WVR IFF for F-15

[TAIPAN_]

Hi All,

 

I've been practicing the F-15 lately and can pickup targets ok on the radar at range, and have managed to get a few with 120Cs.

 

However there have been occasions when evading and travelling through the valleys I've suddenly spotted with eyeball planes flying past me, in front, next to me etc.

 

Before I use AIM-9, I want to IFF properly. Now I turn on my radar, but they don't seem to pickup as it's moving too quickly I guess.

 

The other problem - is often there's a friendly being chased. So my radar shows me the wrong thing, i.e. I see the enemy on the radar, but I see the friendly in visual. One occasion of this resulted in a friendly fire kill - SORRY hijack! I know teamspeak helps with this but often I find most of the players don't join the server teamspeak.

I know this is a problem on busy servers, because just after this I was teamkilled by someone chasing the same enemies.

 

So questions:

Question 1 - When it's on one of those IFF-difficult maps that have F-15 on both sides of the conflict, what's the best way to QUICKLY IFF a close range plane and not lose the chance of surprise?

 

Question 2 - If I turn on my radar, but don't find him, does it still give him a Radar Warning that I'm searching? Or does it have to find him for that to happen?

 

Question 3 - Should we just stay OUT OF WVR combat altogether if in the F-15? The Russian birds that have the advantage here being able to lock with IRST and then flick into radar gives them instant IFF, plus the R-27ET etc, should I be extending after every BVR attack?

 

Thanks

Edited January 25, 2011 by TAIPAN_

[Cali]

If you are within visual range use one of your auto modes, vertical, boresight.etc...

[GGTharos]

Like Cali said, use your radar AACQ modes. Your HUD cue will tell you who's what once you lock on. Inside about 15nm you desperately need to know their position with some accuracy, especially altitude. If you see them visually that's ok too - just go AACQ, point the beam at'em and let your radar do the work. Do NOT let aircraft sneak near you, and if you do, don't hang around trying to pick them up on radar. This is true for the Russian birds too - inside that range unless you know where to find them right away, they have a tremendous SA advantage over you. The reason for this is that your radar cone narrows significantly the closer it is to your aircraft, so the amount of altitude you're scanning is much less. It is about 5000' per 10nm IIRC, so if you're scanning between 15000 and 20000 and your bandit is flying at 10000, then naturally you won't pick him up (he won't pick up your radar either).

 

The best thing to do is to be already tracking them from afar. That means a TWS bug.

Edited January 25, 2011 by GGTharos

[104th_Crunch]

Question 1 - When it's on one of those IFF-difficult maps that have F-15 on both sides of the conflict, what's the best way to QUICKLY IFF a close range plane and not lose the chance of surprise?

 

Just like the RUS jets, you must use Radar to IFF. Even for just a second. Best to use an AACQ mode as mentioned if you have visual. Once you have a lock your target box in the HUD will have a big X in it if it is friendly. There is no mistaking it.

 

Question 2 - If I turn on my radar, but don't find him, does it still give him a Radar Warning that I'm searching? Or does it have to find him for that to happen?

 

If the contact is within your radar beam, you will give off a warning on his RWS, even if you don't show the contact yet on your radar.

 

Question 3 - Should we just stay OUT OF WVR combat altogether if in the F-15? The Russian birds that have the advantage here being able to lock with IRST and then flick into radar gives them instant IFF, plus the R-27ET etc, should I be extending after every BVR attack?

 

RUS or US, your primary goal should be not to get within WVR, but stay BVR. Yes, the RUS jets have an advantage with the IRST, but it is not insurmountable.

[TAIPAN_]

Thanks guys, now it is so obvious :) I hadn't used boresight in the presence of a friendly before, now I know it has IFF features I will use it every chance! Hopefully I won't die so much from hesitation now.

 

Crunch - I am interested in learning the Russian fighters too, so I can see Ricardos nice cockpits again :) But how can the Su-27 compete in BVR against AIM-120Cs? Coming up against Moa, his Su-27 snuck up and nailed me close range with a 27ET instead of using BVR. I thought that seemed like a good tactic without having any ARH on Su-27.

 

I can't believe I wasted so long sticking to the bombers. I thought the fighters were "simple" compared to the T Frog, but now I learn there is so much more to these fighters than I thought! All good fun, although I'm a bit late to the party