Real life attack profiles?

[ESzczesniak]

I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on real life attack profiles for the A-10? I'm starting to get a hang of the systems, but still am by far most effective employing weapons if I can sit up at 6-10,000' with autopilot on (particularly true for mavericks) and setup my targeting systems before diving in.

 

I know in some instances this may be realistic and I know in real life (as it should be in the sim) that target type, threat locations and surrouding terrain will all dictate the attack profile.

 

In general though, any comments? When does an A-10 sit out up high (by which I mean 5-10,000' MSL) and when are they down low and dirty? I'd like to start practicing munitions deployement with realistic profiles to avoid getting in bad habits.

 

I feel like the A-10 is classicly always down low, but the videos I see of this are employing the GAU-8 and dumb bombs (particularly CBU's). And in fact, I prefer to be down low in these cases. They do seem to be at a bit more altitude with smart weapons.

 

I'm particularly curious about the maverick profiles, as currently I employ it best if I can edit out airframe motion (by using autopilot) and then lock using slew. However, this only tends to work if terrain avoidance is not an issue. If it is, I spend too much time head down trying to get a lock for this to be done safely.

[Flamin_Squirrel]

I'm no authority on the A-10 so will just give you a little info to get you started, which I believe to be true.

 

In a high intensity conflict (for example, in a war against the USSR, for which the A-10 was designed) you'd be down low to avoid fast long range SAMs, enemy fighters etc.

 

In low intensity conflicts like Afghanistan, you'll be up higher 5,000ft+ to avoid small arms fire and light AAA.

[vrv]

During Allied Force the SOP's for AFACS and Strikers changed constantly. But typically, like in Desert Storm, they fly with a 10,000 deck. Occasionally faster jets were allowed to drop below and at one point AFAC Hogs flew at 8,000 if I remember correctly. With PGM's though you can sit above that deck weather permitting. Times change...in Afghanistan there is still the threat of anti-air MANPADS, those "Dushku" or whatever they are called (Russian anti-air gun...or a big machine-gun.) so they probably still fly high depending on the situation. I would just work on the safest way to employ weapons without putting yourself in a bad place. Maybe set a Shilka or something near the targets when you practice.

[hassata]

They put floor restrictions in place after the Tornados got their asses handed to them in '91.

[sharkforce]

During Allied Force the SOP's for AFACS and Strikers changed constantly. But typically, like in Desert Storm, they fly with a 10,000 deck. Occasionally faster jets were allowed to drop below and at one point AFAC Hogs flew at 8,000 if I remember correctly. With PGM's though you can sit above that deck weather permitting. Times change...in Afghanistan there is still the threat of anti-air MANPADS, those "Dushku" or whatever they are called (Russian anti-air gun...or a big machine-gun.) so they probably still fly high depending on the situation. I would just work on the safest way to employ weapons without putting yourself in a bad place. Maybe set a Shilka or something near the targets when you practice.

It is sometimes nicknamed Dushka (lit. "Sweetie", "Dear"), from the abbreviation. :P

[ESzczesniak]

That's interesting to know about the 8-10,000' floor. I guess my PGM employement is closer to realistic realm than I realized.

 

However, it leads to more questions...how do they employ the gun when their slant range at the floor in a 90 degree dive is still 1.7 NM? Do they use it at longer slant ranges than the 1 NM discussed in the DCS training mission, not use the gun as often or maybe get cleared below the floor when they do? Just curious.

Edited October 18, 2010 by ESzczesniak

[power5]

IRL you employ from safest position. So if no air threats are around stay above you targets reach. If you have friendlies in the area you need to be in close some times.

[GGTharos]

Against soft targets (troops or unarmored vehicles) you can employ it from 5nm out if you have HEI ammo loaded. You're basically spraying 30mm grenades all over the place.

If you're going after hard armor with DU, that floor is not possible to stick to since you need to be accurately gunning from 6000' or less.

 

If you have such a floor limitation, PGMs or iron bombs against hard/light armor only, gun against unarmored if the spread isn't going to cause collateral.

 

That's interesting to know about the 8-10,000' floor. I guess my PGM employement is closer to realistic realm than I realized.

 

However, it least to more questions...how do they employ the gun when their slant range at the floor in a 90 degree dive is still 1.7 NM? Do they use it at longer slant ranges than the 1 NM discussed in the DCS training mission, not use the gun as often or maybe get cleared below the floor when they do? Just curious.

[Fimble]

I'm no tactician and this is my opinion but, long story short, use whatever profile gets you the best results without loss.

 

Like said earlier, in a high risk environment you'd likely be forced into performing a low ingress, pop up, identify a target and employ ordinance against it, roll inverted, pull back down to the deck popping flares while you do.

 

For lower risk environments they'll set up a hard deck with which pilots are not allowed to descend below (to prevent lawn darting primarily) effectively allowing pilots to shoot fish in a barrel. Think Desert Storm.

 

Regardless of what employment has been used in the past the employment that would be used now and in the future would be whatever provided the best effectiveness while providing sufficient protection of assets (both human and machine). If the enemy AD is such that you can fly unmolested at angels 5+ and pick out the fish in the barrel then by all means do so. If they are thick then you'll have to sacrifice targeting convenience for the chance to land back at home.

 

Trade offs, aint life full of em!

[Fimble]

For those of you struggling with Mavs does the Hog have a boresight submode to employ them? I haven't played the demo and I'm operating off F16 knowledge but I know that's often my favorite way of using them. Boresight ties the mav seeker head to the FPM so just point the jet at a target and with minimal seeker adjustment you can lock a target, launch and roll out popping a fireworks display of counter measures.

 

Again I apologize if I'm speaking out of school as I haven't flown the DCS hog.

[ESzczesniak]

For those of you struggling with Mavs does the Hog have a boresight submode to employ them? I haven't played the demo and I'm operating off F16 knowledge but I know that's often my favorite way of using them. Boresight ties the mav seeker head to the FPM so just point the jet at a target and with minimal seeker adjustment you can lock a target, launch and roll out popping a fireworks display of counter measures.

 

Again I apologize if I'm speaking out of school as I haven't flown the DCS hog.

 

Yes it does. No I haven't learned how to use it yet.

[Shake3000]

With the HUD as SOI you can slew the mav seeker around but it's not nearly precise enough to get it tracking. You can use it to get the seeker in the general area.

[Furia]

You can set the Maverick or TGP to aim to the selected waypoing pressing C whne the Maverick or TGP is the SOI.

There is a HOTAS command for that but until I get my new Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS I am only using keybopad commands and I have not learned the HOTAS commands

[ESzczesniak]

...there is a HOTAS command for that but until I get my new Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS I am only using keybopad commands and I have not learned the HOTAS commands

 

China aft long slews TGP to SPI. China hat forward long slews all sensors (including maverick) to SPI. By default, keys C and V(?).