ARMAAMS in TWS

Edit: realized I misspelled AMRAAM in the title, DOH

Hi all,

Currently to engage multiple targets in TWS (with AMRAAMS, obviously) I'll designate a T&S (primary), then a DT2 (secondary). Then I'll pop a slammer off at my primary, hit the undesignated button to swap T&S and DT2, and pop another slammer off at the second guy.

It doesn't work all that well...

First off, if I may, what's the best standard operating procedure for multi target engagement in TWS with AMRAAMS for the Hornet? If you all have a system that works I'd be grateful to hear it.

Second, just to build my understanding of how this aircraft interacts with its 120's, how much support do the missiles get from the launch platform in TWS? Is it only the AMRAAM chasing currently designated T&S that gets target updates until pitbull? Is it both if slammers are launched against both T&S and DT2? If it's just T&S AMRAAM that gets midcourse updates will the hornet push updates to the DT2 missile if I hit the undesignated button and swap target priority?

Eager to hear your responses, and good hunting!

After designating the two target I like to switch to "Auto" scan instead of Manual, just one less thing to have to manage while engaging. You also need to take into consideration the separation of the two targets, the further apart they are the harder it will be for the radar to keep them both in the scan range.

I'm far from a professional but that's what I found works.

Thanks MacEwan! I'll give that a shot, does that just automatically manage the scanzone?

Yup, as far as I understand that's exactly what it does

I know it can be a little difficult to tell but are both your AMRAAMS getting midcourse updates until pitbull or does the T&S AMRAAM seem to hit way more often?

You don't need to maintain a T&S or DT2 track after launch. For that matter you don't even need both of them to fire. If you have 4 targets in close formation at the same altitude you could simply undesignate, fire, undesignate, fire, undesignate, fire, undesignate fire. Keep the radar sweep going over all targets and watch all four missiles hit. With more than the 4 targets in your radar sweep, keep hitting undesignate until the desired targets are selected.

No guarantee this will always work, because of course your targets are trying their hardest to not die, but under ideal circumstances the above procedure is valid.

For me the most efficient and above all reliable way is through manual scan, 4bars 40 degrees. I will play with the scan the whole time to make sure both targets are "painted" every 2/3 seconds at most.

I dont find AUTO reliable enough to keep the targets updated during hard maneuvers (cranking and abrupt changes in height)

With manual mode and 4 bars scan, even when limited to 40 degress, the radar behaves really well when you move the tdc from one target to the other, given that they are far apart, no need to do that when they are close together of course., and the 4bars allow me to attack targets while covering both low fliying targets and medium too relatively high ones.

Enviado desde mi ELE-L29 mediante Tapatalk

Thanks guys, I'll try out your suggestions!

As to what he rules are with regards to the F18 sending updates to the AMRAAMS in midcourse it sounds like nobody knows

If your radar can see the targets in TWS mode, even if they aren't currently designated, all AMRAAMs in the air should receive midcourse updates toward their targets. In auto TWS mode, the only way you would stop sending midcourse updates is by switching radar modes or the target leaving your radar field of view entirely (i.e. you beaming or turning cold).

What are your sources for saying that an amraam in the air gets midcourse updates despite having a target lock? If the target gets lost for one second or two and then reappears how does the missile know if the new contact was the same you intended to fire on? I hardly think you guys are right. By the way, DCS behaving like this doesn't mean it is correct.