Sensors!!!!

[AeriaGloria]

Wonder if anyone has more insight then I have been able to glean from manuals. 
 

In FC3, I’m sure I’m not the only one that likes to constantly switch sensors. If I am in position to have IRST lock, but need to get closer, I might acquire with radar, switch to IRST, then either fire fox 2 when ready or fire fox 1 and have it switch to radar leading. 
 

And I’m sure EVERYONE has to atleast do this to IFF an IRST target. 
 

And for FF, this won’t change in that, as long as IRST is leading, you won’t get IFF. 
 

So, unlike FC3, where one sensor will pick up lost lock of other in any mode, this only happens in IRL and FF if we flip the cooperation/interaction switch forward, which will lock radar to MPRF. And HUD scale to 25 km. 
 

This seems like a meaningless gimp and asinine and dumb! Right? But it almost makes sense, MPRF range is anywhere from 18-35 km depending on altitude, background, RCS, etc, so this roughly lines up with IRST range well, though I expect many times to have IRST outrange against a rear aspect AB target. 
 

So, let’s say we acquire with IRST and need to IFF, or acquire with radar and go to silent running with IRST? After all, there are no simple radar and IRST on/off switches like FC3 leads us to expect. What I’ve figured out so far is……..

TP (IRST) mode: 

Switches to radar if Fox 1 selected 

Permanently switches to radar if Press lock before laser range 

RL mode: 

Select Fox 2 and move SUV knob to TP will switch to TP leading

IF TP selected and entered RL by selecting Fox 1, selectingFox 2 will go back to TP leading 

Its possible TP may be forced temporarily by lowering gun trigger

I also have a hunch that even without the cooperation switch, Fox 1 selection might just switch to radar no matter what. Manuals mention this frequently enough. And Su-27 does same thing. 
 

Also, complications that, I don’t know for sure but it’s possible that even without interaction/coop switch the radar may take up to 8 seconds to range an IRST target beyond laser range. Or it might be instant as long as coop switch is on

It’s a shame it can’t IFF while doing its 3 seconds ranging pulses……

So, if out of Fox 1, sucks to be you 

If out of fox2, also sucks to be you! 
 

I wonder if you fire your last fox 1, it switches to TP, you lose TP lock, then it switch back to radar as long as coop switch is forward

It’ll be interesting to see how it’s implemented on release! It’s the big unknown for me along with things like “will RWR be able to tell you about missile launches” and “will RWR actually put PD fighters in medium range SAM category beyond 20 km, or both categories light up.” 

[Кош]

Bear in mind your IRST range will be in the ballpark of 10 km now unless you're looking at an afterburner from behind since it's a R-60 seeker with extra steps IRL. They had to make a dogfight sensor with big FOV and working in any position in space.

Time to say goodbye to IRST DCSisms. For real world stealth tactic you need support from your C&C.

Edited 8 hours ago by Кош