F-16 low RCS

Compared to the other aircraft in DCS the F-16's RCS is relatively low:

In-game the RCS value are the following

F-16's RCS Value = 4

F/A-18C RCS Value = 5

F-14 RCS Value = 6

Mirage-2000 RCS Value = 5

F-15 RCS Value = 5

Su-27 RCS Value = 5.5

The low RCS value in the F-16 allows it to easily notch missiles: https://streamable.com/1i4vf

I can understand the Viper's RCS being lower than the F-15 and Su-27 but lower than the Mirage-2000?

One notch below the F-15... Seems reasonable to me for a much smaller aircraft.

This was a design feature of the aircraft and other similarly small light weight fighters... small visual and radar size. It should be smaller than most modules in the game. Tiger, mirage, hornet, mig-21, al small fighters should be on the smaller side of rcs as well.

This was a design feature of the aircraft and other similarly small light weight fighters... small visual and radar size. It should be smaller than most modules in the game. Tiger, mirage, hornet, mig-21, al small fighters should be on the smaller side of rcs as well.

I agree but that doesn't reconcile with it being lower than the Mirage. They're both relative size.

RCS is only partially dependent on physical size. Shape and materials can have a bigger impact. A sphere has a smaller RCS than a disk with the same radius, if the surface of the disk is perpendicular to the radar source.

Then again, a static number for a RCS for a complex shape like an aircraft is a very, very, veeery much simplified model of reality. You really can't say 'this aircraft has a lower RCS that that one', because the only real answer is "it depends".

IRL the RCS difference between F-16 and big fighters like F-15, F-14 or Su-27 is even bigger. A lot bigger. And it is a factor.

F-16 due to it's small size, non-regulated air intake, blended body shape and canopy with gold particles has a lot smaller RCS than most fighters.

The RCS in the real world would change with aspect, if you were trying to notch then you are presenting a side profile to the radar source, although now better hidden in ground clutter so this would offset its RCS to a degree.

Nose on the f16 and the m2000 are probably very similar as well as side profile. Those rear fins are fairly big in size and being flat giving a good radar return.

The difference would be when one or the other rolled showing plan form, the delta design on the m2000 would have a larger cross section than the f16 because of this.

The question is does DCS account for this and do load outs effect the RCS returns? I would probably say not at this time given the arbitrary number for each airframe, which would mean that it would have no impact on plane aspect as the radar just sees a bubble of a particular size.

Probably..

Load outs don’t effect RCS in DCS. It’s one of my dreams for this sim. Most missiles seem to already have an RCS and be able to be targeted, you think it would be as simple or enough to just “add” the RCS of the missile to the air frame.

One of the biggest contributing factors to RCS, especially head on RCS, is fan blades on N1 compressor stage of the turbine engine. This bigger the intake, the more exposure blades have to emitter , the higher the RCS. F-15, SU-27, and Mig-29 have huge raked intakes to maximize airflow from level flight to high AOA. Mig-21 has single large intake.

Compared to the other aircraft in DCS the F-16's RCS is relatively low:

 

In-game the RCS value are the following

 

F-16's RCS Value = 4

F/A-18C RCS Value = 5

F-14 RCS Value = 6

Mirage-2000 RCS Value = 5

F-15 RCS Value = 5

Su-27 RCS Value = 5.5

 

The low RCS value in the F-16 allows it to easily notch missiles: https://streamable.com/1i4vf

 

I can understand the Viper's RCS being lower than the F-15 and Su-27 but lower than the Mirage-2000?

I wonder, if DCS is simplifying the RCS of all aircraft, would the USAF F-16C block 50 circa 2007 have one of the many "HALF GLASS" paint job?

If it did have one of the many "Half Glass" paint jobs, shouldn't it lower RCS slightly?

how does the RCS affect the ability to notch missiles? I mean the notch relies on giving back a radar signal without a doppler shift and not giving back no radar signal....Speed is therefore more important than RCS values. Less speed = bigger notch "window" (deviation from 90 deg fligthpath to missile)

I bet you can do what is shown in the video with all planes in dcs. IMO its not an issue of RCS values, its an issue with missile guidance and reaction to CM in DCS

Has anyone tested if airframe RCS is a factor for notchability in DCS at all ? I could imagine it only affects long range detection for aircraft radars (in DCS) ?

I would hazard a guess and say those figures from DCS determine detection range more than anything else. As mentioned by others RCS has little deterministic value (in sim) when trying to notch radar emissions or when perpendicular to the radar source.

I agree but that doesn't reconcile with it being lower than the Mirage. They're both relative size.

The Mirage wing is "yuuge" relatively speaking. I assume that RCS is some sort of "average". Rather than aspect based.

The F-16's blended body and frameless canopy are probably fairly helpful in the RCS aspect. The F-16 also has some RCS reduction measures built in, at least on some versions. I'm not sure about the Mirage, but the one we have is a bit old so I'd imagine it's less likely.