Air Combat Tactics ..

[Kaktus29]

I have checked many threads, so if i have failed to notice the one i'm starting here please disregard my post/thread..

 

I would like to have an intelligent debate about how to defeat an enemy aircraft in single fight, double, team effort whatever ..and for ALL sides please.. F15,Su-27 etc..

 

what are your tactics, opinions, etc.. what is the strength of each plane or just your approach to defeating the enemy.. using ground as clutter for the radar, flying on multiple different altitude with your wingman to "sneak" a wingman or two to the WVR combat .. or what?..

 

 

I see many heated discussions on the forum that i think are the result of feeling of injustice being done to one plane or giving unfair advantage to the other.. combine this with bunch of children playing and bragging and you have yourself a war in the forum )) lol..

 

So, lets have a discussion about DCS flight and weapons, and planes, etc.. (okei, well, not really DCS Su-27 since it doesn't exist or F-15) but you get my point..

 

I put this on the DCS because its important to be here, since in the future we will have(hopefully US and Russian counterpart fighters) duking it out..

 

so don't drag in the oh well, if the russians have su-35 than we have f-22, and then if usa has f-22 we have nukes, and oh wtf already)) .. this is a game, pc simulation which will have constraints like F-15 on one side and Su-27 on the other..

 

IF simulated at least 75% i think it would be great, fun, and also interesting in duel matches.. especially if you give some freedom in MP games(like, have a SAM positions that are NOT known in the area to the enemy, and then use this if you feel you are outmatched to bring the enemy into a trap+give some kind of a bonus to fulfilling the mission like as a CAP or Escort your job is cleaning the skies..meaning if you run to SAM cover you leave the skies to the enemy which means deducting points(for every second you are out of the CAP area you loose e.g. 0.5 points or whatever) ..same goes for the attacker, if he follows you he risks being blown by SAM.. but if he turns back, the enemy turns right back on him so now he's the one running..

 

more real life time awkward situations if you will..

 

Anyway, your tactics please.. and nothing more...

 

 

I personally fly with my friend, together in all kind of formations..of course vs. the computer AI we dominate, even outnumbered 4:1.. that is as of FC2 ... i don't know about the newest versions..

 

Flying as Su-27 and using our many missiles as intended, of bringing the enemy in a bad position from as far as possible.. the tactic is simply firing a missile to force the enemy to ACT, either retreats(bleeds airspeed,fuel,and breaks from formation) and than of course he returns back after the missile fails to hit, but before that happens i fire another one, to keep him fighting, evading and not being in position to dominate me or be in a firing position..having many missiles my plan is simply to use up to 50% of the missiles just to make him turn away from me, after that its basically a death sentence for him if he wanders back into a firing position cuz all this time he was evading i got closer and closer (first missile i rip off at 20nm, than 17nm, 14nm, 12nm is usually a death sentence already but only if he goes back towards me, if keeps running and showing me his six its basically over for my chances to get him, but also his chances of getting me)-which brings us to the MP points game of claiming victory IF you manage to clean the skies regardless if you actually shot anything down-which is what most CAP missions end up being.. bunch of fuel calculating, range establishing zone tricking games.. the goal is denying the enemy the airspace..

 

most of the time just firing a simple missile at far range to give a Strike package planes a warning is a success-meaning they drop their heavy ordnance of bombs,AG missiles, to do successful evasive manoeuvres .. and by that success has been achieved, AG mission of the enemy has been disrupted.. etc...

 

so, this was my tactic-as good or bad as it may be..

 

you are free to share your tactics.. that you employ either in single formation or double, package etc..

[Kalahari]

I'm no fighter jock,but I also go along your lines. Recently since flying in these hardcore servers,like RAF nd war I've tried to copy the guys I normally watch flyby while hanging on my chute wondering 'I had him on my radar,locked,then he disappeared only to yell ''Boo'' from behind me....'

 

What I found was,or at least I think,is,once you get a radar contact (enemy),go TWS to determine their bearing (direction of flight),switch off your radar,dive to lose them,try to flank them meanwhile switching to boresight and furball mode,turn towards where they might be (assuming like the old me,they kept flying leisurely on after that spike). Chances are you'll be close enough to them for an auto lock and fox 2 or 1.

 

Now,doesn't their chute look nice against the setting sun :). I fly the F-15C mostly.

Edited January 4, 2013 by Kalahari

[Kaktus29]

oh very very nice.. i like that.. of course, if radars get the complex simulation than all of that is much more possible to do and also make things interesting since its not really so easy as pressing a button for R-radar and locking and firing )) .. but bunch of loosing the contact and feeling the pressure and panicking when you try to re-acquire the contact before they kill you) ..

 

but yeah, flanking is very good and efficient.. i read about Su-27 and the methodology the Soviets would use them.. they were meant to fly very low, and waiting for either AWACS data links to show them where the enemy is, or ambushing strike packages or CAPs as they show their tails to the InfraRed seeker head of Su-27 .. after that you can sneak up to them very easily..and since its infra tracking and most of the time you are tracking their six all you need to do is get at least 10nm close and firing the infrared version of the Alamo with Extended range(that is needed to actually catch up with the enemy that is flying away and not closing the range)..that is the precise reason why those infra-red missiles of alamo had sooo much range.. for this occasion.. cuz you need at least 100 km range of the missile if you want to close the gap from a running away fighter just 12nm away from you..

 

so all in all, very good tactic .. there were plans to make all the flanker family also have the backward radar for this precise occasions if the roles would be changed.. like you go into strike package behind enemy line.. you see a CAP getting at you.. you fly home but at an angle.. that CAP is closing..but since the CAP is from 8-4 o'clock behind you he must close the range immensly to be able to hunt you down and kill you (like 12-14nm and with a very long range missile at that!)..while arming the sukhois with backward firing missile and radar that would acquire the enemy that is chasing you, you basically can K.O. him with one shot..since your missile will be going full head-on aspect to his heading and speed )) ..if nothing else, you make his chase impossible and you brake away free to go home..

[Kalahari]

The other day I kept being handed my butt by an SU-25T. 'How can this happen?!' I kept scratching my empty head......till it donned on me,when in SEAD cofiguration (armed with Kh-58, Kh-25 mpu missiles nd a ETS pod),my radar was like a huge bullseye. The Su-25 suddenly has more reach than the F-15C.

 

I tried it on a bunch of unsuspecting squadron mates,...it was nectar :)

[theChris]

so with sead config can you use the kh58s and 25mpus on the aircraft? Also the ops tactic of firing at 20NM wouldnt this render you almost dead because by then the aim120c is already fired, atleast this is always the case for me. My tactics in russian planes is to be sneaky and flank. Otherwise retreat and have 1 of the other 2 migs flank :)