Maximum altitude of Sams

[zacklaws]

I have just been been shot down by a Sam 13, which incidently was also my JTAC target at an altitude of 12600', according to my checklist its maximum altitude should be 11500', so I gave it about 3000' clearance, just dipping slighlty to launch a Maverick but staying above by over a 1000'.

 

Afterwards when I was looking at my "9 line" brief from JTAC, the targets altitude was 2200', so do I have to presume therefore, that you must add the Sam's elevation to its maximum altitude to stay safe. It seems to me to think so, but if it is, then I have not ever noticed this in any other flight sim.

 

I had actually locked onto another SA13 closeby inadvertantly which led me to overflying the Sam 13 which was my target and got into its range so it managed to nobble me rangewise, it was just the altitude at what it got me that I am questioning.

Edited August 29, 2012 by zacklaws

[WildBillKelsoe]

I have just been been shot down by a Sam 13, which incidently was also my JTAC target at an altitude of 12600', according to my checklist its maximum altitude should be 11500', so I gave it about 3000' clearance, just dipping slighlty to launch a Maverick but staying above by over a 1000'.

 

Afterwards when I was looking at my "9 line" brief from JTAC, the targets altitude was 2200', so do I have to presume therefore, that you must add the Sam's elevation to its maximum altitude to stay safe. It seems to me to think so, but if it is, then I have not ever noticed this in any other flight sim.

 

To 40,000. best advice, let SEAD/DEAD handle first, then come in clean. Late, I know, buy clean.

[Ironhand]

...you must add the Sam's elevation to its maximum altitude to stay safe. It seems to me to think so, but if it is, then I have not ever noticed this in any other flight sim...

That would be true. You should need to take the SAM site's altitude into consideration.

 

 

 

Rich

[marcos]

I have just been been shot down by a Sam 13, which incidently was also my JTAC target at an altitude of 12600', according to my checklist its maximum altitude should be 11500', so I gave it about 3000' clearance, just dipping slighlty to launch a Maverick but staying above by over a 1000'.

 

Afterwards when I was looking at my "9 line" brief from JTAC, the targets altitude was 2200', so do I have to presume therefore, that you must add the Sam's elevation to its maximum altitude to stay safe. It seems to me to think so, but if it is, then I have not ever noticed this in any other flight sim.

 

I had actually locked onto another SA13 closeby inadvertantly which led me to overflying the Sam 13 which was my target and got into its range so it managed to nobble me rangewise, it was just the altitude at what it got me that I am questioning.

The missile has a certain energy that limits its ceiling because that energy is converted to PE but if it already starts higher up it can get higher up because it needs less energy to reach any given altitude from that start point.

 

In fact it's probably not even a linear trade because air is less dense higher up, so adding 2000ft to the launch point might add 2500ft to the ceiling.

 

You also have to be careful about stated ranges and ceilings because they often come with different measurement parameters. I.e. the effective range of a .338 Lapau Magnum is 1600m but tell that to the 2 Taliban in Afghanistan who got taken out at 2475m.

 

In this case it says 5km range and ceiling 3.5km. So can it engage a target at 3,500m altitude with a total flight range of 5km, or a target 5km away horizontally at that altitude, or is 3,500m just its absolute maximum ceiling whatever?

Edited August 29, 2012 by marcos