ACM cover vs Boresight

I'm a bit confused over the function of flipping up the ACM cover vs switching to boresight mode. Could someone explain?

I think when you switch the ACM cover you set the aim 54s to radar active directly so they will lock on the first target it see infront of you.

I'm a bit confused over the function of flipping up the ACM cover vs switching to boresight mode. Could someone explain?

Flipping up that cover, you activate the ACM Encounter Mode - for instance, for when you find yourself rapidly engaged with the enemy.

This automatically activates the following functions / modes:

- Air to Air Mode ;

- Gun rate to HIGH ;

- Sidewinder cooling ;

- Missile preparation.

The other is Missile Mode, that pushbutton changes between:

- Normal Mode, the missiles are slaved / guided by the sensors (Radar, etc.)

- Boresight Mode, the missiles are aiming / searching forward to the ADL, (in case of Radar malfunction, etc.)

It might be possible that, if you have the ACM cover flipped up, the sistem might not allow Boresight Mode to be selected...)

So then I guess my question is what does boresight mode do to the Phoenix, what does boresight mode do to the sparrow, and what does flipping the cover do to the sparrow.

So then I guess my question is what does boresight mode do to the Phoenix, what does boresight mode do to the sparrow, and what does flipping the cover do to the sparrow.

As for the Phoenix it launches the it alond the ADL as a "maddog" missile. For the Sparrow you'll prob get a STT lock when the seeker sees a target around the ADL.

+ its seems that AIM-7 launch is much faster - only by a look and feel

For the Sparrow you'll prob get a STT lock when the seeker sees a target around the ADL.

Seems hard to believe, as the Sparrow does not have an active seeker.

So the radar would need to be in flood mode, can't imagine that it does this by flipping that switch? Change to boresight needed IIRC.

Some clarification from official side what this switch actually really does would be nice...

Seems hard to believe, as the Sparrow does not have an active seeker.

So the radar would need to be in flood mode, can't imagine that it does this by flipping that switch? Change to boresight needed IIRC.

 

Some clarification from official side what this switch actually really does would be nice...

The clarification is all over the manual. :thumbup:

I've read the manual multiple times already, however, I dod not find that part where it is pointed that good as you have wrote it. Could you link it please to that? Only found a sentence so far that ACM puts the gun into high automaticaly.

My guess is that the Sparrow is launched in flood/boresight mode like in the F15/18?

I've read the manual multiple times already, however, I dod not find that part where it is pointed that good as you have wrote it. Could you link it please to that? Only found a sentence so far that ACM puts the gun into high automaticaly.

http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/weapons.html#launch-modes

I know the weapon part, but a "Flip up the ACM switch and following things will happen" is missing completely.

At the moment, this is not summed up somwhere.

(As addition to the sum on the page 1 by Top Jockey, also the Aim-9 gets uncages and uses the seam search pattern.)

I know the weapon part, but a "Flip up the ACM switch and following things will happen" is missing completely.

At the moment, this is not summed up somwhere.

Although that's what happens IRL, I believe it's not a the sim's manual, but at cetain NAVAIR manuals.

(As addition to the sum on the page 1 by Top Jockey, also the Aim-9 gets uncages and uses the seam search pattern.

Just to be a little more precise:

It uses the Boresight SCAN Mode (with its search pattern), so:

- the seekerhead automatically uncages by itself from ADL;

- starts its search pattern;

- might lock on target when pilot presses "CAGE / SEAM" button.

So from my testing, boresight mode puts the AIM-7 into flood mode and the AIM-54 active off the rail. Flipping the acm cover simply forces you into boresight mode with the sparrow or Phoenix selected

So from my testing, boresight mode puts the AIM-7 into flood mode and the AIM-54 active off the rail. Flipping the acm cover simply forces you into boresight mode with the sparrow or Phoenix selected

Yes, I got it wrong at my post #3 - should have said "Normal Mode".

So from my testing, boresight mode puts the AIM-7 into flood mode and the AIM-54 active off the rail. Flipping the acm cover simply forces you into boresight mode with the sparrow or Phoenix selected

So if I understand well:

- ACM panel has button to manage missile preparation and normal/ bore sight mode for missile launch mode.

- flipping up ACM cover forces missile preparation and put missiles into boresight mode without touching the Normal/ Boresight button.

- AIM-9 are uncaged into SEAM search pattern.

For AIM-7, you would have 4 ways to get into boresight mode (which is actually flood mode).

- Normal/ Boresight button

- flip up ACM cover

- launch AIM-7 without lock (even in normal mode ACM cover down)

- loose STT lock after launch.

Did I miss something ? :book:

It’s quite confusing since there are multiples ways to do the same thing :huh:

I've read the manual multiple times already, however, I dod not find that part where it is pointed that good as you have wrote it. Could you link it please to that? Only found a sentence so far that ACM puts the gun into high automaticaly.

My guess is that the Sparrow is launched in flood/boresight mode like in the F15/18?

Correct. You guys are probably correct in that maybe a general description of the ACM mode would be a good addition to the manual.

The ACM mode should really be seen as a shortcut to configure the aircraft for a knife fight if not already set up in that way. If you already have the aircraft configured correctly there's no need to use it with one exception; the only thing that's unique to the ACM cover is that within certain parameters the LTE of the AIM-54 is shortened to 1,5 secs.

The behavior of the AIM-7 is described under the weapons employment chapter http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/weapons.html#aim-7-sparrow . As you can see there the AIM-7 uses the normal CW illuminator or PD guidance if a STT track exists otherwise it always defaults to the flood mode.