[DCS ISSUE] Aim-7's no longer track

I think i found a correlation, allbeit a strange one. If i give the bandit some missiles, then the Sparrows won't track. If i strip the bandit clean (guns only) the Sparrows work fine.

 

Tacview files attached accordingly :thumbup:

Close. It seems like the missiles will sometimes track if the enemy uses chaff. Although even then they have a fairly high probability of going stupid anyway.

Furthermore, the -F and -MH models will go for enemies who pop chaff; I haven't gotten the -M to track under any circumstances so far.

Close. It seems like the missiles will sometimes track if the enemy uses chaff. Although even then they have a fairly high probability of going stupid anyway.

 

Furthermore, the -F and -MH models will go for enemies who pop chaff; I haven't gotten the -M to track under any circumstances so far.

Not sure on the first one, as the AI always seams to launch CM immediately after being fired upon and a missiles leaves the launching platform. This is apparent in both Tacview files. In the first one, where the bandit is itself armed and fires back, the blue's missiles never begin to track. In the 2nd one, against a clean bandit, they track right away, despite bandit's chaffing. The First missile is defeated through maneuvering, while the 2nd hits the target.

As for the second one, yeah, i haven't made the M's work too. I may do some more test runs this afternoon.

Cheers! :thumbup:

P.S. Surprised by the lack of reports on this one, it seams very few users actually pack AIM-7's along for the ride.

We declared them as they do not work at all. In my tests (one version ahead of you guys), none of the missiles tracks even remotely. We're currently working with ED to solve it. Hopefully this can be done until the next patch.

Our apologies for this huge inconvenience, we're not sure yet what happened as we didnt change anything and they worked fine just a couple versions ago still. In any case, the issue has ED's attention and I am sure they will do everything to help fix it.

Thank you all for your kind reports, as always.

No worries mike, that’s why it’s a beta.

We declared them as they do not work at all. In my tests (one version ahead of you guys), none of the missiles tracks even remotely.

Yikes! I can't help but wonder what went wrong :joystick:

Keep us informed mate!

Our apologies for this huge inconvenience, we're not sure yet what happened as we didnt change anything and they worked fine just a couple versions ago still. In any case, the issue has ED's attention and I am sure they will do everything to help fix it.

 

Thank you all for your kind reports, as always.

As always, it's a pleasure mate. It's what we all signed up for! :thumbup:

I think i found a correlation, albeit a strange one. If i give the bandit some missiles, then the Sparrows won't track. If i strip the bandit clean (guns only) the Sparrows work fine.

They don't track if I fire them at the Tu-95 and Yak-40 in the free flight mission, either... So it's not that sadly...

They don't track if I fire them at the Tu-95 and Yak-40 in the free flight mission, either... So it's not that sadly...

Odd. They worked against M2K's and F-15's. Are they M's? Or F/MH's?

Also, are there other planes around?

Tested all three variants against a clean Su-25, none worked. Maybe it depends on the target?

Might actually be something with the radar.

Just ran some tests myself against the Su-25, MiG-29S and JF-17. Not a single AIM-7 tracked on its target, just fell off the rail and went stupid. Very strange. I tested the AIM-7F, AIM-7M and AIM-7MH.

No idea if this helps, but when I played one of my missions online with friends, they saw my AIM-7MH's track (this was on supercarrier launch day) but I could not see them track at all.

The Sparrows splashed the Tu-22's on their screen but on my screen, they did not do anything but rocket forward.

No idea if this helps, but when I played one of my missions online with friends, they saw my AIM-7MH's track (this was on supercarrier launch day) but I could not see them track at all.

 

The Sparrows splashed the Tu-22's on their screen but on my screen, they did not do anything but rocket forward.

Now that's extra weird! :huh:

Who was the host? You? Or a public server?

Now that's extra weird! :huh:

Who was the host? You? Or a public server?

I was the host, and there were only three of us playing in total on my private server. I'm not sure if they had recorded anything.

I was almost certain I was losing my mind!

mmmmm... desync. Gotta love it.

Seems it's fixed for the next update? https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/news/changelog/openbeta/2.5.6.49718/

Wow that was quick. Swedish efficiency at its finest.

Edit- Just tested it. Yup it's working. Fine work chaps.

I just tested it as well: fixed indeed. Sidewinders are slaved properly to the radar, and Sparrows track their intended target just fine ;-)

Thank you!

Thank ED in this case, we don't know what broke it nor what fixed it.

Well thanks ED then in that case. Regardless, the swift response is great.

Thank ED in this case, we don't know what broke it nor what fixed it.

I was going to say:

No bug: Sparrows couldn't hit the broadside of a flying barn with radar reflectors attached in real life.

Tom Clancy, the "Rah, rah Team America" author that he was, quoted about a 23% hit rate during Desert Storm with the latest model in Air Wing, which probably had the latest and final statistics for the Sparrow's performance since it was in the process of retirement at the time. In Vietnam I believe it barely broke double-digits.

Good that it's fixed, though.

Tom Clancy, the "Rah, rah Team America" author that he was, quoted about a 23% hit rate during Desert Storm with the latest model in Air Wing, which probably had the latest and final statistics for the Sparrow's performance since it was in the process of retirement at the time. In Vietnam I believe it barely broke double-digits.

The AIM-7M was credited with a hit rate of greater than 50% and achieved 2/3s of coalition air kills during Desert Storm. It's hardly infallible or perfect, but to equate late model Sparrows with their performance in Vietnam is a bit reductive.

I was going to say:

 

No bug: Sparrows couldn't hit the broadside of a flying barn with radar reflectors attached in real life.

 

Tom Clancy, the "Rah, rah Team America" author that he was, quoted about a 23% hit rate during Desert Storm with the latest model in Air Wing, which probably had the latest and final statistics for the Sparrow's performance since it was in the process of retirement at the time. In Vietnam I believe it barely broke double-digits.

 

Good that it's fixed, though.

IIRC, the poor performance of the Sparrows in the early days had much more to do with maintenance/storage/handling issues damaging components than design/engineering. As understanding of their delicacies (and, more generally, modern missile electronics) became widespread and a the requsite gentl(er) handling institutionalized as they are today, performance improved dramatically. Though, for sure, the earlier Sparrows also had inherent problems, these were mostly solved in the later models. A late-model Sparrow, handled with the newer SOP care from depot to rail was as potent as any air-to-air missile. This is what I recall from reading the EXCELLENT "Clashes: Air Combat over North Vietnam, 1965–1972".

The Robin Olds book says something similar. More to do with poor maintenance and understanding (and also weather conditions) than the missile itself.

The Robin Olds book says something similar. More to do with poor maintenance and understanding (and also weather conditions) than the missile itself.

Just like the R-27 family then. :lol: