Non-package AI on IDM
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This is not so much a bug report, as it is an awareness call of an unintended side-effect of a new feature.
Version
4.34.1 (x64)Build
20741Detailed Description
During our mission tonight, we had 2 flights (Falcon 1 and Gamble 1; both human-flown twoship F-16AM BAC) in package 1606. There were a few other flights in the TE, all AI, including Hawkeye 1, who was the second flight in Package 1628.During the entirety of the mission, we had no issues with IDM, but on egress, Gamble 1 decided to go refuel, while Falcon 1 (my flight) went straight back to base. Being on different frequencies (Gamble on UHF 13, Falcon on UHF 5), we lost IDM contact with the Gamble-flight, as expected. Not much later, however, we saw them appear on our left, while we expected them in the tanker-area on the right.
During debrief and by watching the ACMI, we learned that Gamble 1 was indeed at the tanker, and that it was actually Hawkeye 1 (an AI-only flight, which as indicated above was not part of our package) on our IDM.
Expected Behavior
I’m aware there’s been a change in the code on how comms work, how that interacts with the packages, IDM etc., and that this is intended behaviour, which has to be accounted for when collapsing packages. The problem in this situation, however, is that AI cannot be coordinated with. Unfortunately, I don’t know how we ended up on the same frequency exactly. I (incorrectly?) thought UHF 5 is not yet fully implemented, so I’d expect AI would skip it?We were lucky in that we only encountered this during an uneventful egress, as we didn’t realise the misidentification until the ACMI review.
If - for whatever reason - this happens in combat, however, this might be a bit more troublesome, and will likely lead to confusion, a lot of chatter to clear said confusion, (unnecessary) IDM checks and resets etc.Reproducibility Procedure
- Create 2 or more packages § with 2 or more flights (F).
- P1F1 and P2F2 both join frequency X.
- P1F1 should IDM-link with P2F2.
- To be tested: what happens when other flights from P1, P2, P3, … join frequency X without adjusting IDM IDs?
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Essentially it can happen when another package shares your Tactical frequency. When there are collisions like that - for example, 2 aircraft on the same freq sharing IDM IDs - both will respond but only one of them, at random, is processed by receivers.
For AWACS and Tankers, the Tactical of their packages is used to contact them. So your UHF 5 for AWACs and 13 for tankers is essentially their UHF 6.
Not much to do, unfortunately. The number of UHF freqs is not so great…