Situational Awareness
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One thing I thought about because my SA is very bad - activating labels for a few flights in order to get a feeling for distances and behaviour.
I didn’t do it yet, but everytime I got shot because of lost SA, I think again about it. If I look at the FCR and see 7 contacts in front of me, I’m too slow to check them all. Meanwhile a missile is already inbound.
So not only to get a feeling regarding behaviour and distances, but also about speed and dimensions.Another example of this is speed/height/distance units. At the beginning I was always calculating kts to km/h, nm to km, ft to m - but converting units is totally senseless - you have to get a feeling on how the plane behaves and how close you are to the floor on 1000ft, 150’ 200’.
You need to know how the airframe behaves at 140 kcas, 350 kcas, and you have to get a feeling about how many seconds it takes to run 20nm.Not realistic either, but I think I will really do it for a few flights
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One thing I thought about because my SA is very bad - activating labels for a few flights in order to get a feeling for distances and behaviour.
I didn’t do it yet, but everytime I got shot because of lost SA, I think again about it. If I look at the FCR and see 7 contacts in front of me, I’m too slow to check them all. Meanwhile a missile is already inbound.
So not only to get a feeling regarding behaviour and distances, but also about speed and dimensions.Another example of this is speed/height/distance units. At the beginning I was always calculating kts to km/h, nm to km, ft to m - but converting units is totally senseless - you have to get a feeling on how the plane behaves and how close you are to the floor on 1000ft, 150’ 200’.
You need to know how the airframe behaves at 140 kcas, 350 kcas, and you have to get a feeling about how many seconds it takes to run 20nm.Not realistic either, but I think I will really do it for a few flights
In my opinion that is only going to handicap you in the long run, truthfully it will probably degrade your SA even further because you’ll get used to knowing where the bandits are and when you turn labels off again you’re just back to square one. I’d recommend just practicing reading your radar and learning the group labels associated with the radar picture: range, azimuth, echelon, walls, and ladders.
Reference this if it helps:
Another big deal is learning the intercept timeline, so commit (40-60 miles) -> targeting (usually 30 miles) -> meld/sorting (25 miles) -> shooting/decision range (25-15 miles) -> minimum abort range (13-18 miles depending on threat). The timeline of an intercept is 2-3 minutes (assuming a 40 mile start) so you can plan accordingly. Often on a self-escorted strike where we can see the target area is clear and we have contacts at 40-70 miles away from the target, we can quickly assess if we need to skip the target and go for the air threat, or if we have the time to hit the target and then press the air threat. Sometimes you’ll have air threats over your target and you simply flow to them, kill them before resetting the strike if the MC will allow a late or adjusted TOT. This is all part of the strike decision making process on ingress.
As far as learning to judge time to fly a certain distance, at typical speeds the F-16 will fly a mile every 7-10 seconds, so for 10 miles this equates to approximately a minute give or take. You will fly for 3.5-5 minutes to travel 40 miles. If you’re intercepting something with a 180AA or close to 180AA then your intercept timeline will be half (again assuming a 40 mile start). Or approximately 2 minutes.
Finally another big piece of it all is superior formation handing. Not like in an air show, but the wingman knowing their contracts, roles, and responsibilities while being able to communicate about threats, friendlies, ect operating in/out of the AO, is the keystone to increasing situational awareness in the modern combat environment. Your wingmen being where you can see them, use them, and direct them to complete the mission.
Anyway, didn’t mean to give you a red herring if it’s too much to understand at this point, but this is a very good thread with a lot of good info from many that fly the sim a lot.
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Redshift - would you mind if I added those into the FCR Manual?
Also not sure about the comments. E.g. the first one - that looks more like 20 nm not 15nm, and the second look like 20nm not 10nm! What am I missing?
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Carefull…copyrighted material…
Believe it is from a BEM… -
Thanks for all the information so far. I’ll post a summary of thoughts later.
What are you doing with your radios during the flight?
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Carefull…copyrighted material…
Believe it is from a BEM…Actually documents, manuals, and works by the US government are not eligible to be protected by copyright (as anything the US govt produces is owned by the people) and as such rmax is free to use them in his FCR document.
Redshift - would you mind if I added those into the FCR Manual?
Also not sure about the comments. E.g. the first one - that looks more like 20 nm not 15nm, and the second look like 20nm not 10nm! What am I missing?
They are in fact 15 miles and 10 miles, approximately. The first example the lead group is 3-4 ticks away from the trail group which is 15 or 20 miles. You’re also seeing the contact history so it makes it look further back on the FCR than it is. The ticks are what you use to estimate, you always provide a rounded mileage and not the exact mileage as well which could be another reason there’s a little difference. You just need to provide enough information for everyone to have SA on that group formation.
Full comms for it would be, “2 GROUPS RANGE 15, LEAD GROUP BULLSEYE 240/30 20 THOUSAND HOSTILE, TRAIL GROUP 20 THOUSAND HOSTILE.” and you can also add directional amplifier if it helps SA such as “TRACK SOUTH.”
What’s cool about group labeling is you can quickly call what the picture is in one sentence instead calling each package individually, reducing the chatter on the radio and giving a much more clear SA. It’s a lot easier to pick out a group picture on the radar than to make heads/tails of a bunch of single contacts called out with bullseye.
