...Most of the time.. He seems to be able to get out of a lot of sticky situations if you control him via radio.

You can get a good feel of where sams will be when approaching a battle field. Send you wing man on recon scouts and get good intel. Plan your new route from that info. Who says you have to stick to the ingress route anyways?

 

But if you find odd shaped objects whizzing by your cockpit you should

1. Stop staring at your shkval so close buddy there are bad guys shooting at you.

2. Pop flares. You never know it could help

3. Tell the autopilot/hover/everything to go away just try not to push it to much your the helicopter tears itself apart but hey you may be exploding do to rapid atom displacement in a few seconds anyway so screw the safteys!

4. Drop like a rock and find cover. Many a hillsides have become my surrogate shielding system.

Be nice if we could use the trees as cover as most hills in the game are long sloped so it can be hard to get behind them but thats all apart of the recon and changing up the flight route a bit.

 

The main thing is move here move there move back here again. Pop up shoot/hit target dive down, move over, find new target repeat.

 

Hovering for long periods of time zoomed in to your zhkval screen and watching your shots all the way in is a sure way to meet up with ground via the ejection seat.

[JimMack]

THe DCS series, as well as providing new levels of flight dynamics, avionics etc, is also simulating the real world.

In the real world, before you start a mission, you will have spent 2 hours evaluating the task, preparing your flight plan, and for a helo, very carefully studying your maps, particular understanding the typographical features..

Where is the dead ground between particular waypoints? Where do you go if attacked from a particular sector? Think through and plan for the "What If".

You have to think like an infantryman. It is no accident that Attack Helicopters throughout the world are operated by Army Aviation and not Air Force.

 

If you have not done so, read Ed Macy's Apache book.