SA-5 TR Locks Target Outside of its FOV (25° off TR azimuth)

[Actium]

The SA-5 TR has a significantly higher range than its SR. With the TR emitting by default*, an SA-5 battery will lock and shoot a target within ±25° of the TR azimuth angle at ~130 nm range. This is far outside of the TR antenna main lobe width of less than 2°. When this happens, the TR azimuth will suddenly snap from its initial angle by 25° to the azimuth of the approaching aircraft: SA5_TR_Omniscient.trk
The TR scans neither azimuth not elevation, sitting still until it magically becomes aware where to aim to lock the aircraft.

When approaching 30° off the TR azimuth, it will only lock and engage an F-16 at a range of 70 nm. Presumably, getting the targeting information from its shorter range SR: SA_TR_Normal.trk

*) Apart from the TR magically picking up targets outside of its antenna main lobe, I doubt it would be continuously emitting. Firstly, it would give away its location, inviting ARM attacks. Secondly, unlike an SR, the TR electronics would likely not be designed to emit continuously for hours/days, causing unnecessary wear and thus premature hardware failure.

SA5_TR_Test.miz

Edited 6 hours ago by Actium
Added screenshots, .miz, and link to 5M68V specs

[Northstar98]

The thing is though, this bug has the side-effect of giving the SA-5 a more realistic engagement envelope, which would otherwise be significantly degraded if it were completely reliant on the P-19 or ST-68U - radars which are wholly inaccurate to the SA-5 short of an IADS set up DCS doesn't support.

If we had the radars the system is supposed to have, then sure.

[okopanja]

Yes for better immersion, we miss here at least P-14 and matching PRV height radar.

Edited 17 hours ago by okopanja

[Actium]

I agree. It's a shame that adding an EWR to the group won't change a thing in vanilla DCS. Regardless, the higher detection range in a ~50° sector is nonsensical.