Correct flying of missions

[WaitingXR145]

Hey guys I'm sure somewhere in this forum there is a good thread already made about this. I'm just trying to find out what is the correct way to fly these missions. Do you contact JTAC on the way in, hit the target and then call in, is it high alt or low level? Just trying to find documentation to simulate the real thing. Also does anyone have good profiles for delivery of weapons?

 

Thanks!!

[sgtmike74]

I usually anchore short of an ip and then call the JTAC. I'll fly high if there are IR SAMs in the area.

[Xavven]

Your best bet is to read A-10s Over Kosovo. It details the real life accounts of the A-10A pilots of the 81st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, deployed to Kosovo in 1999. Here's the online version: http://www.scribd.com/doc/140933190/Haave-CF-and-Haun-PM-Eds-2003-A-10s-Over-Kosovo-Air-University-Press

 

Regarding your JTAC question, nobody expended ordinance without AFAC (basically a JTAC in the air) identifying the target first, and even then, sometimes AFAC had to get clearance from central command. While I haven't gotten specifics on exactly when and how far away striker aircraft first checked in with AFAC, their vul was very short (45 minutes at a time) and the pilots write a lot about making the most efficient use of their time, so I'm inferring it would make sense that they are exchanging other information about the target over the radios as soon as possible. AFAC then had to help the strikers get visual of the target by either describing the location using landmarks, or by marking with smoke. Bottom line -- contact JTAC before you reach your IP.

 

The ROEs had strict altitude limitations. The hard deck during Operation Allied Force started at 15,000 ft AGL and was eventually lowered to 10,000, and then finally to 8,000 and 5,000. The pilots indicated it was hard to spot targets from 15,000 ft AGL with binoculars, and cloud cover was a big factor in obscuring targets, but their central command set the altitude restrictions to keep their planes safe from air defenses by either staying completely out of range or by giving them more time to see and evade a missile launch.

 

The A-10 pilots felt they were at the most risk when performing the AFAC role because the radio and map work limited their situational awareness, so I think they stayed above 10,000 ft AGL while spotting targets. When engaging targets their hard deck was either 5,000 or 8,000 and they were still able to employ guns from this altitude. They accidentally violated the altitude restrictions because of a miscommunication, and went below 2,000ft AGL to engage a radar. They only did so because of the very low cloud cover.

 

Conclusion: they stayed as high as they could to avoid air defense, only going lower because of clouds and the ability to get visual on targets with 12x binoculars. Bottom line, they were ordered to stay above 8,000 AGL.

 

Weapon profiles

Rockets: These are area effect weapons, so I sometimes ripple pairs qty 4, but I can also fire singles and spam the pickle button.

Mk-82 unguided: Depends on the situation. The real pilots used singles to mark targets sometimes because their smoke was greater than WP rockets (and this is not modeled in the game!) There are accounts of them dropping pairs of Mk-82s and also accounts of rippling 4 against concentrations of vehicles.

Laser Guided Bombs: These were not employed by A-10s in Kosovo, so I can only tell you what I use and what the DCS flight manual recommends. I prefer CCRP, Auto-Lase on, and 12 second lase time, and drop from above 7,000 ft AGL. 12 seconds is the perfect timing, because if you lase too early or your bomb will fall short -- it tries to take a direct, straight line path and runs out of energy. If you lase too late the bomb will not have enough time to transition on target.

CBU-87: These are poorly modeled in the game (many threads touch on this point already) but if you must use them, I have had better success lowering the rotation speed to 500 RPM, but only because DCS did a bad job with modeling them. The default 1500 spreads too wide and then nothing gets hit even though in real life this could very well be effective.

CBU-97: The default HOF (height of function) works fine, but I know some people lower it. I'll defer to others since I don't use these often.

[Grinch]

The proper answer is: we don't know. Fire support coordination nuances are largely not in game, such a Free Fire Areas (FFAs), Fire Support Coordinating Lines, and your frequently heard term "kill boxes." Coordination with JTACs, FACs, FAC(A) / AFAC is required for Close Air Support (CAS). The necessity for CAS procedures (i.e. 9 lines) is based primarily on the enemy's proximity to ground forces. Depending on the location of forces involved in the mission, it might not even be considered CAS. In these cases, the tactical mission is called Deep Air Strike (DAS) or air interdiction and the procedures change dramatically.

 

Generally speaking, before even contacting a JTAC directly, you would be routed through various air officers before and get an AO update or two before getting passed over to a JTAC. During these conversations, you would get routing information, air threat information, friendly air traffic info, and your assigned holding position and altitude block.

 

What does this all mean in game? It means it's not simulated. I usually just hit the assigned target at the assigned way point, and if I have fuel and ordnance left over, I contact a JTAC to see if he has any work for me. Unless of course the mission has me tasked to directly support a JTAC, in which case I'll contact him before doing whatever.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Grinch

[Hansolo]

Also does anyone have good profiles for delivery of weapons?

 

If you are looking for some good solid information on how to deliver unguided weapons incl setting up the DSMS I suggest you take a look at this thread:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=99688

 

In the first post is a link the 476th VFS' Battle Book. I got some good info out of the whole thread but at least take a look at #36 and #103. Depends of cause on you needs, but I learned a great deal from this thread.

 

Cheers

Hans