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Actually documents, manuals, and works by the US government are not eligible to be protected by copyright (as anything the US govt produces is owned by the people) and as such rmax is free to use them in his FCR document.
Unless it was produced by a contractor on request from the government…
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Unless it was produced by a contractor on request from the government…
Without getting too deep into it, there maybe some limited applications in that regard, however the ATTP 3-1 was produced by the USAF and therefore would be governed under 17 USC paragraph 105.59 which means no copyright protection at least in general. In some respects the US govt would have copyright over another country using the work and publishing it, but for our purposes (using them for the simulator) most definitely not.
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Without getting too deep into it, there maybe some limited applications in that regard, however the ATTP 3-1 was produced by the USAF and therefore would be governed under 17 USC paragraph 105.59 which means no copyright protection at least in general. In some respects the US govt would have copyright over another country using the work and publishing it, but for our purposes (using them for the simulator) most definitely not.
True, I wasn’t arguing with you, just pointing out to people who may not know that not everything the Military uses is produced solely in-house by Government agencies, and therefore some training manuals and equipment documentation produced by contractors would fall under copyright law.
The other piece you were referring to is called ITAR control, which prevents export of certain things to foreign nations. This can apply to anything from weapons or equipment manuals, to encryption schemes, or actual equipment and even aircraft. Should also be noted that something does not need to be classified to be ITAR controlled.
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True, I wasn’t arguing with you, just pointing out to people who may not know that not everything the Military uses is produced solely in-house by Government agencies, and therefore some training manuals and equipment documentation produced by contractors would fall under copyright law.
No worries, definitely wasn’t arguing lol!!!
Just was elaborating on the subject, I don’t want folks to be scared to use the material, the copyright word can be a sticky icky poo poo head.
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They are in fact 15 miles and 10 miles, approximately. The first example the lead group is 3-4 ticks away from the trail group which is 15 or 20 miles. You’re also seeing the contact history so it makes it look further back on the FCR than it is.
If only that was the case! I was looking at the wrong label for the diagram! Do’oh.
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Despite not having copyrights, some material is indeed best left un-used. Most current docs (that most people here don’t/wont/shouldn’t have access to anyway) have a Distribution Statement C at a minimum per DoDI 5230.24, and D’s, E’s, and even F’s are becoming more commonplace as OpSec becomes more of a concern with the rise of cyber threats.
That said, the FCR images from the ROKAF BEM are free to use as that particular doc has no distribution limitations.
Cheers!
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If only that was the case! I was looking at the wrong label for the diagram! Do’oh.
LOL! That’ll do it! I hope you like those screen grabs, it’s quick and easy. There are a few other types of group labels, but these are by far the most common you’ll see in Falcon with the AI. The more complicated group formations or larger formations would never be seen unless it was humans on a FvF. Though I will say that Falcon Online’s Red Flag Korea theater did exhibit classic wall behavior by the AI in 4.32 which was pretty bad ass! Not sure what they did to get the AI to do that, but it was awesome.
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LOL! That’ll do it! I hope you like those screen grabs, it’s quick and easy. There are a few other types of group labels, but these are by far the most common you’ll see in Falcon with the AI. The more complicated group formations or larger formations would never be seen unless it was humans on a FvF. Though I will say that Falcon Online’s Red Flag Korea theater did exhibit classic wall behavior by the AI in 4.32 which was pretty bad ass! Not sure what they did to get the AI to do that, but it was awesome.
They are good. I will probably add a section, redraw the diagrams in the FCR manual format (i.e. Black on White line drawings) and possible show the pie scope, and B-scope of each formation. Either way they are good material.
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A-A Mode, FCR called up in left MFD, HTS (not SOI by then, still provides data) called Up in the right MFD. Cross check your pre planned threat steerpoints with the current HTS picture. Always carry HTS, no matter what mission youre on! Constantly listen to Radio calls, esp from awacs and cross check threat bullseye Position with your own. Goal is to be able to say: that threat is at my X oclock, x Miles away. That is situational awareness. Know your bullseye, its also displayed in your HSD (blue triple Circle). In SP, set your bullseye on the Target, that helps further clearing Up the picture.
WE Never Lack Data, we mostly lack Information. Always task human wingman to Monitor the other “Dimension”+1 on the other comments:D
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Below is a general single player summation. I don’t know if I have everything covered for basic situational awareness.
Briefing:
- be aware of bullseye position and target bullseye
- set PPT’s for SAM threats
- set FLOT
Enroute:
- radar set to 40 miles
- request picture from awacs
- lock unknowns and ask AWACS to declare
Debrief:
- use ACMI to debrief
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In general terms, I would add that you should be aware of enemy airbase locations near your target area. Know what air threats can be expected so you can plan a response accordingly.
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You dont have to declare everything, a buddy spike call is equally good. Set it to 80miles, effektive Range is then 40 and Check the sky where youre objektives are! one f16 Radar cannot Scan the entire sky ahead, so change antenna elevation in small Intervalls. And know your Package callsigns. Use IDM in every flight!
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You dont have to declare everything, a buddy spike call is equally good.
I’m not sure what you mean?
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I’m not sure what you mean?
When you ‘hard lock’ a suspected target, you’ll hear ‘buddy spike’ over the comms if it’s a friendly.