DTS Off?
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Will DTS provide CCIP terrain surface when FCR is off?
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No, not actually a “sensor” solution for firing live ordinance through this system accuracy.
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Raptor I would advise that your answer is dependent on which F-16 the question is being asked for.
1.22.6 Passive Ranging (PR). The digital terrain system (DTS) passive ranging function provides MSL terrain elevation for
a given target position. The range to target position is provided to DTS by the MMC. The DTS PR function uses this range
information to determine the elevation of the terrain at the base of the target using the digital terrain map stored in the DTS/DTC.
The PR function is available when DTS is in TRK as displayed on the DED and the target position is less than 5.4 nm from the
TRN navigation position.
1.22.6.1 The PR function is selected via the backup bombing-sensor rotary on the MFD when the primary sensor FCR, is in
standby or off. With DTS in TRK, PR is available as an A-G ranging sensor when either run QUIET or run SILENT is selected.
PR is identified in the HUD with a P to the left of the slant range display. For specifics on PR selection, see AIR-TO-GROUND
SENSORS (2.8.3). -
Neato, that’s how the A-10C accomplishes terrain ranging without any radar at all, that or a manually-entered elevation. Can the F-16 do manual target elevation if neither AGR nor DTS are available? I think I read that without AGR the jet assumes the elevation of the target is the same as the current steerpoint or something like that. That would be one way to do it.
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Its a priority thing. So if you have TGP laser ranging to the target, that information is used. If not, AGR is used, then DTS PR, the the radar altimeter, then steerpoint elevation vs the barometric altimeter.
Different again if you want to use CCRP, because then it looks at FCR tracking data or TGP passive ranging (No clue about that…!) as more useful than DTS PR.
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Makes sense. I could see radio altimeter is not necessarily superior to steer elevation in a rugged area with a well-planned steer.
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well if you turn off the radar altimeter, then it goes down the list and uses stpt elevation instead. Seeing as if you are using CCIP its likely because you are not sure of the location and thus you want a visual delivery mode, there is no guarantee in that rugged area that the target is at the same elevation as your stpt.
90% of the time one imagines you could just turn the radar on and use AGR in that instance though.
EDIT: Now I would just love to see the AGR MFD page display the ground lock as well…
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What does the AGR display apart from the blank-ish page we see in BMS?
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Very little really, but its the kind of thing that would be neat to have. Probably pretty low on the priorities list.
1.8.7.3.3.3 MFD. Only the 10 NMI range scale is available. The AGR lock-on symbol is displayed along the right hand side
of the MFD. When the radar is locked on and providing valid slant range data, the symbol is a diamond. The diamond changes to
a square located at the last valid range when valid range can no longer be determined. An iron cross indicates antenna position
displayed with respect to the body axis of the aircraft along with antenna carets on the bottom and left side of the display.So one step in most of the CCIP release procedures is to check that the AGR has a valid ground lock. In BMS it always knows its altitude, without fail. You can’t check that however, with no lock symbol.
Its the little things that are nice to have that make such a big difference sometimes. Like I said, probably a lot of work to do something with so little benefit to the majority of users.
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Refernce about DTS
https://zenodo.org/record/1263276/files/article.pdf?download=1