Aim-120 / Time to Active

Hi all

Since the timer showing the remaining time till the AMRAAM goes active is not working right now, I would like to know how you guys handle this in combat.

Do you just wait till impact?

Do you break lock at a certain time of the count down and hope for the best?

Does TWS work yet? If so, I believe (been a while, and it's in the "other" F16 sim) in that mode you can lock and fire on several targets at once.

Does TWS work yet? If so, I believe (been a while, and it's in the "other" F16 sim) in that mode you can lock and fire on several targets at once.

I'm not sure what that has to do with the OP's question at all.

Hi all

 

Since the timer showing the remaining time till the AMRAAM goes active is not working right now, I would like to know how you guys handle this in combat.

 

Do you just wait till impact?

 

Do you break lock at a certain time of the count down and hope for the best?

The answer to your questions, as always, depends. Depends mostly on your tactical gameplan and who you're going up against. If an aware bandit with a long range radar missile - then you would most likely F-Pole and support to active and then notch or drag out. If an older gen fighter with shorter range radar missiles, Heaters only or a bomber - you might support it to impact just to increase the Pk.

I was playing with the AIM-120s a bit the other day and I was seeing what I assumed to be the time to active countdown in the HUD. At pickle, there was an A14 and it gradually counted down, although somewhat erratically. I snipped it when it went to A0 and then notched but noticed two strange things. 1) I had an almost 0 % PK on the bandit on numerous occasions and 2) it didn't continue to count down to impact.

Unless I'm misunderstanding how the Viper works, at Fox3 - you should get a countdown to Active and then once it goes active, it should then switch the countdown to impact. Of course if you cut the missile loose, the computer has no way of knowing and I believe it just continues to countdown based on last known maneuvers. But it shouldn't just stop altogether. Otherwise there is no way to know when to call "Timeout".

Typically I try to never break lock unless I have to. It makes it easier to follow up with another missile.

Though I kind of have an idea of how long it takes the missile to go a certain distance, so I just estimate. Even if you break lock too early the missile can still find the target.

Just by the range and the heading of the target. You know soon after launch that does your missile have a any change to reach the target even if shot at NEZ, and then better be ready to put another at right time.

Hi all

 

Since the timer showing the remaining time till the AMRAAM goes active is not working right now, I would like to know how you guys handle this in combat.

 

Do you just wait till impact?

 

Do you break lock at a certain time of the count down and hope for the best?

Typically you support the missile as long as possible as all support improves Pk. Decision to snip and run has everything to do with the threat posed by the adversary and nothing to do with the chance of success of your own missile. If your minimum abort range is 15nm then you turn and run at 15nm regardless of how sweet or sour your shot is going.

All active missiles in DCS go active 15Km or 7.5 ish miles to their target, rough rule of thumb I use is 2/3rds the range I shoot it at. For example, if I shoot at 30, it should be active around 20 miles, if I shoot at 20, it should be active around 13 miles, if not a little further.

Rule of thumb, so its not 100% accurate, but I'd say it is on the side of being more conservative (missile is active) than not (snipping the missile and leaving early)

!!THIS RULE OF THUMB ONLY APPLIES IF YOU CRANK 50 DEGREES OR GREATER!!

(if you dont crank you will be much closer when the missile goes active)

Also with the way missiles in DCS work right now, there is not much point to supporting your missile past it getting active. if the target notches your missile, it doesnt matter if you hold the lock or not, the missile doesnt continue to guide on your lock if its own sensor is notched. Bit dumb but thats how it works right now.

Many thanks for all your answers, some good points there.

Thanks.