Rocket Lobbing

NOTE: It is entirely possible that the following procedure is already known, however, I couldn't see it listed anywhere

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I was messing around with bombs in the Ka-50 the other day when I was struck by a thought. What if you can use a similar targeting system setup for rocket lobbing. Lo-and-behold, it actually works.

 

Flicking the "Automatic tracking - gun sight" switch down, turning on the Shkval, lasing the target and then selecting rocket pylons will lock the Shkval into a firing solution for the rockets out to the lased range.

 

Placing the target in the shkval's FoV (preferably close to the center) will yield - within reason - accurate shots. Tested out to the maximum lasing range of 15km, though it's damn near impossible to neatly place a target in view at those extreme ranges, since there is only so long you can keep the nose pointed up ~45 degrees before flying backwards.

 

As a bonus note, I find it helps to turn on "Flight Director Mode" on the Autopilot panel, mainly because:

- It fights you less while aligning the target and Shkval FoV.

- It stops the Ka's nose-up tendency while holding the trigger.

NOTE: It is entirely possible that the following procedure is already known, however, I couldn't see it listed anywhere

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Placing the target in the shkval's FoV (preferably close to the center) will yield - within reason - accurate shots. Tested out to the maximum lasing range of 15km, though it's damn near impossible to neatly place a target in view at those extreme ranges, since there is only so long you can keep the nose pointed up ~45 degrees before flying backwards.

 

A

 

 

and why would you use KOM/OFP further than 6km ?

KOM? No reason to use those, even beyond 2km.

 

OFP2, on the other hand, can be useful against clustered or dispersed infantry. I'm imagining an AA unit that is denying you access to a particular area and/or you find yourself out of Vikhrs; Something of that sort. Instead of flying home with full rocket pods, there is something you can use them for at least half-competently.

 

 

Other rocket types, such as the illumination and smoke variants, stand to have some useful employment via this method; not that they are often taken, though.

 

 

S-13s are also quite useful with this employment.

 

 

 

Basically, it gives the S-8s and S-13s a greater stand-off range then would otherwise be expected.

NOTE: It is entirely possible that the following procedure is already known, however, I couldn't see it listed anywhere

 

While you can do that whole lobbing thing, it just is not effective with unguided rockets.

 

This is one of the reasons why Russians had since 1999 available a laser guided ammunition for all kind platforms, it includes not just mortars, artilleries, rocket artilleries etc but as well S-5, S-8, S-13 and S-25 rockets that can be launched from any platform that can just launch a standard rockets of those sizes.

 

https://missilery.info/missile/ugroza

 

The only requirement to have those guided is that you have a laser designator painting the target you want to hit, without it the rocket will fly as normal unguided rocket. And you need to get the rocket launched in the general direction of the laser designator to seeker find it (AFAIK it is about +-15 degrees) for at least one second. This means situations like a ground designator from either infantry teams or even a MBT or IFV like T-72 or BMP-3, a another helicopter or even fixed wing like Su-25A as long they have same laser designator code set that rockets does have (and that makes it more difficult when crew can't change the code in their designators).

 

These laser guided rockets would make super easy to lob rockets at long ranges as you don't need to try to aim them well, just fire at the general direction at the proper ballistic curve.

Suddenly a Su-25A or Mi-8MTv2 would turn to big "guided rocket trucks" that can carry dozens of laser guided rockets for precise attacks from 2-8 km range of target (limitation really is the rocket motor capability fly the rocket there).

 

As a bonus note, I find it helps to turn on "Flight Director Mode" on the Autopilot panel, mainly because:

- It fights you less while aligning the target and Shkval FoV.

- It stops the Ka's nose-up tendency while holding the trigger.

 

Better just press and hold the TRIM button, you are automatically in the same dampening mode that FD mode puts you, but without you needing to press On and Off the AP channel button at the right side.

 

It is anyways as well good method to learn when you are flying as you can quickly override the AP for manual flight for the moments you need. The trimming function happens only in the moment when you release the TRIM button (and altitude is set when you release the collective brake or trim button).

 

The likely reason why there is the FD button aside of the AP channels, is that when you need to fly long periods without AP channels but you want to have input dampening to assist you avoiding over corrections. I am not 100% sure that does the FD operate while the AP channels are blinking as sign of malfunction in the channel, but it should. As that is only meaning that AP can't be used in the given channel to maintain the pitch, yaw, roll or altitude, but you can have input dampening as AP doesn't need to know your helicopter attitude, speed or navigation information for its operation.

 

So when you start performing other rocket and gun runs, you can easily just press and hold TRIM button while aiming and then release it to return automatic flight.

Edited May 14, 2020 by Fri13

KOM? No reason to use those, even beyond 2km.

 

OFP2, on the other hand, can be useful against clustered or dispersed infantry. I'm imagining an AA unit that is denying you access to a particular area and/or you find yourself out of Vikhrs; Something of that sort. Instead of flying home with full rocket pods, there is something you can use them for at least half-competently.

 

 

Other rocket types, such as the illumination and smoke variants, stand to have some useful employment via this method; not that they are often taken, though.

 

 

S-13s are also quite useful with this employment.

 

 

 

Basically, it gives the S-8s and S-13s a greater stand-off range then would otherwise be expected.

 

why t f would you ever deploy s13 that way lol gotta be lucky to destroy the bunkers from 15 km range EVEn if thers no wind im out O7

While you can do that whole lobbing thing, it just is not effective with unguided rockets.

That's fair; though I'd like to say that I was able to destroy a group of 20 infantrymen at a range of 8-10km, within a 100-200m^2 area using this method (Having only just figured out its existence). Sure, it's unorthodox, but understand that the point of this thread was merely to point out the capability.

 

Also, I am well aware of the Ugroza system. Regrettably we do not see it in DCS, and even more regrettably, I haven't seen it in action from any source I know.

 

Also, worth pointing out, I prefer the flight director mode because it does not adjust your trim from the previous stable state. I also happen to have it bound to one of my HOTAS buttons, so it's about as easy to engage as trim. That said, either works take your pick.

 

 

why t f would you ever deploy s13 that way lol gotta be lucky to destroy the bunkers from 15 km

15km was merely for testing purposes, It was hardly my recommendation to use that distance as the benchmark of employing this method. It works well - enough - for ranges where the HUD reticle falls below the nose of the Ka.

 

 

Also, about the bunkers. The original S-13 was designed as a bunker penetrator. The S-13OF (The variant modelled in DCS), however, is your standard, run-of-the-mill, HE-fragmentation rocket (Like the S-8OFP2, just bigger. Notice the common letters "OF" meaning "High explosive"). If you're trying to penetrate bunkers with the OF variant, you'd probably be disappointed with the results.

Thought I might attach a few tracks to demonstrate. Though, I might mention that I am currently running the stable version, not the beta; Not sure if it matters.

 

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Ka-50_Rocket_Lob_01.trk

No Wind

 

Ka-50_Rocket_Lob_02.trk

~10m/s wind from 180 (Tail-wind)

 

Ka-50_Rocket_Lob_03.trk

~10m/s wind from 270 (from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock)

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NOTE: All attempts were 1st try; These are 3 consecutive tracks with no attempts between.