Air-to-Air Engagements at Night
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Hello,
I just finished my first Sweep mission at night and had zero situational awareness due the following:
Night Vision Goggles - How are you using these in a dogfight, on or off? When on, I am unable to make out the Air-to-Air TGP and threat circles on the HSD. Dimming the MFD’s and cockpit lights did not help.
FLIR - The manual discusses FLIR for low level navigation but would it also be used in a dogfight?
Heading Scale - AWACS gives me a heading and I start turning towards the threat. However, the heading scale dips below the HUD when pulling G’s and I can’t see it until I stop pulling.
Any tips or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
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What’re you doing getting into dogfights at night?!?!?
….
Any tips or advice would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Yeah …. stop doing that.
On the HUD heading scale thing, use the tick marks on the HSD (Flag=N, Long Line=S, Short Lines= E & W), until you’re near where you want to be. As you ease off the G, the heading tape will come back.
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+1…
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Stick to BVR engagement at night. Abort at MAR or earlier if spiked. If forced to the merge, do not plan to turn - blow through.
Your heading scale is not really something you need to rely on… If its night, go ahead and fly heads down. You have an HSI, you have a mag compass, both of those work just fine. If you are flying visual formation with NVGs, follow your lead heads up.
Unless making a tac turn, your turns should keep the heading tape on the HUD anyway.
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Regarding heading, your JHMCS has a heading tape which is pretty useful when awacs calls out targets, there’s also the hsi between your legs.
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For merge low over korean city, i had to turn nvg off. Otherwise, on. If bandit turns off afterburner, turn nvg off and vice versa.
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BVR fites, no NVG. No need, besides NVG blanks out TGP, making ID enemy more difficult. Knife fite, better to use NVG. Knife fite range, you don’t need TGP at all. Also, WVR fites, you’ll probably spend 90% of your time on HUD and scanning surrounding.
