Why are helicopters so hard to pick up on radar and how do you work around that?
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now that I think of it even a 2 ship formation at high altitudes can confuse my radar if the targets start flying close to each other. so radar clutter does make sense.
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Xeno, if the area is clear of AA guns\missiles u can go lower, 10000 ft.
Change to dogfight mode and get the target placemant from AWACS. Not always working but when it does and u get a lock, try releasing the -9m/x as soon as u can. -
Never tested it on my own, but I read about some guys having success with GMT.
I just tested it and you are right GMT picked up a 4 ship hind formation I detected them on ag mode flew in and switched to dogfight and gunned one down.
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I just tested it and you are right GMT picked up a 4 ship hind formation I detected them on ag mode flew in and switched to dogfight and gunned one down.
Cool! Thanks
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Xenu, I’ve always thought it was more about speed, though ground clutter does seem a logical issue. I mean, to me it would be like your AA radar locking up cars on the road.
My “workaround” is to go to Dogfight and go for an IR lock. Choppers make fun guns kills, too:)There is a doppler filter on the radar, so that you dont pick up things like trains, cars, that sort of thing. The CNTL page has a setting to adjust it - MTR, or Moving Target Reject. Not functional in BMS, but it adjusts the minimum speed of returns to be processed into track files on the FCR. HI is 90 knots if I recall correctly, LO 50 knots.
For taking on choppers, normally you would want to set the ALT TRK to OFF as well. Again, not implemented in BMS, but the tracker blanker ignores all radar returns at a certain range. That certain range corresponding to the height of the aircraft, and those returns themselves being the ground. Normally with it set to OFF, you get a solid line of radar returns right at the bottom of the MFD (or potentially higher than that, if the range is low and you are at high altitude). Turning it ON hides those returns - but it also hides any returns from say helicopters at the same, or nearly the same range.
For BMS, my strategy is typically to just ignore choppers, but if I have a dearth of targets and a sidewinder that is just begging for it… fox two! Guns is typically in my limited experience against BMS choppers, more hassle than its worth. Getting eyes on, then getting in plane and shooting against a small target… painful and not generally warranted.
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If GMT mode can pick up choppers, i wonder if you can destroy them with AG-weapons. I read about a F-15E that destroyed a slow flying MI-8 with a GBU during Desert Storm o.O
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@VpR:
If GMT mode can pick up choppers, i wonder if you can destroy them with AG-weapons. I read about a F-15E that destroyed a slow flying MI-8 with a GBU during Desert Storm o.O
The Helicopter was hovering at the time and the bomb was dropped through the rotor disc … I don’t recall if the bomb actually went off. An LGB was also dropped onto a Candid transport that was taxiing at the time hitting it at the wing / fuselage joint, destroying it.
An A-10 tried to down a hovering helicopter using a Maveric but couldn’t get it to lock … so shot it down with the gun instead.
In general A-G weapons aren’t good weapons to take on helicopters or other low flying targets.
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In real life Helicopters cant hide from radar, no mater how low because rotating rotor blades will show up
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@VpR:
If GMT mode can pick up choppers, i wonder if you can destroy them with AG-weapons. I read about a F-15E that destroyed a slow flying MI-8 with a GBU during Desert Storm o.O
Not in BMS, as long as they in the air A2G weaponry won’t hit them.
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Low PRM will help you get an air lock on the hellos easier
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Not in BMS, as long as they in the air A2G weaponry won’t hit them.
I hit 5 Mi-8’s w GBU-87’s near an Army base in KTO. They were on the ground when I pickled, but they were off the ground (100-200ft.)when the bomb exploded. BA was set at 3,000 ft. Watched on TGP. Got 5 A-A kills. :headb:
Also locked up a heli w/ a AGM-65D recently while it was flying in between me and my target. Did not fire on it though, because I didn’t have time to ID it. Just broke lock and re-locked on my tasked target.
I know…no pics, didn’t happen.
Just sayin.
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Nope everything on the Internet is 100% true.
I got u covered bro.sent from my Xperia Z3 compact via TapaTalk
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Hi,
Please allow me to share my most recent experience in the finicky area of ‘helo hunt’. I made a TE in the ITO with two pairs of Syrian Hinds, each pair flying at a considerable distance from the other. My aircraft was F-16 Block 32. In my flight plan I placed my waypoints so that they would lead me in the approximate direction of the Hinds. When I reached the area patrolled by the first pair I couldn’t find anything on the radar, so I switched to the A/G mode and tried GMT, to no avail either. Back to A/A and… there they were, flying very low and less than 10 miles from my plane, but showing on my FCR nonetheless! I fired an AIM-9M in the caged mode and scored the first kill. Curious, I switched to an AMRAAM, but had to make several turns as the second Hind was always too close. I gained some distance, turned back and found it on the radar easily. Fox 3!.. and the second Hind was smoked.
Meanwhile the other pair flew pretty far from the waypoint I had placed denoting the second Hind flight, so it took me a while to find them. I did so with a result identical to the first pair.
I will have to fly a similar mission in KTO, even though I don’t think the radar detection capability with regards to choppers is theatre-dependent.
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The Hind killed by the Mudhen in ODS, read the crew’s account of it recently. It clearly stated that the GBU hit the helo and detonated mid air.
Has anyone had any luck keeping a lock on helos with the A-G radar? It’s only maintained for as long as I keep TMS Up pressed.