Maximum Effective Altitude

[Invisibull]

When dealing with anti-aircraft threats such as Shilka's, Strela's, and the like, often times a max effective altitude is given for those weapons. For instance, the Strela's is 3500m. How much above the stated max effective altitude do I need to be to be completely out of that weapon's lethal envelop? Is there a universal "safe altitude" expressed as a % of max effective altitude for all air defense weaponry? I'd settle for even a solid rule of thumb.

 

I do realize that target speed, and relative attitude to attacking ground weapon will impact the lethal envelop to a certain degree.

 

I ask the above because a friend of mine was hit by a Strela while at 16K baro. We were all shocked. Based on the terrain, he would have been at at least 15k radar, a full 3,500ft over the Strela's listed max effective range.

 

Any info would be appreciated.

 

 

Bull

[MagnumHB]

I'd settle for even a solid rule of thumb.

18,000' AGL is my usual baseline, and I take higher if I can get it. In the case of known threats, or at least general threat areas, you can go lower if you maintain adequate lateral separation.

[GGTharos]

To a great degree actually, and this is probably what happened to your friend. I don't think anyone tends to state absolute max range or altitude when dealing with missiles, but rather effective range and altitude against a particular type of target, in most cases, probably, non-maneuvering mach 0.6-0.9 target. The A-10 tends to be on the slow end, meaning a missile won't be wasting much of its energy maitaining lead.

 

I do realize that target speed, and relative attitude to attacking ground weapon will impact the lethal envelop to a certain degree.

[Speed]

I don't put any stock on those maximum effective altitude or maximum engagement altitude numbers you quote. It's best just to experiment in the game and find out for yourself. If you want to avoid all IR SAMs, get to like 18k feet AGL. The SA-13 does seem to be the highest shooting one though; 12k-15k feet should keep you safe from SA-9 and 10k-12k feet should keep you safe from MANPADs. To avoid 2s6's get up a bit further, to at least 22k feet AGL, preferably, >22k feet AGL. It's not really practical to get above the max engagement altitudes of the SA-8 or SA-15, at least, not in an A-10 with the versions of the SA-8 and SA-15 we have modeled in DCS, so ignore any data you have with regards to those systems.