AA Engagement
ENGAGING AIR TO AIR
When you are enroute to a strike target, taking out your opponent on the first pass which is always the goal of an air attack is crucial. Successfully detecting an enemy means acquire him as your target by the time he is within your weapon range, but before you are within his weapon range. This of course requires you to have longer-range weapons than his. At this point you have the advantage, and if you destroy him, you can keep it.
If you are on a strike mission heavily loaded whit air to ground ordnance and you fail to destroy your opponent, you are drawn into a dogfight, you will probably find yourself at a severe disadvantage. Thus your goal is to engage him from as far away as possible and avoid the dogfight.
ENGAGE WITH MISSILES
The AIM-120A is by far your first line of defense. Not only does this missile have a longer range than the others, but it also has an onboard active radar seeker. Used in conjunction with the radar in a TWS mode, you can launch and update multiple AIM-120s toward multiple targets. Several missiles can be in flight maneuvering toward different targets at the same time. The shorter-ranged, SARH guided AIM-7, on the other hand, requires you to keep a radar lock on a single target until the missile Impacts. The IR-guided AIM-9 is a true "fire-and-forget" missile. Once it is, launched, it homes in on the heat signature of its target. It has a much shorter range than the other two, however.
MISSILE MODES AND LAUNCH SEQUENCES
There are two missile launch modes, MRM (medium range missile) and SRM (short range missile). MRM mode is used for AIM-120 and AIM-7 and SRM is used for AIM-9. For each mode there is a designated launch sequence. You can "step over" or skip a missile in the sequence, but you can in no way alter it.
FIRING AN AIM-120A
The AIM-120 is your big stick when it comes to beyond visual range (BVR) combat. it uses its combination of active and semi-active guidance to find its target. When launched normally, the missile is given a "wake up" point to fly to before it turns its own onboard radar to look for target. the reason for this is simple; the small size radar of the missile means that its onboard radar system is limited in power and operating time. If the target doesn't maneuver from the time the missile is launched until it reaches the "wake up" point, then the missile is able to acquire the target on it's own using radar. This type of attack is know as "fire and forget" because the launching aircraft id free to brake off and engage other targets once the missile is launched.
Real aircraft are rarely such a willing targets however. If the target maneuvers very much at all after the missile is released, then the original "wake up" point is likely no longer valid. The chances of the missile even finding the target decrees rapidly as the amount of maneuvering by target increases. However, if the launching aircraft keeps the target on his radar display the missile is sent a "wake up" points automatically via data link. this dramatically increases the chance of the missile finding and hitting the intended target.
The AMRAAM (AIM-120) can be launched in a fully active mode, and in this case the missile searches for and attack the first target it locks on. Is is useful in those circumstances where you can see the target but don't have the time to set up the radar for normal AIM-120 shot. However, be careful when launching AMRAAM in active mode when friendly aircraft is nearby, as missile has no IFF system and can lock on to a friendly just as easy as on enemy!
In order to fire an AIM-120A, an AIM-120A must be the next missile In sequence.
1. Acquire a target. A TD box appears, tracking the position of this target on the HUD. (If this target has been queried by IFF and returned a friendly response, an X appears through this box.)
2. Switch to MRM missile launch mode. Check to see that the AIM-120A is next in sequence. If not, step over your AIM-7s until you get back to an AIM-120, or proceed with the instructions for the AIM-7.
3. An AIM-120 missile field of view circle appear on the HUD. When you have a designated target, this circle switches to NIRD circle represents the maximum steering error for a normal launch and steer dot. Steer toward the heavy dot to place it inside the NIRD circle. This circle is essentially a function of target range relative to Raero and target altitude, target aspect angle, and the difference in altitude between you and your target.
4. Check the range and target closure rate on the right side of the HUD. Check the NIRD (Normalized in range display) circle. The bars on the NIRD range scale delineate certain ranges. They will give you an idea of when to release your missile to achieve best possible target tracking and hit.
