Is ECM useful for DEAD/SEAD?

[Gault05]

Is the ecm helpful when conducting SEAD/DEAD sorties for aircraft near a SAM site, or is it better to leave them off and use the emitter from the SAM site?

[Tiramisu]

Thats a good question!

 

Besides, I wonder if home-on-jam weapons are modelled in DCS. Maybe you could kill those jammer-spamming players in MP with a HARM-missile. :D

[Kid18120]

Thats a good question!

 

Besides, I wonder if home-on-jam weapons are modelled in DCS. Maybe you could kill those jammer-spamming players in MP with a HARM-missile. :D

 

On the F15C (FC module) you can launch in HOJ mode so it is modeled at least in some way

[QuiGon]

Is the ecm helpful when conducting SEAD/DEAD sorties for aircraft near a SAM site, or is it better to leave them off and use the emitter from the SAM site?

Using the emitter from the SAM site? What do you mean by that?

 

 

Besides, I wonder if home-on-jam weapons are modelled in DCS. Maybe you could kill those jammer-spamming players in MP with a HARM-missile. :D

HOJ is implemented in DCS. The AIM-7 Sparrow has it for example.

[Exorcet]

Yes, ECM will reduce the SAM launch range, letting you get closer with HARM's or whatever.

[Harlikwin]

It really depends on the plane and the ECM system.

 

Generally 2 things happen.

 

1. Slightly reduced launch range by like 10-20% depending on the ECM/SAM

2. Slightly longer time to lock usually by a few extra seconds. i.e. 8 instead of 4 or something. Again, depends on the system and the SAM.

 

It varies greatly on the ECM system in question. And I've only really used 2 of them with any regularity.

 

Harrier ECM tends to work fairly well against all sites. There is crazy long thread by Hollbeach in the harrier section where he just posts up stuff he does with the harrier, and somewhere more recently he actually tests the ECM vs ships/sams.

 

Viggen ECM works well against older SA-2/3/6 sites but not much help against double digit sams in my experience. And mainly only from the front/rear aspects. Again, I think there is test thread somewhere.

 

 

That being said, its not some sort magic SAM or AAM shield. It tends to only give you a slight advantage, and the best practice is to use terrain masking as much as possible. But it can give you a few extra seconds to find/lock/launch weapons with the harrier, or Viggen.