I just did a test against a lone SA-6 site on the Gulf; approaching at ~25m, the radar didn’t detect me until I began the pop up for my attack at 15km. Rising up to 200m, I quickly popped off my Bk90s, then made a diving left hand turn at full burner, hustling off again at ~25m. The site was completely destroyed with no missile launches on me.
For your scenario, I’d consider a trigger to give an opening to attack the site(s), after which they’ll turn on their radars. It would be exceedingly easy for a mercenary group to hire a civilian aircraft to skirt around the area and cause problems, adding a reluctance for the SAM operators to fire or engage.
The scenario starts with Alert Red, ROE Weapons Hold for the SAM - so not a hot war, yet. I’m tweaking a range (zone) trigger that will put SAM missiles in the air at about 80% max range to simulate a “Standing ROE” which is meant more realistic than the AI popping off missiles as soon as they can.
The Bk90 with stand-off is probably the only viable option in that scenario if you put 3 MANPADS around the SA-6 site, which doctrinally it should have attached for self protection.
What would you say is the release distance Franze? The BK90 has a max range just shy of 9km so starting a popup at 15km seems a bit far. Though I suppose you could try and loft it?
@Fridge, that kneeboard app looks intriguing.
Is it the Virtual Reality Kneeboard (VRK) from ED forums? this one
Do you think it’s feasible to use it without a wacom tablet, or would it be better to just stick with the default KB in that case?
I use it without the tablet and it works well. The biggest thing is that it doesn’t seem to pull in all of the images from the DCS kneeboard … likely because the DCS kneeboards have become dynamic (they have lua code associated with each page). For me, I load my checklists and such into VRK so that I can use the hand controller with my Reverb to move it around the cockpit. I fall back on the DCS kneeboards when I need their info.
Until they schwack with one you didn’t see coming.
In the Hip I started putting in a SAM warning from the “Crew Chief” - you can see it in my Persepolis Problem mission - fairly easy to employ in any ME missions.
I’ll take a more careful look next time, but I’m pretty sure it was about 12km. I was in stage 3 burner as well and probably going a bit faster than I should’ve been for release.
I find that at low level, high speed aircraft going at a reasonable pace tend to not give MANPADS enough reaction time. I don’t know if the AI just doesn’t think it can hit or what, but I’ve been shot at more on a climb out than I have on a straight and level profile.
MANPADs are meant for very localized air defense - basically covering a handful of ground guys. Helicopters are their “favorite” target in RL, probably for a variety of things, not the least of which is a low altitude and slow speed relative to fast movers. I’m thinking that if you are I’m guy with a MANPAD and something fast comes at me with stuff on its wings, my first inclination is to duck. By the time I figure out I’m alive, he’s probably out of my MEZ. But if he starts climbing and showing me some nice hot jet exhaust…
My understanding of most MANPADS is that the MEZ is, in a word, “suck.” But we don’t have many options in DCS as it is, being either an earlier Igla variant, a later one, or some undefined version of the Stinger (and I’m guessing it’s modeled as an 80s block, not a later one). I know our DCS A-10 pilots hate MANPADS, but to me they’ve rarely been an issue. Might have something to do with seeing them as M230 bait…
No clue if it’s modeled in DCS, but a MANPAD is going to have very limited visual horizon to engage into. The lower and faster the AC the less time it has to detect and engage it.
On a slightly different subject (Still Viggen / Not BK90s) - has any gotten some type of CK37 error that just shows the 111111 (or in this case the 110011) - the weapons load out for all the CK mode selections? It is weird. Sometimes I get it at start up. No way to clear it to include completely restarting the jet (removing and reinserting the cartridge). Then I got it in the air… preceded with the mission but no CK use means I just flew around. The NAV system still works - showing the WPs and changing them automatically but nothing on the CK output.
I did some testing, turns out you can release close to 15KM if the terrain is flat and you’ve got enough speed. Release altitude doesn’t really matter since the BK90 dives down to approach altitude anyway.
I did notice the ZSU-23 emplacement trying to shoot it down! How neat is that?
I managed a full mission last night from start to finish. Took off with some rockets and stayed at between 50 and 100 feet all the way from the IP to the target. Popped up, rolled into it blew the target to bits and bugged out at 50 ish feet. Landed and re armed.
It’s a plane that feels at home at treetop level! Have you used the autopilot modes? Free’s up a lot of time to control the weapon systems when you are enroute!
Not yet. I will be investigating this later on. The only bad thing I can say is 50ft doesn’t leave much time for screenshots!! The AP should help somewhat with this.
I also would like to mention that the niche that this plane fills is perfect for me. I suck at BFM, I get shot down all the time in the hornet on ground attack runs and the tomcat tries to kill me as soon as weapons are involved.
This thing…wow…sneak, strike, sneak. I love the mission it flies.
I put this together a couple of years ago from data from www.ww2.dk (great site by the way). Shown are the regiments of the Soviet Air Defense Aviation (PVO) and Frontal Aviation (VVS). Not shown are the units of the Naval Aviation and Long Range Aviation (mostly Tu-16, Tu-22 and Tu-22M bombers), as well as the Polish air force.
As you can see the most numerous air-air threat is the MiG-23 and Su-15. In 1985 the 53rd GvIAP at Siauliai got the first MiG-29 (though it probably lacked the range to be useful over the Baltic). Then in 1987 and 1989 the first Su-27 started to show up to PVO regiments in the area.
Same, I do much better as a helo pilot, so when I am in an aircraft I find the Harrier and Viggen to be come natural to me. Whereas a Mirage or F18 seems to be an alien environment to me.