5. The "SHOOT" cue appears over the TD box when your target is between Maximum range (Rmax) and No Escape range (Rne). Depending on your situation you may not fire until the target is whitin No Escape range (Rne) and Minimum range (Rmin).
Your decision should in part be influenced by weather the target has a positive or negative closure. If he has a positive closure, he's moving toward you continually decreasing the distance the missile will travel and the time it has to be locked on to the target and arm. If you are in this situation and you don't expect of the target to turn away and execute evasive maneuver, you may want to fire missile before it reaches Rne or even Rmax because the target is flying toward you thus increasing missile effective range. If he's moving away from you, he's increasing the distance the missile will travel and because of that decreasing effective range of missile.
6. Press the Weapon pickle button. This will launch the missile.
7. If there is more than one target you may continue whit acquiring targets and missile launches whitout having to maintain a lock-on on the first target. AIM-120 or AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Anti Aircraft Missile) is a true fire and forget missile.
If the target moves whitin your minimum missile range before you launch, a large X (called the "brake X") appears on the HUD and the radar screen. You will have to switch to shorter-range missile, or break off and reposition yourselfe for another launch.
FIRING AN AIM-7
The AIM-7 Sparrow is a semi-active radar guided missile that has been in use since Vietnam conflict. Unlike the AIM-120, you must maintain a full radar lock on the target during the missile's entire flight or it looses its target. This is because the sparrow lacks a radar transmitter of its own, relying instead on the reflected radar energy of you r aircraft APG-73 radar. There are three variants of sparrow missile available in Jane's F/A-18, the AIM-7F, AIM-7M AND AIM-7MH (also known as AIM-7H). The AIM-7H is the latest and most up-to-date model of Sparrow missile, whit the other version having slightly less range and greater susceptibility to enemy countermeasures.
The AIM-7 Sparrow may be "lofted" when launched to give it a bit more range against distant targets. If u select "Loft" mode the sparrow will fly a lofted profile. Missile Lofting places the AIM-7 Sparrow at a higher altitude for most of the missile time of flight and used much less energy since it flies at higher altitude through less dense air, allowing extended range and/or grater available energy at target intercept. This mode is very useful when engaging slow maneuvering aircraft's such as Transport aircraft's or damaged aircraft's. However, loft mode is not useful (it may be a cause for missing the target that would be otherwise hit) for engaging fighter aircraft's since they are much more maneuverable and the missile has much harder job to maintain a proper target aspect angle, (especially if the target is flying toward the aircraft that has launched the Sparrow) as it would have to if it would be launched in "normal" mode.
It has a "Home on Jam" mode that you should find useful in heavy enemy jamming. The Sparrow locks on to source of jamming transmission and guide toward that point. If the jamming aircraft stops transmitting, or if the range is to great , the AIM-7 doesn't reach the target.
Like the AIM-120, the sparrow also has a visual launch mode that doesn't require a previous radar lock-on a target. This mode is also known a "Flood" since the radar "floods" the area immediately in front of your aircraft whit radar energy. This mode can be also very useful when you have only one enemy target and you don't want to alert it of your attentions as if you would acquire it. Because your radar floods the area in front of you and reflects the radar energy to your launched AIM-7 whit out of a lock-on, the target will never know what hits her. Obviously, for this mode to have success, you need to keep your aircraft's nose pointed at the target until the missile reaches it.
In order to fire an AIM-7, an AIM-7 must be the next missile In sequence.
1. Acquire a target. A TD box appears, tracking the position of this target on the HUD. (If this target has been queried by IFF and returned a friendly response, an X appears through this box.)
2. Switch to MRM missile launch mode. Check to see that the AIM-7 is next in sequence. If not, step over your AIM-120s until you get back to an AIM-7, or proceed with the instructions for the AIM-120s.
