CHAFF use
-
I wonder if there is a preferred way to use the chaff more efficiently.
If a SAM is now being fired ,should i use it in the first seconds or wait to release chaff on later stage ?
BTW, Are chaff is to confuse the missile or the SYSTEMS that guied it to the target ?
-
Popping out chaff sooner rather than later is the general idea to break a lock. Otherwise you’re spending gas and airspace evading it. You’d rather throw off the tracking radar as early as possible.
In many older systems (SA2, 3, and others), the missile doesn’t have a seeker and relies on the fire control radar for tracking data and steering commands which are uplinked to the missile. You are trying to break their lock with chaff.
Many newer systems have a seeker that rely on reflected energy from the target to home in on (SA6, 11 for example). So in this case you are trying to get the missile to home in on a false target that is being illuminated by the ground radar.
This is a pretty basic description but hope it helps. You can look through the docs and learn what each system uses for guidance.