ETS question

[Merlin]

I am just getting into the ETS mode for the 25T and am learning to do SEAD mission's and going after SAM's.

 

 

What is the recommended alttitude for this type of mission?

[Pilgrim]

Hmm. Depends. If there are many manpads out there you don't want to go to low. But than again if there are "real" sams you don't want to go to high either.

 

Perhaps someone with insight could teach us more?

[Ironhand]

I am just getting into the ETS mode for the 25T and am learning to do SEAD mission's and going after SAM's.

 

 

What is the recommended alttitude for this type of mission?

 

ETS mode? Are we talking ARMs? I fly with the HUD in Russian and doon't recognize the abbreviation. Anyway, this is one of those questions for which there is no single easy answer. Think of SEAD as an art form rather than a science and you might be closer to understanding what to do when.

 

There are a number of determining factors: The known and anticipated enemy threats in the area (both ground- and air-based), terrain, weather (visibility and turbulence), the composition of your own strike package, the weapons you have under your wings, to name a few.

 

All that being said, I generally feel safer below 1000 m altitude because it's much quicker to get down and hide in the weeds. But, of course, terrain, weather, and enemy composition all factor in. Low altitude shrinks the threat zone of enemy long- and medium-range SAMs. But, unfortunately, it also shrinks the range of your own missiles. And low altitude also increases the lethality of short-range SAMs and AAA.

 

High altitude has the benefit of increasing the range of your ARMs and decreases the lethality of the short-range threat. But it also expands the threat zone of the medium- and long-range threats you might be trying to kill.

 

In the end, there is one important rule of thumb: Range = time. The greater the range, the longer it takes for something (either SAM or AAA) to reach you and the longer you have to react and evade. Conversely, it also takes longer for your own weapons to reach the target. If that target is also shooting at you, you're in a foot race.

 

So fly in a manner that will increase your chance of coming home safely. Even if that only means having time to run and hide behind a convenient tree. :) Like I said, there's no single, convenient answer. But I'm sure others will chime in soon and you'll have a more complete one.

 

Hope this helps a bit, though.

 

Rich

[Merlin]

Thanks for the reply Ironhand, yes, I am talking about deploying ARM's in ETS mode, So far I have had the best luck at or around 5000p, at that altitude I can fire and forget the -58 from a very long distance, allowing me time to turn away and set up for another run. Plus it seems the SAM's dont have the burn time needed to keep up with my movements.

 

this 25T is the best.

[Tracker]

Fly the training missions and use those altitudes as a jump point.

Keep in mind that your targets may have missles with varying range, speed and inertia as well as the abilitly to withstand various G-forces. Its helpful to note what type of target you have locked (a symbol will appear below the lock indicating such, i.e. P for Patriot). If you are familiar with the capabilities of the target then you can adjust your actions and reactions accordingly.

:cool:

[Ironhand]

Thanks for the reply Ironhand, yes, I am talking about deploying ARM's in ETS mode, So far I have had the best luck at or around 5000p, at that altitude I can fire and forget the -58 from a very long distance, allowing me time to turn away and set up for another run. Plus it seems the SAM's dont have the burn time needed to keep up with my movements.

 

this 25T is the best.

 

"this 25T is the best." Yes. If you're enjoy moving mud, it's a great deal of fun. I like the A-10's thrust but the Su-25T makes a great weapons platform. And the Vikhrs are fun to watch as they spiral through the air. :)

 

As far as SEAD is concerned, tactics will vary depending on the weapon you are employing and the threats in the area. There is often no single right tactic. If terrain permits, I enjoy terrain masking to hide my approach and to defeat the enemy's response. The "Shoot and Scoot" type of tactic you describe, with the proper ARM, often works too and has the benefit of keeping you well away from the trees and hills that might reach out and swat you from the sky.

 

If you go out to the Flanker 2.x side of my site The Ironhand Site: Flanker 2.X, there's a brief section on tactics. The brief descriptions are intended to give the high points of the tutorials. The tutorials, of course, don't work with Lock On V1.1 but you might find some of the concepts described useful.

 

Experiment and have fun.

 

Rich

[SUBS17]

I think the KH58 is the best for hitting the bigger SAM sites, its a matter of timing to take them out and yes they are firing at you at the same time. The best way I found was to use the tutorial method. Lockup the enemy radar and just keep flying towards it eventhough its fired a missile already. When in range, launch and turn away from it while using chaff.(you can't really break turn if you're fully loaded up) Also don't forget to employ your ECM and also your IR jammer for those manpads. If the Sam site has smaller ones in front of it then it might pay to fly low level.