Can't Lock AIM-9?

[dresoccer4]

Hey guys, I'm trying to follow along Chuck's F-16 guide for dogfighting with aim-9s, however I'm having issues.

 

According to the guide, you:

 

1) enter dogfight mode by pressing dogfight missile switch. this activates both your cannon and aim9s
2) press TMS up to activate boresight radar searching

3) look at bogey with HMCS to lock it into STT mode

4) the Dynamic Launch Zone should appear in HUD to show you when to launch

 

 

 

I followed all steps successfully, however as you can see in my screenshot the DLZ doesn't appear and the AIM diamond never latches onto the bogey. any idea why?

[skywalker22]

Fly the aircraft so the missile reticle in the HUD os over the target.

Do you get any audio tone when missile`s ir seeker is over the target?

Then just press the Cage/Uncage button to lock the target.

Edited August 18, 2021 by skywalker22

[Zarbas]

Press the uncage button to let the missile IR seeker track your radar locked target.

 

The DLZ is that bar on the right-hand side of your hud in your screenshot. It's saying the target is around 3 miles away and closing up at 680knots. What do you mean with the DLZ doesn't appear?

Edited August 18, 2021 by Zarbas

[5ephir0th]

1 hour ago, Zarbas said:

Press the uncage button to let the missile IR seeker track your radar locked target.

 

The DLZ is that bar on the right-hand side of your hud in your screenshot. It's saying the target is around 3 miles away and closing up at 680knots. What do you mean with the DLZ doesn't appear?

 

I think that what he is speaking is the lack of missile range indicator on DLZ.

 

As said above, you have to push Uncage button to let the IR seeker look at your radar lock

 

 

[dresoccer4]

6 hours ago, 5ephir0th said:

I think that what he is speaking is the lack of missile range indicator on DLZ.

 

As said above, you have to push Uncage button to let the IR seeker look at your radar lock

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Zarbas said:

Press the uncage button to let the missile IR seeker track your radar locked target.

 

The DLZ is that bar on the right-hand side of your hud in your screenshot. It's saying the target is around 3 miles away and closing up at 680knots. What do you mean with the DLZ doesn't appear?

 

 

oh i was smackin the uncage button but nothing happened. according to Chuck's guide, you're supposed to hear hear the audio detection growl first and then press the uncage button

 

13. Fly the missile reticle in the HUD over the target. If the missile detects enough infrared energy from the target, target detection is indicated by an audio missile detection tone (growling sound).

14. When the AIM-9 seeker detects a target, uncage it by pressing the Cage/Uncage button on the throttle. This will allow the seeker to lock on and follow the target within the confines of the missile seeker’s field of view.

15. When the missile is tracking a heat signature, the Missile Diamond latches to the target and the missile growl sound will become high pitched.

 

however there never was any growl and pressing uncage didn't do anything. The DLZ bar never appears even when very close to the bogey, as you can see in the screenshot. 

 

EDIT: weird well i tried again and this time got the missile to uncage and the diamond went over the enemy (figure 1). However the dynamic launch zone (figure 2) still didn't show up. does it not work with AIM-9s?

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by dresoccer4

[5ephir0th]

Theres a DLZ on your screen, it just looks different (completly double lined, not partially) because the calculated range (more than 5 miles and your target comes hot) of the missile surpass the current selected range of your radar (5 miles).

 

I know is a dumb question but are you sure you have binded the correct key? I just tried the ofensive maneuvers on Caucasus map from instant missions and it works as we are telling you.

 

The process you quoted is for a target not already radar locked, if you have your enemy already radar locked AND is on the gimbal limits of the missile, you only has to push uncage, you dont have to put the diamond over it before uncage

[609_Relentov]

Are you using the HMCS?  Seems like you’re not, which means you would probably be using bore sight or the 60 degrees (vertical) radar scan with the HUD.

 

Which AIM-9 are you using - M or X?  The M has a much more limited seeker gimbal range than the X…. If the X, it seems that uncaging the seeker head should have got you a missile diamond lock/tone.  If the M, try to get the radar locked target as close to the bore sight (I.e. missile diamond) as possible and listen for the growl, then uncage.   Also, getting a little closer to the target might help.

Edited August 18, 2021 by 609_Relentov

[dresoccer4]

7 minutes ago, 5ephir0th said:

Theres a DLZ on your screen, it just looks different (completly double lined, not partially) because the calculated range (more than 5 miles and your target comes hot) of the missile surpass the current selected range of your radar (5 miles).

 

I know is a dumb question but are you sure you have binded the correct key? I just tried the ofensive maneuvers on Caucasus map from instant missions and it works as we are telling you.

 

The process you quoted is for a target not already radar locked, if you have your enemy already radar locked AND is on the gimbal limits of the missile, you only has to push uncage, you dont have to put the diamond over it before uncage

 

i think you're right, the DLZ was just zoomed in because I was <5nm from target. I tried again and locked from 10nm and it seems to be there. i was confused because in chuck's guide you can see the DLZ on the 5nm range:

 

[Xavven]

2 hours ago, dresoccer4 said:

 

i think you're right, the DLZ was just zoomed in because I was <5nm from target. I tried again and locked from 10nm and it seems to be there. i was confused because in chuck's guide you can see the DLZ on the 5nm range:

 

 

 

The DLZ changes depending on aspect and speed, selected radar range, etc. The DLZ has a rectangle for the RTR (range turn and run) which is in essence a no-escape-zone where your missile is very likely to hit unless duped by flares. Above the closed rectangle is an open shall we say "three-sided-rectangle" missing its right vertical line. It reminds me of a squarish pirate's hook. That depicts the RPI (range probable intercept) zone, where you missile has a chance to hit but it depends on how the target reacts and how capable they are of maneuver.

 

So in your screenshot, I only see the RTR zone, a fully closed rectangle. That is your DLZ, it just isn't showing the RPI zone because for your selected radar range (5 nautical miles), that entire range is RTR, likely because your target is flying towards you. If your target was flying away from you with max afterburner going 600 knots, then you'd see your RTR zone shrink and you'd see that pirates hook of the RPI range grow.