Jamming how-to

[Kercheiz]

Hi,

 

 

What are the recommended uses of the M2K jammer in DCS?

 

 

 

Especially:

 

1. Can it make the aircraft more detectable in some cases?
   
2. What about "home on jamming" missiles, are they implemented in DCS?
   
3. Do you activate it, before being detected? When detected/locked? After missile launch?
   
4. Do you keep it on in combat, or use it in short "shots"?
   

Thanks for your tips!

[QuiGon]

Hi,

 

What are the recommended uses of the M2K jammer in DCS?

 

 

Especially:

 

1. Can it make the aircraft more detectable in some cases?
   
2. What about "home on jamming" missiles, are they implemented in DCS?
   
3. Do you activate it, before being detected? When detected/locked? After missile launch?
   
4. Do you keep it on in combat, or use it in short "shots"?
   

Thanks for your tips!

Hi,

 

first of: All this applies to every jammer in DCS and is not exclusive to the M2000 jammer.

 

Jamming in DCS is rather simple and somewhat abstracted and works different agains other players or the AI.

 

Against AI (including SAMs) it will reduce their maximum launch range.

 

Against players the effects depends on the effects that are implemented in the jammed aircraft:

 

• F-16, F/A-18 and F-14 are still WIP and have no jamming effects so far, meaning they are currently immune against jamming.
  
• Flamming Cliffs aircraft will see some kind of noise jamming effect, meaning they will see that someone is jamming and will get a bearing on the jamming signal, but won't get any range information. They will also not be able to perform IFF on the contact (can be dangerous with friendlies!).
  
• The MiG-21 will get very similar effects to the Flamming Cliffs aircraft, but has filters that can be manually enabled to work around the jamming.
  
• The M2000 will see some kind of deception jamming effect, resulting in false contacts appearing on its radar scope.
  
• I'm not sure how jamming effects look like in the JF-17 as I don't fly this aircraft.
  
• All other aircraft have no search radar and hence jamming doesn't apply to them.
  

AFAIK being jammed also makes it more difficult to maintain a hard lock (STT) for all aircraft. All aircraft can burn through jamming at around 20nm.

 

And yes, DCS does have HOJ missiles.

Edited October 2, 2020 by QuiGon

[jojo]

From a series of test performed by the 3rd Wing (give back to Caesar what belongs to him :D), any fighter would burn through M-2000C jammer around 20Nm.

This is boring to death, I can’t understand why F-15 and MiG-29 would burn through at the same range, and IMHO, this is too far.

Overall, you would burn through enemy jammers around 20Nm too.

 

Last time I checked (please correct me if I’m wrong), F-14B doesn’t even show jamming on radar (missing feature).

 

Electronic warfare is kind of lame in DCS. And it’s limited to noise jamming, many more techniques exist IRL (deception modes, like range gate pull-off), but no public combat flight simulator goes into that.

 

Yes, some missiles have HOJ, most of them actually (Fox 1 & Fox 3).

 

You need to know threat range (AWACS, GCI, own radar...).

If enemy locks you beyond 20Nm you can break the lock using the jammer.

 

I would advise to use jammer when threats are detected, to delay enemy situational awareness, but to cut it below 20Nm.

 

Also, during the beam/ notch which is a good defence to defeat radar missile’s kinematic at long range and guidance at short range, the jammer is ineffective. It doesn’t jam at 360°.

Edited October 2, 2020 by jojo

[QuiGon]

It doesn’t jam at 360°.

It does not? I'm only aware that this is the case for the Viggen's jammer, but I never heard this about any other jamming aircraft in DCS :huh:

[jojo]

It does not? I'm only aware that this is the case for the Viggen's jammer, but I never heard this about any other jamming aircraft in DCS :huh:

 

Ok, maybe I did a wrong assumption then, but it shouldn’t be the be the case for most jammer :music_whistling:

[QuiGon]

Ok, maybe I did a wrong assumption then, but it shouldn’t be the be the case for most jammer :music_whistling:

There's a difference between how things work in reality and in DCS (especially when it comes to jamming) ;)

Edited October 2, 2020 by QuiGon

[The_Tau]

hmm I think in DCS all jammers are 360 degrees. I might be wrong, but I didn't notice any evidence otherwise

[QuiGon]

hmm I think in DCS all jammers are 360 degrees. I might be wrong, but I didn't notice any evidence otherwise

The Viggen jammer is not 360°. IIRC it is limited to 30° or 60° or something like that. But that's the only jammer that is directionally limited in DCS AFAIK.

Edited October 2, 2020 by QuiGon

[jojo]

The Viggen jammer is not 360°. IIRC it is limited to 30° or 60° or something like that. But that's the only jammer that is directional limited in DCS AFAIK.

 

:doh:

 

Ok, but still, when you are in the notch, jamming does more bad than good. You should cut it off :smilewink:

[QuiGon]

Ok, but still, when you are in the notch, jamming does more bad than good. You should cut it off :smilewink:

I'm not sure I would agree with that in all cases. If you go against a fighter that does not have HOJ missiles, jamming him should make it harder for him to maintain the lock, although I'm not entirely sure if that's really the case.

Edited October 2, 2020 by QuiGon

[jojo]

I'm not sure I would agree with that in all cases. If you go against a fighter that does not have HOJ missiles, jamming him should make it harder for him to maintain the lock, although I'm not entirely sure if that's really the case.

 

Mirage III already had HOJ :D

[El Chapo]

The issue with the tactical use of self-protection jammers is that it is not an on/off device.

When it is working, it is in fact on an Auto position, and you in the cockpit are unable to decide who and when it is jamming.

You can read in the cockpit what it is doing, but you can not influence it.

It is true that keeping the jammer of will make you more discreet, but ont the fight has begun and the enemy knows you are there, you have much more to do than switching it on and off all the time.

 

FAF rule regarding electromagnetic self protection is that it must be done as a combination of 3 actions :

- jamming

- decoying

- manoeuvering

Trying to escape an engaging threat without one of the 3 is considered inefficient.

[jojo]

The issue with the tactical use of self-protection jammers is that it is not an on/off device.

When it is working, it is in fact on an Auto position, and you in the cockpit are unable to decide who and when it is jamming.

You can read in the cockpit what it is doing, but you can not influence it.

It is true that keeping the jammer of will make you more discreet, but ont the fight has begun and the enemy knows you are there, you have much more to do than switching it on and off all the time.

 

FAF rule regarding electromagnetic self protection is that it must be done as a combination of 3 actions :

- jamming

- decoying

- manoeuvering

Trying to escape an engaging threat without one of the 3 is considered inefficient.

 

Yes, but in DCS we only have noise jamming, and the self protection range is very long (20Nm).

It isn't as "clever" as the real one.