SARH tactics

[Exorcet]

Lately I've been making more missions with AIM-7 and R-27 in place of AIM-120 and R-77. One problem I run into a lot is mutual destruction with the enemy. I can keep a lock while I'm being shot at, but I'm not consistent enough avoiding the enemy missile.

 

It's also a bit of a pain losing lock on when your missile is just about to hit.

 

What I usually do is fire, then break left or right so that my target is right on the limit of my radar's field of view. From there I beam the enemy missile while fluctuating altitude at as high a speed as possible.

 

If anyone has some good tactics to employ when using SARH missiles against other SARH, ARH, or IR missiles, I could really use them.

[pauldy]

I usually do high speed breaks towards left or right then reversing my heading then back again.. while maintaining "F-pole" similar to the training tracks in-game.

 

I think there's a better chance of maintaining lock than when going up & down while in the F-pole.

 

A target flying below you has more chances to notch either your radar or your SARH missile. That's an important thing you should keep in mind.

 

As for IR missiles, maybe a preemptive dumping of flares when in closer distances could help since you really won't know when being launched upon by a Heat Seeker.

 

And since i use the F-15 (dun have the distance-counting SPO-15)

I maintain high speeds so there would be always enough energy/Gs in case of missile evasion.

 

 

but who am i to state tips. I'm in the bottom of the food chain when in multiplayer ;)

 

Maybe the more experienced people could drop by and share.. :)

[Boberro]

I willingly listein to approve my tactics, so talk people, talk ;]

[Frostie]

You seem to be following the general tactic pretty fine imo.

I guess its just a case of being higher than the bandit and shooting first, also timing and knowing when to disengage. Mutual kill should not really happen too often in SARH engagements, either you die or he does, you just have to judge the situation better than the bandit.

[maddogg]

I'm new to Lock-on and by no means am I an expert in BVR tactics plus I haven't touched Lock-on recently due to very frequent crashes with Vista 64 so please take my comments for what it's worth.

 

In a head-2-head engagement, what I found to be the most effective is to have the energy advantage (fly high and fast) to maximize the reach of my SARH missiles. I would launch one near max engagement range before they can fire to take the initiative and force them to take evasive maneuvers by beaming. I would dive and close the range to avoid losing lock and try to get a 2nd shot off before they can fire back or extend away if they fire back. If you are flying a Russian fighter and have the R-27ET missiles equipped, I try to use those for the 2nd shot. The beaming maneuver exposes the exhaust to the IRST and I try to close in fast to get IRST lock on the heat signature and fire off a shot. If I can't get a lock for the IRST, I launch another SARH to keep them on the defensive.

 

On the other hand, if I only have SARHs, I continue to close-in while they are beaming and keep firing missiles to keep them on the defensive until one of them gets a kill or the range is close enough for the dogfighting IR missile. This is where the Russian fighters have the advantage.

 

It's not a very missile economical tactic but I try to gain the advantage and prevent them from firing back. Obviously if you are low on missiles, flying low and slow or outnumbered, it's time to RTB to fight another day.

[Exorcet]

 

It's not a very missile economical tactic but I try to gain the advantage and prevent them from firing back. Obviously if you are low on missiles, flying low and slow or outnumbered, it's time to RTB to fight another day.

 

I never take off in my Su-27 without two ET's. And what you described is actual Russian/Soviet Air Force doctrine. The like to lob mixed batches of seeker types at the opposing force.

 

A target flying below you has more chances to notch either your radar or your SARH missile. That's an important thing you should keep in mind.

Didn't think of this. Will keep it in mind next time. I usually head for the sky when they fire at me to drain their missile's energy.

 

 

Thanks to everyone for the advice, guess I'll just keep working on it.

[pauldy]

Or at least that's how it is in the current Lock On 1.12 patches...

 

If i understood well, the vulnerability of Radar Guided Missiles to chaff and in look down situations is still questionable at best.

Radar missiles especially the AIM-120 and the R-77 are stated to have tremendous capability in look-down, shoot-down situations.

 

but who knows.. xD I don't have access to their "true" data and performance.

 

IR missiles on the other hand are not affected by notching/look-down tactics i believe.

 

Anyway, easily fooled or not, a missile heading down is also subjected to diving in thicker and denser air.

So it would slow down much faster than when coasting at high altitudes :)

Edited October 14, 2009 by pauldy