MiG-29A SPO-15 does not detect any radar signal at left/right hemisphere

[NineLine]

Hey all, some feedback from the team:

 

The detection of emitters abeam of the aircraft: the answer is it cannot do this very well. The 90 degree light doesn't correspond to exactly 90 degrees off nose, this "sector" will change both in size and location depending on power and frequency of the threat emitter. So it cannot be relied upon for precise notching. And because it relies on simultaneous reception by both the rear hemisphere and 50/70 degree antennas, both significantly off-boresight, the reception in that area is significantly weaker. They do not even overlap at 50% beamwidth like forward hemisphere channels, but actually further out. So if the signal is too weak, the 90 degree lights might not trigger at all, and the threat might just jump between 50 degrees and rear hemisphere.

This is accurate with multiple sources on this.

[okopanja]

8 minutes ago, NineLine said:

Hey all, some feedback from the team:

 

The detection of emitters abeam of the aircraft: the answer is it cannot do this very well. The 90 degree light doesn't correspond to exactly 90 degrees off nose, this "sector" will change both in size and location depending on power and frequency of the threat emitter. So it cannot be relied upon for precise notching. And because it relies on simultaneous reception by both the rear hemisphere and 50/70 degree antennas, both significantly off-boresight, the reception in that area is significantly weaker. They do not even overlap at 50% beamwidth like forward hemisphere channels, but actually further out. So if the signal is too weak, the 90 degree lights might not trigger at all, and the threat might just jump between 50 degrees and rear hemisphere.

This is accurate with multiple sources on this.

Does this mean antenna sectors 1 and 8 are not exactly at 70 degrees but further back?

[AeriaGloria]

Su-27SK manual says it happens at 85-95 degrees, I assume this is for high frequency pulse Doppler fighter radars as those are more precise for SPO 

[AeriaGloria]

On 9/27/2025 at 2:30 PM, Kuky said:

Alright, I can take that signal detection could be lower at side aspects but this just looks wrong... I did another test specific to see at what range the 90 deg light comes on, and it seems it comes on at only ~5.5Km and it comes on in conjunction with 50 deg light, not by itself. At the same time I notice the strength indicator lights stay at only 1st light until ~10Km when the 2nd light comes on also, which seems wrong also (too weak IMHO), I find it funny that how at the same time western radars in DCS are so good at detection at very long distances, their radars receive their signal back (which is much weaker than signal that comes out) but the MIG-29A system can't even detect this same signal at greater strength then what transmitting radar can receive as a bounce off signal... it just looks very off IMHO.

Hey, was this test of yours with F-16 or something else? 

[Kuky]

3 minutes ago, AeriaGloria said:

Hey, was this test of yours with F-16 or something else? 

Yes, it was with F-16C (you can it in my original post)

[AeriaGloria]

6 minutes ago, Kuky said:

Yes, it was with F-16C (you can it in my original post)

Yes I saw. Just not in same post as your test. Just wanted to make sure. Thank you very much. Putting together all sorts of ranges for it