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How do I efficiently use the radar?


Hoggorm

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Hi,

 

I'm usually flying helicopters or the A-10. I was thinking of learning the F-5 but have serious issues understanding the radar. First and foremost, I really struggle finding targets at all.

 

I made a simple mission where I was trailing a Su-25. Same altitude and a few miles behind. Unfortunately, it took a long time before I was able to see the Su-25 on the radar at all. I was able to lock something up, but the + sign that should appear in the middle of the radar indicating where to steer was not present so I had not idea where to steer.

 

After using the F10 map and basically visually seeing the Su-25 I finally got a lock on it using the radar.

 

Now this was a target flying in the same direction as me at the same altitude. If this was not an AI, but another player in a Mig-21 for example I cannot imagine I would have seen anything at all before I was shot down myself.

 

So how do I learn to use the radar, why is it so hard to find targets and how do I train so that I get better?

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I'm sure someone will have an answer, but honestly, every YouTube video I've watched with anyone flying the F-5, they do so by skulking around low between mountains and pick people off visually. Can't recall anyone every prosecuting a radar contact in the F-5...

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Honestly, it's pretty useless to find targets. It's not even what it's there for. It's an intercept radar that assumes you already know where to point it, having been given a BRA from AWACS or GCI.

 

On top of that it doesn't have IFF, so even if you find something on your radar screen you won't know whether it's a friendly or an enemy.

 

You're far better off sticking your head outside of the cockpit and looking for the enemies visually. If it makes you feel any better, the Mig-21's radar is almost as useless.

 

It's pretty good for calculating your gunsight though.

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Hi,

 

I'm usually flying helicopters or the A-10. I was thinking of learning the F-5 but have serious issues understanding the radar. First and foremost, I really struggle finding targets at all.

 

I made a simple mission where I was trailing a Su-25. Same altitude and a few miles behind. Unfortunately, it took a long time before I was able to see the Su-25 on the radar at all. I was able to lock something up, but the + sign that should appear in the middle of the radar indicating where to steer was not present so I had not idea where to steer.

 

After using the F10 map and basically visually seeing the Su-25 I finally got a lock on it using the radar.

 

Now this was a target flying in the same direction as me at the same altitude. If this was not an AI, but another player in a Mig-21 for example I cannot imagine I would have seen anything at all before I was shot down myself.

 

So how do I learn to use the radar, why is it so hard to find targets and how do I train so that I get better?

 

It's not actually a really eficient search radar. Too short range and gets blind if looks down. Maybe you can find a B-52 at 20+ Mn, but not a fighter. The radar is used mostly in dogfight mode.

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As others have mentioned, it's not really meant for search unless you're going after something particularly huge, like a bomber formation.

 

Its primary use is to drive the gunsight and possibly the missile gimbals so they're pointing in the right direction as you dive into the merge. You're not exactly getting the AIM-9X, but not needing to squeeze the target into a very tiny box in front of your nose before you can uncage helps ever so slightly.

 

Funnily enough, it can also be used as a bit of a ground warning system in bad weather — pull the range down to the lowest setting, and if you start picking up clutter as you descend through the clouds, ease up on the descent speed.

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All you’re doing by using the radar is alerting the enemy to your position. Switch it off and use Mark 1 eyeball. Get vectors from AWACS or Ground Radar stations.

 

Play to the F-5s advantages, it’s small and nimble and difficult to keep track of in a visual fight. And it’s got some excellent guns :D

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The radar is good for using the quick acquisition modes like MSL or GUN. Aside from that, it's a poor tool.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I'm glad I read this. I am doing the training missions and thinking to myself that the whole radar search business is taking an age even when I know where the target is. This saves me wasting more time trying to perfect something that is almost useless in most situations.

 

Besides flying around the dirt is a blast in an F-5E.

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One of the switches I have on my HOTAS while flying the F5 is changing from Standby to Oper in the radar.

 

I usually fly visually till I get to merge, then switch to oper radar in order to use dogfight modes. Mostly to get accurate gun range for firing. Other than that...

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One of the switches I have on my HOTAS while flying the F5 is changing from Standby to Oper in the radar.

 

I usually fly visually till I get to merge, then switch to oper radar in order to use dogfight modes. Mostly to get accurate gun range for firing. Other than that...

 

 

Same here.

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  • 4 months later...

I use it to lure people into the mountains... usually over a sam site so when they go defensive from the sam I pounce them. That's about it ha ha. I got guns on an F15 this way just this morning in GS :P

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Thanks for the info in this thread. Was looking at getting the F-5 on sale and I'm glad to know about the radar ahead of time.

 

The F5 is fun to fly and will teach you things that will make you better in other planes (like energy management)... but to fly it pvp you must be looking for a challenge if you are up against modern jets. You can win but it is difficult (which I like :thumbup:... sometimes ha ha). The model itself is starting to show it's age though.

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The only time I ever used the radar was when a mig was very high on top of me and was waiting to pounce me so I needed an approximate azimuth. I turned the radar on found him pitched as many degrees as the radar scan elevation was and then I switched off and engaged visually. The trick is to remain in search and don’t lock anything as this brings him in the middle right part of the screen and makes it useless.

Generally though never use it as it only alerts people. I don’t use it even for ranging. My motto is if unsure get closer.

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One thing to point out in the OP's test... You'll never pick up a target when trailing him in the F-5 because the radar, while simple, is a pulse doppler and under those conditions it's filtering out the bogey because he's not really moving relative to you. The MiG-21 doesn't have that problem since it's a pulse radar but it has to deal with ground clutter instead.

 

If you want the best of both worlds try the F-14, it can switch between the two modes.

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The trick is to remain in search and don’t lock anything as this brings him in the middle right part of the screen and makes it useless.

 

Are you aware that once you lock something there is a dot in the Radar that shows the contact location? It is a bit weird because you switch from a top down view to a frontal view like in a Maverick cam, but it is good to use to find the bogey visually. Lock for a few seconds, locate visualy, unlock (or even turn off radar)

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