R-27ER still guiding after the launching plane was destroyed

[LetMePickThat]

Flying the MiG-29A, I encountered a situation where my R-27ER continued homing and destroyed an F-14 after I had been shot down by said F-14. At first, I suspected a lucky balistic flight, but the missile is actively pulling Gs and correcting even if target illumination stopped because I was hit by the Phoenix.

 

 

 

R27_autotracking.trk R27_autotrack.acmi

[Hobel]

vor 4 Stunden schrieb LetMePickThat:

Flying the MiG-29A, I encountered a situation where my R-27ER continued homing and destroyed an F-14 after I had been shot down by said F-14. At first, I suspected a lucky balistic flight, but the missile is actively pulling Gs and correcting even if target illumination stopped because I was hit by the Phoenix.

 

 

 

R27_autotracking.trk 4.84 MB · 3 Downloads R27_autotrack.acmi 531.83 kB · 2 Downloads

Did the F14 have ECM activated?

[LetMePickThat]

1 hour ago, Hobel said:

Did the F14 have ECM activated?

That's hard to say, because I was pretty close and at a shorter than burnthrough range. I did not see any ECM strobe on scope while closing in, but the F-14 has been using EW on and off in this scenario over multiple runs so it's possible that it was on this specific time and that I simply didn't notice. 

I am aware that the R-27ER has an HOJ mode, but that doesn't seems to be the case here since I locked on a pure radar target, and not a strobe. Unless I misunderstood how HOJ works - which is possible since I've only used it a few times, and exclusively on the Su-27.

Edited August 31 by LetMePickThat

[SDsc0rch]

i can confirm SARH missiles are having this problem - i've seen it half a dozen times (or so)
unfortunately, it doesn't happen with *every* shot 
but i've seen AI shoot an R-27, then turn away - target is off gimbals 
and the SARH missile continues to guide 
no audible or visual indications on the target a/c's RWR 

i rarely visit the ED forums anymore but i wanted to check to see if this SARH problem still exists after the recent patch (mid-Sep 2025)

devs, any chance you can look into this?

and no, i don't have track files or youtubes or tacview files ---- i'm telling you, this exists

thank you

[SDsc0rch]

alright.. i had some time this afternoon

i set up a scenario -- AI SU-27 w/ R-27ERs + heaters vs me in my FC3 Eagle

you can see here, i let him fox first - i notch, lose the lock (audio and visual RWR indications), turn back hot, acquire and fox - guide to impact

in the tacview, you can see the SU turn defensive moving me (ie: his target) off gimbals

yet at no point did the R-27ER ever lose guidance - it maintained guidance well after it lost energy to effect an intercept 

i had to run this setup approx half a dozen times until i found a time when the SARH missile failed to guide - i know that is frustrating to the devs, i know they want a consistently repeatable and reproducible situation

but it is what it is

and i'm submitting evidence that i believe supports my case ---- please see attached trk, miz and tacview files 

11-02_SU-AI_HEAD-ON_35nm_NTM_SARH-ER.miz 11-02_SU-AI_HEAD-ON_35nm_NTM_SARH-ER.trk Tacview-20250919-155353-DCS_11-02_SU-AI_HEAD-ON_35nm_NTM_SARH-ER.zip.acmi

[AeriaGloria]

If target has jammer at all, it will transition to HOJ Z if lock fails

[SDsc0rch]

i know that 

but i was the target aircraft so i know the jammer was not active

not a factor in this scenario 

Edited 3 hours ago by SDsc0rch