Under What Circumstances Will AIM-54's NOT Fire?

We are in TWS mode, and we have contacts showing. Contacts all have threat numbers. I command a launch .... and NOTHING. Hold down fire key. Nothing. Hammer fire key. Nothing. Mash and hammer fire key. Nothing.

Trying to figure out why.

Here are the specifics:

(1) Acquired several contacts on TWS-M (azimuth skewed right).

(2) Have data link, and some of my unknown contacts (staple on top) are identified by donor as hostile (chevron on bottom).

(3) Jester IFF classified one of these has hostile (chevron on top, matching one below). Peversely, this is the furthest contact that's almost 50 degrees off nose, furthest away from and heading on a parallel track, i.e, will not be coming toward me. This gets priority 1). Nice choice.

(3) Meanwhile, there are 3 other contacts on my nose (or just off), close, and heading toward me. Fast. Jester has not yet IFF'd, but datalink donor says they are hostile. These are now. They are good (strong) contacts, and definitely through onboard sensor (i.e., not just datalink: staple on top, chevron below). And there is a threat number (2, 3, 4).

(4) Press the missile launch trigger. Phoenix away to poor sod minding his own business off in the corner. Ok, no matter, now to focus on the real threats.

(6) So I really would like to fire at targets 2, 3, 4. Coming in hot and close. Still unknown on IFF, but (a) strong contacts locally acquired on on-board TWS and (b) datalink calling them hostile. So 3xFox3 Phoenixes away? NO! I cannot! I just cannot get a missile off! No matter what I do.

(7) Turn toward threats so directly on my nose. Still in radar cone. Still good contacts. Still have threat numbers. Fox 3 ..... NOPE.

I cannot figure out why.

Maybe Jester (or the system) only allow launches on targets that are confirmed hostile using onboard IFF? But from some unfortunately friendly kills, I'm pretty sure that I can remember firing on unknown/ambiguous contacts?

Maybe somehow the first missile in the air going off to something on my right is preventing a launch to something in front? But all contacts are within the displayed radar scan cone.

Anyone have any ideas or insight?

EDIT: And, oh yea, for the conclusion of this tale:

(8.) An AIM-120C ignores social distancing rules and rams itself into my eye socket.

(9) Fin

I just had the same thing happen today. TWS AUTO, first contact highlighted, target numbers assigned for AIM-54, pull trigger...nothing. Not sure, but I ended up locking in STT eventually and launching (via Jester wheel), then knife fight due to not being able to launch at 25nm,.

Also, after that, Jester started constantly pushing buttons...click click click click, like a typewriter. It went away after 10min, but man that was a pain in the butt.

Good day!

DrDetroit

A sort of fix is to set the radar azimuth to "center", or to clear the radar periodically to convince jester to switch his priorities.

That said jester still doesn't function very well in general when it comes to choosing what targets to prioritize.

IMHO Jester ai should possess the basic logic of:

1) All targets moving toward the aircraft immediately get assigned high priority status

2) Of these high priority targets moving toward the aircraft the final order of priority is then assigned according to distance; i.e. the closer the incoming target, the higher the priority.

A sort of fix is to set the radar azimuth to "center", or to clear the radar periodically to convince jester to switch his priorities.

This might kludge through the crazy prioritization (though HB's promised "Next Launch" request will be ideal), but it does not explain why the Phoenix's did not fire

I once forgot to click the missile prep button...... yeah i know....... :doh:

I once forgot to click the missile prep button...... yeah i know....... :doh:

I do this ALL the time!

But in this case, this was not it -- I got the first missile off.

Master switch off. It also won’t fire. Lol

Master switch off. It also won’t fire. Lol

Yes, but not that in this case, as evidenced by that first shot in the air.

To get some more out of the way:

- still had Phoenixes on the rails

- still had power and all systems intact

- still was flying with positive velocity and altitude

- still was in the cockpit

- and a few others.

I've seen the same thing ... 2 targets in TWS, similar ranges, numbers showing on TID, fire one 54, then can't fire a second for no apparent reason.

We are in TWS mode, and we have contacts showing. Contacts all have threat numbers. I command a launch .... and NOTHING. Hold down fire key. Nothing. Hammer fire key. Nothing. Mash and hammer fire key. Nothing.

Mashing the launch button isn't necessary. If you have valid a valid launch criteria, you will see the red advisory light "HOT TRIGGER" light up on your front dash. If that lights up you can launch the missile. If it doesn't light up there is no need to mash the button as you won't be able to shoot.

Now to the reasons why you don't have a valid launch condition I can only speculate, as there are many criterias that need to be met in order to get a HOT TRIGGER. maybe the bandit was just not within the Dynamic Launch Zone?

If you could upload a screenshot or a trackfile of the situation we could take a look and see what was wrong.

Look for the "hot trigger" light. If its not illuminated, something is wrong.