SEAD Help

[Flip]

Need some advice on SEAD missions. I was playing a workshop mission where I had to destroy two SA-2 SAM sites in Vietnam. I hit both sites with SHRIKE anti-radiation missiles and then had 4 A7 Corsairs drop 6 Cluster Bombs each on the sites. However, despite that, one SA-2 Site despite what looks like being destroyed on the map (Grey) still fired missiles at my passing B-52 bombers. I am assuming one of the radars and missiles must have survived. Any advice on how to have the aircraft target the radars with their bombing strikes? Or a good way to neutralize them?

[joetrusty2020]

Not sure . . . I reported a damage graphics appearance bug where despite SAM sites and tank farms being hit with multiple Tomahawks, AGM-45s, and other bombs that it did not seem to show much damage or any for the tank farm, even thought indicated destroyed in the post-mission summary. I will have to experiment and let you know.

[bhosiris]

The way this game works, as long as there are units that can spot you. Units can still fire their weapons. There is a disconnect in this game between firecontrol for things like SAMs and what is guiding the weapons. Aircraft that are shot down before their radar guided missiles hit should miss if they are not specific types that have their own guidance in the missile. Same for SAMS.

In reality those missiles can be optically guided in daylight.

[Soylent_Greene]

The SA-2 MUST HAVE an active fire control radar

One of the ways to avoid those missiles in Vietnam was to use a terrain feature, duck behind it and the missile loses tracking.

Contrary to the bullshyte that Hollywood presents, these missiles DO NOT chase aircraft.

The SA-2 was made to destroy bombers at high altitude, not agile low level infiltrator flights.

Case in point, John McCain (US Senator AZ & POW) was flying the A-4 Skyhawk. This aircraft is an exceptionally maneuverable strike fighter. It is also about the same length as the SA-2 that shot it down.
If you read the story you will realize McCain spent all that time as a POW because he did everything wrong!

You duck behind intervening terrain, and the missile loses tracking. Missile self destructs as a safety feature.

SO, if the missile has it's own active radar seeker, then the launch platform doesn't need to illuminate. But if they are beam riders, that radar MUST BE active the whole time!

[Ole "Slim Jolo" the Hobo Hero]

Originally posted by Soylent_Greene:

The SA-2 MUST HAVE an active fire control radar

One of the ways to avoid those missiles in Vietnam was to use a terrain feature, duck behind it and the missile loses tracking.

Just got the game but I was kind of wondering if the game had LoS and if radar accounted for things like terrain etc

I figured it must because in my editor scenarios playing around learning the game, in the duel I'd kind of set up with a Soviet missile cruiser group going through the east Adriatic, after losing a plane flying to high up / getting instant SAM response launching at it, I realized I could probably do a mix of ECM jamming and stealthier harpoon response to actually nail them.

I basically had 2 ecm platforms flying low over 2 small Adriatic islands pointing their ECM in the direction of where I knew the fleet was then flew my A6's down east and around said islands to pop out basically behind the ships on their south east where they would release harpoons then sit on station for a second salvo if it failed.

Not *actually* sure how to use ECM mind you, like if it was working proper or if my platforms needed to be closer but popping out low over the islands like that definitely seemed to work since the ships had to respond in emergency, maneuver so their CWIS could actually shoot at missiles coming up from behind, etc.

Now keep in mind in real life I don't think a little soviet battle group in a weapons hot kinda scenario would be slinking through so close to NATO aligned islands in the first place and would maybe be operating further out in the Mediterranean or in the Black Sea itself, not super vulnerable in a small detachment sneaking through islands haha, but it definitely worked!

Though in another editor scenario playing around I also had like 10 A6 airborne and on station and kind of released harpoons in unison too in an attempt to totally overwhelm soviet missile defense as well, that was all in open water just outside their SAM ranges obviously but was able to strike 3 ships in my single barrage as well - it could just be Harpoons in game are super good to begin with, Idk what their actual 'hit' % in a combat scenario would look like

[Flip]

I guess in this case maybe despite firing 4 Shrikes (4 hits) plus about 12 Clusterbombs maybe they left one radar alive that stayed turned off until the B-52's arrived? Anyway to target a specific part of an SA-2 SAM Site or do I just need more Attackers to bomb more? It has a lot of components and each attack targets one of them.

[Ole "Slim Jolo" the Hobo Hero]

Originally posted by Flip:

I guess in this case maybe despite firing 4 Shrikes (4 hits) plus about 12 Clusterbombs maybe they left one radar alive that stayed turned off until the B-52's arrived? Anyway to target a specific part of an SA-2 SAM Site or do I just need more Attackers to bomb more? It has a lot of components and each attack targets one of them.

Well honestly it does sound like it's maybe just a bug it the hit / burning etc graphic were there when you struck it, I just know after hitting a ship you can sometimes still see their CWIS and stuff still active or disengaging from targets once out of range and stuff so I'd think if an AA's radar is still active even after components are destroyed it's maybe just a bug or something