Your preferred countermeasures setup

I'm just wondering how everyone is setting up their countermeasures.

Of most interest is the setup of people who successfully evade missiles of course :)

Do you prefer bypass mode?

Or if you use the countermeasures programs, how do you like to set it up?

I always program my own programs. Program 1 for flares and program 5 for chaff.

Manual with custom programs, in the absence of a realistic and capable semi-auto/auto CMS function.

1- RF Old

2- RF New

3- IR SAM

4- IR Pre-empt

5- A/A Merge

6- Slap Switch IR SAM/AAM

This gives 3 expendables dispense programs available with a button press, CMS aft for prog 1-4 as selected, fwd for Prg 5, slap switch for prog 6.

As soon as you can Program it on ground / start up, I may use manual mode way more often than bypass.

Man 1 - A2G Flares

Man 2 - A2A Flares

Man 5 - A2A Chaff

I know it depends on the threat, but what is a good number of chaff/flares and what timing do people use in the case of just 2 programs?

Eg 2 chaff or flares 3 times with 0.5s delay is what I currently use, but that is just guessing.

There's always a balance between using the countermeasures up too quickly and increasing the odds of decoying a missile too.

The programs I use are classified. :P

You're looking at tenths of a second between each flare (you are flying along at 600 kts and need density of the flares). The second point is the burst quantity - you want 5 - 10 to provide a good target.

As missiles have ECCM (Electronic Counter-Counter Measures), you only have a small window to spoof and evade.

You throw a bunch of flares out the window, and make a high-g breaking turn (usually into the missile) to escape. Hopefully the missile tracks the larger IR signature of the flares "long enough" that you fly outside of its target acquisition limits. Once the missile starts to fly a track that is not an intercept to you, the probability of the missile re-acquiring you falls rapidly.

It's not just about the counter-measures program, but how you fly the whole escape maneuver that counts.

You can never have enough airspeed when out-flying a missile. If you know you've been fired upon early enough, you CAN escape without using counter-measures at all, but timing of the counter-measures program and knowing when to use it can make a big difference.

As soon as you can Program it on ground / start up, I may use manual mode way more often than bypass.

Just update the .lua file.

Been using my custom profiles for months, haven’t changed it in the cockpit a single time.

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Program 1 Chaff. X2 rep x5 @ .5

Program 5 flare X2 rep x4 @ .25

The programs I use are classified. :P

 

You're looking at tenths of a second between each flare (you are flying along at 600 kts and need density of the flares). The second point is the burst quantity - you want 5 - 10 to provide a good target.

 

As missiles have ECCM (Electronic Counter-Counter Measures), you only have a small window to spoof and evade.

 

You throw a bunch of flares out the window, and make a high-g breaking turn (usually into the missile) to escape. Hopefully the missile tracks the larger IR signature of the flares "long enough" that you fly outside of its target acquisition limits. Once the missile starts to fly a track that is not an intercept to you, the probability of the missile re-acquiring you falls rapidly.

 

It's not just about the counter-measures program, but how you fly the whole escape maneuver that counts.

 

You can never have enough airspeed when out-flying a missile. If you know you've been fired upon early enough, you CAN escape without using counter-measures at all, but timing of the counter-measures program and knowing when to use it can make a big difference.

I've almost never been hit by a SAM flying a zig zag pattern away from the missile. Fist the missile is flying upwards so as soon as its out of fuel the zig zag pattern burns its energy super fast.

Vs air missiles I always try to notch. So dive and notch. Most of the Russian planes in game fire semi active, so notch the plane. Even if they fire an active seeker there is a time before going pitbull so notching the plane can sometimes spoof the missile long enough that has picked up chaff anyways.

As for heat seekers. I spam my flare button and turn towards the missile as hard as possible. I always get hit if I don't.

FWIW, while I don't recall off the top of my head which button it is, I keep this screen up on the same side every time and have mapped the pushbutton for the "Step" command on that DDI to a button on my joystick. I use manual mode so I can effectively cycle through the different profiles with one button. I always have access to #5 and #6 and can step up through #'s 1-4 quickly with that button. So I set up my profiles in logical steps base on severity. I also have #4 programmed as a "pop flare" profile for finding each other, which is really useful at night and can cut down a lot of time relocating each other and avoiding mid-air situations and unsafe rejoins.

Manual with custom programs, in the absence of a realistic and capable semi-auto/auto CMS function.

 

1- RF Old

2- RF New

3- IR SAM

4- IR Pre-empt

5- A/A Merge

6- Slap Switch IR SAM/AAM

 

This gives 3 expendables dispense programs available with a button press, CMS aft for prog 1-4 as selected, fwd for Prg 5, slap switch for prog 6.

What is the slap switch and what is program 6?

What is the slap switch and what is program 6?

I believe they're the same thing. You can click this with your mouse in the cockpit, there is a button mapping for it and there is a way to pre-program it in that same section where you pre-program the other profiles in the code. It just doesn't appear in the profile section in the jet. It's locked.

Just update the .lua file.

 

Been using my custom profiles for months, haven’t changed it in the cockpit a single time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Can you pls explain how you change the LUA file?

Manual with custom programs, in the absence of a realistic and capable semi-auto/auto CMS function.

 

1- RF Old

2- RF New

3- IR SAM

4- IR Pre-empt

5- A/A Merge

6- Slap Switch IR SAM/AAM

 

This gives 3 expendables dispense programs available with a button press, CMS aft for prog 1-4 as selected, fwd for Prg 5, slap switch for prog 6.

Can you explain more details?

I assume RF Old, RF New, and IR SAM are the ones called AUTO at the bottom of the CMDS_ALE47.lua file? Are you using those settings for the first three that you mentioned?

And What are your settings for IR Pre-empt, A/A Merge, and the Slap Switch?

What is the slap switch and what is program 6?

The "Slap switch" is the dispense button on the left cockpit wall above the throttle. This switch is dedicated to running expendables program 6. Best used as a reaction to a missile launch. Personally I configure it for use against an IR AAM/SAM.

Can you explain more details?

 

I assume RF Old, RF New, and IR SAM are the ones called AUTO at the bottom of the CMDS_ALE47.lua file? Are you using those settings for the first three that you mentioned?

 

And What are your settings for IR Pre-empt, A/A Merge, and the Slap Switch?

My profiles are available here: http://www.476vfightergroup.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=492 All are customised and based on threat testing in DCS. I don't use the auto programs (auto CMS modes do not function the same in DCS as IRL and aren't particularly effective) so they are unchanged

Quite similar to those I developed for the A-10C, but condensed in to the 6 programs available in the Hornet, and slightly adapted to allow for the AA role.

Awesome Eddie!!

Thanks!

I always program my own programs. Program 1 for flares and program 5 for chaff.

I do this. Bypass is too consuming and I don't have the counter

Just update the .lua file.

 

Been using my custom profiles for months, haven’t changed it in the cockpit a single time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Where is that file ? Does it pass integrity check ?