3. An AIM-7 missile field of view circle appear on the HUD. When you have a designated target, this circle switches to NIRD circle represents the maximum steering error for a normal launch and steer dot. Steer toward the heavy dot to place it inside the NIRD circle. This circle is essentially a function of target range relative to Raero and target altitude, target aspect angle, and the difference in altitude between you and your target.
4. Check the range and target closure rate on the right side of the HUD. Check the NIRD (Normalized in range display) circle. The bars on the NIRD range scale delineate certain ranges. They will give you an idea of when to release your missile to achieve best possible target tracking and hit.
5. The "SHOOT" cue appears over the TD box when your target is between Maximum range (Rmax) and No Escape range (Rne). Depending on your situation you may not fire until the target is whitin No Escape range (Rne) and Minimum range (Rmin).
Your decision should in part be influenced by weather the target has a positive or negative closure. If he has a positive closure, he's moving toward you continually decreasing the distance the missile will travel and the time it has to be locked on to the target and arm. If you are in this situation and you don't expect of the target to turn away and execute evasive maneuver, you may want to fire missile before it reaches Rne or even Rmax because the target is flying toward you thus increasing missile effective range. If he's moving away from you, he's increasing the distance the missile will travel and because of that decreasing effective range of missile.
6. Press the Weapon pickle button. This will launch the missile.
7. Unlike the AIM-120, multiple Sparrows cannot be simultaneously fire at multiple targets. Multiple Sparrows can fire at the L&S target, however. You must maintain a lock-on on the first target you have fired at until the missile reached it only then you can acquire another target, otherwise you will lose a lock-on on the L&S target and that will cause the missile to go ballistic and miss the engaged airplane.
If the target moves whitin your minimum missile range before you launch, a large X (called the "brake X") appears on the HUD and the radar screen. You will have to switch to shorter-range missile, or break off and reposition yourselfe for another launch.
FIRING AN AIM-9
The AIM 9 series of missiles, also known as the Sidewinder, are passive infrared guided missiles. Because it uses a passive guidance, it is a true Fire and Forget Missile; once launched it travels to the target completely on it's own, homing on heat generated by aircraft engines or even the friction of air moving over the target.
You can launch either AIM-9 at a target whit out of designating the target, provided its in weapon range. Audio cues will tell when the missile seeker head has gain an IR lock-on on the target, and this will be your signal to launch. If you fire whitout designating, your target's EW (RWR) will not alert him that he is being "painted", and he is less likely to suspect you are firing a missiles at him. However, this mode will not guarantee that you will not hit a friendly aircraft since the AIM-9 missiles don't have IFF, they simply lock-on the first heat source in there field of view. Sometimes they can even track sun especially early models of Sidewinders (AIM-9P, AIM-9L), the AIM-9M and AIM-9X are much less subjected to sun however, they can still get a lock-on on it.
Since the AIM-9 uses passive infrared guidance, it does not rely on the A/A radar or any specific radar sub-mode for post launch guidance. The L&S target can be used to point the caged seeker, but is not required. If you do have an L&S target, Sidewinder launch zone and TTG symbology generates exactly as for Sparrow missile.
In the locked target mode the missile's seeker head will attempt to track the L&S target you have locked up on your radar, that is the missiles heat-seking head is slaved and tracking the Radar's L&S target once the missile leaves the aircraft its seeker will stay locked onto the Engaged aircraft. If it loses the track of the initial radar designated target before you launch it it will slaved it self back to boresight.
The AIM-9 missile has two launch modes. The caged mode and uncaged mode. In caged mode the missiles field of view is locked on radar's boresight and that is the point where the missile is acquiring target. This mode is good for heavy "air traffic" where there is lots of airborne targets (enemy) and potential missiles targets (friendly) and you want to be in control of what aircraft you want to target. The seeker head is represented on the HUD by two concentric circles, and basically you just have to line your aircraft's nose and by this your missiles FOV (field of view) whit the target you want to engage. When you hear the lock-on tone, and may fire at will.
