MAV STEP function
-
…that sounds SERIOUSLY wrong.
-
LAU-88A Rapid Fire Capability. At uncage, the priority missile and the next missile in the selection sequence, called the nonpriority missile, are activated. If both missiles are AGM-65D IR Mavericks, the nonpriority missiles can be slaved to the priority missile. After launch, the nonpriority missile dome cover is jettisoned and the next missile in sequence becomes the nonpriority missile. The AGM-65B had a similar feature called Quick Draw although I don’t know if would work across LAU-88 or LAU-88A.
4-station Mavericks I don’t know but more than one missile may be providing video simultaneously (the selected being displayed). In the case of 6 Mavericks on LAU-88A all 6 are powered at once and 2 may be tracking simultaneously and fired with a single WR press.
Dome cover removal, video, uncage is automatic. The pilot press is only to achieve these actions prior to the 3-minute timeout (>90% gyro RPM required). This can be useful for temporary power-offs in which the gyro does not need the full time to achieve operating RPM since it is still spinning somewhat from previous operation.
-
you can uncage four at a time, step through them lock them up, and then fire them all off in a sequence.
You can but only if they are on 4 different pylons !!! But not with a single pickle - you would still need to launch each one separately ( 4 pickle presses)
-
LAU-88A Rapid Fire Capability. At uncage, the priority missile and the next missile in the selection sequence, called the nonpriority missile, are activated. If both missiles are AGM-65D IR Mavericks, the nonpriority missiles can be slaved to the priority missile. After launch, the nonpriority missile dome cover is jettisoned and the next missile in sequence becomes the nonpriority missile. The AGM-65B had a similar feature called Quick Draw although I don’t know if would work across LAU-88 or LAU-88A.
4-station Mavericks I don’t know but more than one missile may be providing video simultaneously (the selected being displayed). In the case of 6 Mavericks on LAU-88A all 6 are powered at once and 2 may be tracking simultaneously and fired with a single WR press.
Dome cover removal, video, uncage is automatic. The pilot press is only to achieve these actions prior to the 3-minute timeout (>90% gyro RPM required). This can be useful for temporary power-offs in which the gyro does not need the full time to achieve operating RPM since it is still spinning somewhat from previous operation.
That still sounds like you can only have two active at a time, and so the most you can shoot rapidly is two, without having to wait 3 min for the next (two?) to time in. Also, given that there are three missiles on a rack, it implies that the jet is actually smart enough to know that it has to step to the next missile in sequence (hopefully on the opposite side?) to get two more timed in/ready.
Still goofy, to me…but if that’s the way it is, that’s the way it is…
-
Two active (mechanical seeker brake off, producing video) per 88A rack, master and slave. The third if present is video off, clamped seeker to boresight but otherwise in the ready state. They are all on in the sense that you’ve waited 3 minutes, gyros spinning, IIR is cooled, ready to use, counting against the 30/60 minute limit, etc… When the first is fired the third would take on the slaved role looking along the same sight line as the second.
The launch electronics unit (LEU) built into the LAU-88A is what has the brains and has a programmed launch order. Presumably LAU-88A would be programmed differently when on opposite sides of the aircraft for the desired order according to side.
-
…so, the missile batt only lives so long, right? How/when does the life timeline start/end?
-
…so, the missile batt only lives so long, right? How/when does the life timeline start/end?
Stevie - in my experience in BMS the battery clock starts ticking when you power on the MAVs in the SMS page - that why you need to switch them off after bore sight - this stops the clock - when you power them back on again they only take <10 seconds to come back to life and show a “picture” on the MAV MFD display once uncaged. Once you start your attack there in no real need to turn them off and on again as 3 passes with a 10 mile run out and run in can be completed in less than 12 mins.
Frederf - you have information and a technique in BMS I have never experienced that of MAVs automatically uncaging and being ready to fire in rapid succession my button presses in the pit to get Mavs off the rail once bore sighted are - SMS power on, wait until powered up, Switch to WPN page uncage adjust polarity - adjust field of view as required - lock up if WMP page SOI or hand off if TGP is SOI - then pickle - MSL step - and repeat. I can uncage ONE MAV on each pylon so its ready to go when I MSL step BUT Never managed TWO uncaged on one pylon.
Whats you button press sequence to achieve uncaging 2 MAVs on the same pylon ?
-
The battery is not the limiting factor for video BTW, that would be the gyro heating up.
Battery only comes live when the missile goes off the rails.
-
The missile battery only activates when the missile is fired and lasts NLT 105s. Up until firing the missile is powered through the umbilical to the airplane without limit. The ~1hr time limit is due to other factors other than electrical power. The limits given for on time (video supplied or not) are due to design limits. It is said that if the time limits are exceeded the missile should be considered usable if the video is of good quality. The IIR must be cooled and if cooling weakens the contrast of the video will begin to degrade due to thermal noise. Powering the missile off allows it to cool. Flying near the Mach limit adds heat. Other concerns like physical wear to gyros would be since the missile was last maintained in depot.
BMS modeling doesn’t match this particular documentation regarding automatic video, uncage, and cover jettison. That doesn’t mean BMS is wrong as it may be that the described F-16 is different than the modeled one. Don’t worry about it. I have the same BMS experience as you requiring an uncage press and I get no Quick Draw/ Rapid Fire functionality (although slaved operation renders this practically valueless). In BMS nonpriority missiles are completely locked down mechanically locked to bore.
In a 6-Maverick 3/7 load let’s call the outboard-bottom-inboard missiles A-B-C. Normal firing order without pilot action is 3A 3B 3C 7A 7B 7C. When 3A is being used, 3B is directed along the same direction but still has the cover on. When 3A fired 3B cover is removed and becomes the selected missile. The only way to remove 3B’s cover before 3A is fired is to STEP through the rack (not available BMS) which would be a bad idea anyway since you want the cover in place to protect it from other launches. It doesn’t look like QD/RF works outside of the missiles of a single LAU-88(A) so the QD flow would be interrupted switching stations.
-
…if I spend time thinking about all this (and take a few Tylenol…) it does get less “goofy”. I guess I’m just not used to dealing with these triple racks…one pass, one shot. I’ll stick to that.