How to use the HARM&TGP to locate and engage SAMs with JSOW

[nickos86]

Edited March 11, 2020 by nickos86

[Raisuli]

This might be much more helpful with VO discussion about what and why as you do.

[Hammer1-1]

This is kind of counter productive to it being of any use. Those pigs are more likely to be shot down than HARMs and kind of redundant at that considering you have to be in range of the SAM itself. Is a good idea though if its a SAM site protecting a truck park or what-not, and you can target your pigs -and then- engage the SAM.

[nickos86]

Hi,

 

PingPongChampeen, thanks for the feedback. The way I see it HARM is a SEAD weapon. It’s good for suppressing the SAM for a short period of time allowing the package to ingress the target. Problem is (and you can see that in the video) that the moment the SAMs radar stopped transmitting– the kill probability dramatically drops (the GPS HARM version is not modeled in DCS as far as I know… and even then…).

If you’re interested in performing a DEAD (destruction) - a low radar cross-section is the weapon of choice while the HARM is only used as the sensor to find it. You can see that in Syria – how the Israelis and Turks and destroying advanced SAM systems using drones, low RCS cruise missiles etc. In real life – to hit a low RCS weapon is HARD, even VERY HARD due to the low response time the SAM got. Even in DCS, except for a few systems almost nothing even tries to shoot missiles at JSOWs- making them a great weapon against this high priority targets.

 

Moreover, the JSOW range is long enough to release the weapon out of the most of the SAMs threat circle. Note that in the video I’ve released the JSOWs on the edge of the SA11 threat circle and was able to easily evade any incoming missile simply by turning away.

 

 

Raisuli, thanks for the feedback. In the future I’ll might add a VO.

In the meanwhile, I’ll write down a quick ‘step-by-step’ of the tactic:

1. Power up the JSOWs, change the weapon to TOT on all stations and activate the fuze.

2. Activate HARM in TOO and turn on the FLIR.

3. Lock a target using the HARM and line up with the TD box showed on the HUD.

4. Move the FLIR while pressing TDC depress until the FLIR is looking at the center of the TD box.

5. Zoom in the FLIR and identify the target. Personally I turn on the laser and lase the target for more accurate coordinates (not sure if it’s actually implemented in DCS).

6. Wait for the IN RANGE cue, shoot the missiles and run away.

It can be useful to have the SA page ON for better awareness of the threat circle.

Edited March 14, 2020 by nickos86