If you are in turning fight you may switch to uncaged mode, once you have acquired and identified the target as "enemy". That will allow the missiles heat-seeking head to lock-off off the radar's FOV and the missile head will be able to move free and stay locked on target even at greater angle off tracking. The area that it can move in is governed by the variant, the AIM 9X for example has a 180 degree "field of view" this means that the missile can acquire a target that is flying in a line abreast formation with you. The only real limitation of this mode is that the missile cannot distinguish between friendly and enemy aircraft, so you have to be careful, and make sure that the target the missile has acquired is the one you want it to, and not a friendly.
The seeker in AIM-9 emits low "growling" sound when selected. The growling increases in volume as more heat is detected, until the missile locks onto that heat source, when the growling will be replaced by a high pitched tone. The tone varies between variants (distinctive for each sidewinder). Once a certain threshold is reached, circle on the HUD indicates the target that Sidewinder has locked on to and indicates that the missile is ready to fire.
The AIM-9L and AIM-9M seeker when uncaged, are limited to 80-degree cone centered on boresight. Targets outside the con can not be tracked. The AIM-9X has much larger 180 degree cone centered on boresight for target tracking and lock-on.
Although all the variants included in Jane's F/A 18 are all aspect missiles, it is still preferable to fire them from the enemy's 6 o'clock position (especially AIM-9L), since they tend to track engine exhaust rather than air intakes because of the greater heat signature. If the AIM-9 is fired from 12 o'clock it will try to execute a high G maneuver in final stage of its flight so it would align it self whit targeted aircraft's 6 o'clock. This can cause that missiles explodes to early (missile is programmed to explode rather early -because of blast fragmentation warhead proximity hits- as to overshoot the target and miss it, completely. ) and inflicts less damage to the target as it would, would it be fired from target's 6 o'clock, allowing missile to track bigger heat source and less maneuvering.
In order to fire an AIM-9, an AIM-9 must be the next missile In sequence.
1. Acquire a target. A TD box appears, tracking the position of this target on the HUD. (If this target has been queried by IFF and returned a friendly response, an X appears through this box.)
2. Switch to SRM missile launch mode.
3. An AIM-9 missile field of view circle appear on the HUD. When you have a designated target, this circle switches to NIRD circle represents the maximum steering error for a normal launch and steer dot. Steer toward the heavy dot to place it inside the NIRD circle. This circle is essentially a function of target range relative to Raero and target altitude, target aspect angle, and the difference in altitude between you and your target.
4. Check the range and target closure rate on the right side of the HUD. Check the NIRD (Normalized in range display) circle. The bars on the NIRD range scale delineate certain ranges. They will give you an idea of when to release your missile to achieve best possible target tracking and hit.
5. The "SHOOT" cue appears over the TD box when your target is between Maximum range (Rmax) and No Escape range (Rne). Depending on your situation you may not fire until the target is whitin No Escape range (Rne) and Minimum range (Rmin).
Your decision should in part be influenced by weather the target has a positive or negative closure. If he has a positive closure, he's moving toward you continually decreasing the distance the missile will travel and the time it has to be locked on to the target and arm. If you are in this situation and you don't expect of the target to turn away and execute evasive maneuver, you may want to fire missile before it reaches Rne or even Rmax because the target is flying toward you thus increasing missile effective range. If he's moving away from you, he's increasing the distance the missile will travel and because of that decreasing effective range of missile.
6. Press the Weapon pickle button. This will launch the missile.
7. If there is more than one target you may continue whit acquiring targets and missile launches whitout having to maintain a lock-on on the first target. AIM-9 is a true fire and forget missile.
If the target moves whitin your minimum missile range before you launch, a large X (called the "brake X") appears on the HUD and the radar screen. You will have to switch to cannon, or break off and reposition yourselfe for another launch.
