AGM88 won't release - is this a bug?

[TerryW]

Got master arm on (just released some CBUs);
Got HAD selected;
Got AGM88 selected;
AGM88 power is on;
I have a red glowing threat selected in the HAD;
I lock onto it;
I am in range;
Target circle is on the box so I am pointing at the target on the ground;
I have no warnings on the panel;
I press the pickle - nothing;
I turn the MFD from HAD to SMS; I press pickle and I can see “REL” near the “AGM88” on the SMS screen;
I turn the AGM88 power on and off and try again - nothing;

I get shot down for flying too close to a SA15 . . .aaaaargh.

I know I am doing something wrong. . .

[schnidrman]

Are you holding pickle long enough? Mine launch only if I hold pickle for 2-3 secs.

[TerryW]

@schnidrman:

Are you holding pickle long enough? Mine launch only if I hold pickle for 2-3 secs.

Until I get shot down . . . seriously, I have tried anything from 3 to about 15 seconds.

[schnidrman]

Powered on with SMS and Master Arm, so should be good. Did you try cycling back to Nav. mode, then back to A-G after dropping CBU’s?

[l3crusader]

Most probably you overG’ed the pylons.

[TerryW]

OK. Bug update (if it is a bug). I have organised a set of SEAD missions that I am running through.
Last time I dropped CBU58s successfully before trying to release AGM 88. Couldn’t release.
Now, I have released my 2 agm88s successfully and with no hassle. OK. So, I have the process right.
This time I can’t drop CCIP cbu58s. I have the bu99ers set up for low level dropping (like I have done hundreds of times). I would describe the defect as “inability to pickle next set of AG weapons”. NB I see a little “REL” on the SMS page next to the CBU58s when I press the pickle button. I have tried varying lengths of pickle. . .

Stressed the pylons. Possibly. But no warnings indicated but some horrible noises in flight. I’ll do a test run without stressing the pylons. Right now.

[Cik]

each weapon has an overspeed in 4.33, so if you’re hearing “horrible noises in flight” that means you’re going too fast. i have no idea exactly what the overspeed is, or if it varies, but i never exceed .95 mach when carrying A-G weapons these days, for safety.

my advice is, if you need to push burner to escape from something, just jettison and abort. with CAT III your survival is questionable and you’ll probably come out of the escape maneuver with bricked pylons anyway.

[TerryW]

It was me. . . I just did a mission taking it very easy on the pylons. Same attack profiles just a lot less heavy stick movement. Went smoothly. No release issues.

So, if I hear a horrible “pylon wrenching” noise, I will know that the mission is over even if there are no warnings on the caution panel.

Many thanks and sorry for troubling the experts over nothing.

Terry

[Agave_Blue]

I’ll bet there will be faults on the PFL …. probably lots of them.

[drtbkj]

@TerryW:

It was me. . . I just did a mission taking it very easy on the pylons. Same attack profiles just a lot less heavy stick movement. Went smoothly. No release issues.

So, if I hear a horrible “pylon wrenching” noise, I will know that the mission is over even if there are no warnings on the caution panel.

Many thanks and sorry for troubling the experts over nothing.

Terry

Don’t feel bad, Terry. 4.33 cured me of a bad habit I didn’t even realize I had-doing some sort of medium/high g “escape manuver” between first attack and follow ons. I seemed to always get at least one fault message , though.
Which raises a question: I’m now limiting myself to 3-4 g in this situation. Is that about right, you think, or conservative?

[schnidrman]

Loadout page in UI now list Min/Max G’s as per your loadout. Just stay within the parameters and you won’t over-stress the frame. If you are defensive, then I would be pushing the envelope. Otherwise, 3-4 G’s should be fine.

[Drexx]

Yeah that’s right, just don’t turn as hard and keep your speed down or you’ll pork your AG weapons, some will show ‘MAL’ in SMS page, no prize for guessing what that means lol.

[TerryW]

3-4g ? If they get you it wasn’t enough g. If you got away it was a little to much.

I doubt the common-sense in some of my attack profiles. By that I mean if I need g after the first attack I must have done the planning wrong. So, if on a typical DEAD/SEAD mission it should be agm88s 1st (at distance and no pylon wrenching) and then move in with the cluster bombs afterwards following the smoke raised. I use ccip to get it accurate but you need to see the target and be too close for comfort (that may be a further mistake I guess).

[Malc]

@Cik:

each weapon has an overspeed in 4.33

I’m curious as to why a missile which flies at 1400mph would suffer from overspeed damage while attached to a jet…?

[taotoo]

@Malc:

I’m curious as to why a missile which flies at 1400mph would suffer from overspeed damage while attached to a jet…?

Sounds like it might be pylon rather than weapon.

[Blu3wolf]

@Malc:

I’m curious as to why a missile which flies at 1400mph would suffer from overspeed damage while attached to a jet…?

I assume its the mounting point between either weapon and pylon, or pylon and wing. The limits are mostly pretty accurate so far that Ive seen. BIG improvement on 4.32 in this regard.

[Dee-Jay]

@drtbkj:

Which raises a question: I’m now limiting myself to 3-4 g in this situation. Is that about right, you think, or conservative?

Evasive => emergency survival maneuver = EMERG JETT ; mission aborted.

@Malc:

I’m curious as to why a missile which flies at 1400mph would suffer from overspeed damage while attached to a jet…?

@taotoo:

Sounds like it might be pylon rather than weapon.

Might be pylon, might be SMS STAT plugs, might be seeker (AGM-65 in rain is an example), might be fuse wiring (Mk8x, CBUs …)

AFAIK, missiles (other than subsonic missile like AGM-65) are not impacted by over-speed. But a/c frame can be (structural, without any indication in caution panel) … over Gs can also be an issue.

In any cases, whatever the reasons, avoid as much as possible to over-stress the a/c and if you are beyond a/c limitation, go back as soon as possible within the normal flight domain. Easy, there is nothing more to understand here.

@TerryW:

So, if I hear a horrible “pylon wrenching” noise, I will know that the mission is over even if there are no warnings on the caution panel.

Not necessarily all the time. Maybe, maybe not.