FIRING AN M161A CANNON
Beside the raw thrill of shooting down your opponent at close range, a guns-only kills save a missile, and you never know when you might need that missile. Still 400 rounds of ammunition won't last long, even whit a low gun rate, and the gun requires you to get in close, which you want to avoid on your ingress to target.
The M161A 20 millimeters cannon is very short-range weapon whit a very high rate of fire. You aim it by lining up your entire aircraft on where the target is when the bullets reach the target and press the trigger. Two different gun sight are available to aid u in lining up on your target, and you can also select the gin fire rate and enable a "smart" gun trigger option that only fires the gun when your chance of hitting the target is high. These two options a re important since your aircraft carries only 400 rounds of ammo and they can get used very quickly in the heat of combat.
You can set your gun's rate of fire from either A/A or A/G stores MPD page. Your choices of rate are between HIGH (6000 rounds per minute) or LOW (4000 rounds per minute). The currently selected rate appears by the PB 20 on the stores MPD page.
Gun Director mode is primary Gun mode and is obtained immediately upon A/A gun selection if the radar is tracking an aerial target. When cannon is selected and a target is locked-on, the HUD should look like this:
The gunsight pipper (reticle) helps calculate the amount of lead needed in order to hit the bandit, it will move around the HUD as you maneuver your aircraft, the goal is to superimpose the pipper on the target box, when you are within range, and have managed to get the target box and pipper to meet. As you can see the gunsight pipper and target box have merged, and a SHOOT cue has appeared, the shoot cue is a good although not perfect indicator of whether you are going to hit or not, -no shoot cue, probably not a hit-, I say that the shoot cue is not a perfect indicator as sometimes it does not take into account your plane of movement, it is perfectly possible for you to be flying straight and level, and for a target to fly perpendicular to you right across your flight path, if the radar has time to lock the target and the target superimposes itself on the gunsight pipper, you will get the shoot cue but a hit is highly unlikely, any gunsight targeting system you must be moving in the same plane as your target. Another failing of the gunsight is that it becomes inaccurate if you are flying inverted, due to the fact that the targeting computer does not take into account the extra distance the rounds will fall due to the fact that the gun cross is below your plane of flight. If you ever get close enough to your target that the gunsight pipper disappears completely just put the gun cross (the little cross near the top center of the HUD) over your target and squeeze off a quick burst, I say a quick burst because at that range almost all of your rounds will hit and destroy your target very quickly, less than a second is needed.
The other type of sight (picture above) is know as a funnel sight. Funnel mode is a primary A/A gun mode whitout a radar lock and is and effective firing mode. Funnel mode is displayed immediately upon selecting A/A gun if the radar is not already tracking the L&S target, or if radar lock is lost or broken (also when radar is in Silent mode or is not operating). During this time the radar is in gun acquisition sub-mode, and if radar locks on to the target, Funnel mode is replaced whit Gun Director Mode unless the Funnel mode option is boxed(selected) on the A/A gun stores MDI page.
This sight varies in its use from the pipper/target box sight because it does not rely on radar, it is a very useful way to shoot down your enemy's aircraft without turning on your radar, therefore you don't alert other aircraft, including your target, to your position. Again you must be moving in the same plane of movement as your target, the 2 lines represent a fixed 50 foot wingspan, when your targets wing tips are touching both lines at the same time, and you are moving in the same plane of movement as your enemy, squeeze off a few rounds and watch 'em hit. I have found that the best way to use this sight is to draw a lead angle on your target, moving in the same plane of movement as he is, place the twin lines of the funnel I line with the target, and let him fly up the funnel, before his wing tips are touching the two lines, squeeze the trigger, and the release it just as the wing tips separate from the funnel. Using this sight takes quite a bit of practice, and it is not always easy to line your target up for a kill, however if you manage to master its use you will have the added satisfaction of your target not knowing what hit him.
For learning more about Air to Air weapons please look at Jane's F/A-18 Flight manual.
