ECM

[Feanorian01]

Is the Su-27's ECM useful against SAMs? I've used it before, and it doesn't work that well against enemy fighters, so I prefer 2 more R-73s. I haven't had the chance to try it against SAMs. Does it work well?

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

ECM is often incorrectly used. Many try to fly into engagements or bullseye with ECM on.

I suggest you only turn it on when you are locked on by a bandit. Turn it off when you are in close as it is useless then and you want to reduce your radar cross section to fool Fox 3 missiles and so forth, so better go for beaming.

[Feanorian01]

Yeah, I only turn it on when I'm locked up, and I know that it's useless in a dogfight. I know that because the enemies that have ECM can still be locked up when they're within 5.2 nm or so...basically, whenever I can see their name labels. I have discovered that having my belly facing the attackers usually cuts off a lock until I turn back to engage. I think I'll just go for R-73s, they're pretty good. And, what's Fox 1/2/3? I thought it just meant a missile had been fired by one of my wingmates.

[SkyWolf (Cirrus!) θΔ]

it reduces SAM launch range, which can mean something in deeper missions behind lines. But currently the way ECM works also will make you a massive target for fighters. You can also use it for deception reasons instead of defeating reasons.

But in most cases it's best not to carry them right now unless the extra missiles seem redundant to you.

[VentHorror]

It confuses enemy about your distance, but it's a trade-off. As soon as their radar burns through, you are turning your self into a greater target than before.

Edit:

Originally posted by euraptor.2005:

...basically, whenever I can see their name labels.

I would highly suggest turning off labels.
It increases immersion plus you appreciate your instruments more.

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

Originally posted by euraptor.2005:

Yeah, I only turn it on when I'm locked up, and I know that it's useless in a dogfight. I know that because the enemies that have ECM can still be locked up when they're within 5.2 nm or so...basically, whenever I can see their name labels. I have discovered that having my belly facing the attackers usually cuts off a lock until I turn back to engage. I think I'll just go for R-73s, they're pretty good. And, what's Fox 1/2/3? I thought it just meant a missile had been fired by one of my wingmates.

When you belly is facing the attacker it doesn't mean they lost lock. Your RWR is only in a 15 degree cone up and down around your aircraft, so radar coming from straight up or straight down have no warning. And even if the enemy lost lock they should still have their radar beaming at you.

To force a pulse doppler radar to lose lock you have to diguse yourself against the ground scatter of the background. To do this you must have a radial velocity relative to them nearly zero, and you must be below the horizon relative to the radar. So best to fly low and put the radar on your 3 or 9 o'clock and travel perpendicular to the Target.

Fox is the brevity code for launching a missile/weapon.

Fox-1 Radar Guided Missile
Fox-2 Infrared Guided Missile
Fox-3 Active Radar Guided Missile
Fox-4 GUNS GUNS GUNS!!

[Feanorian01]

I think I'll just use ECM when missions give it to me, but I won't load it on my own missions. So, I guess it isn't necessarily my position that throws off the lock, just my SPO-15. I think I'll leave the labels on, so I can tell between missiles and jets. And, thanks for the Fox chart!

[Feanorian01]

This isn't really related to the topic, but it's important. Twice, I made a mission in the mission editor, played the mission, and then watched the track. Well, those 2 times, the track showed me doing something crazy and crashing into the ground. The logbook didn't show any deaths, because it was a track, but why did it do that?

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

Originally posted by euraptor.2005:

This isn't really related to the topic, but it's important. Twice, I made a mission in the mission editor, played the mission, and then watched the track. Well, those 2 times, the track showed me doing something crazy and crashing into the ground. The logbook didn't show any deaths, because it was a track, but why did it do that?

Its a known bug. Tracks very often deviate. Espesically on landings or air to air victories.

[Feanorian01]

Huh. Odd. And, of course, I did another mission, watched it, and everything was perfect. But, of course, it was with practicing disconecting the ASC on the Su-27, not fighting. I pulled up to sharply and lost my wings! Fortunatly, I exited the mission, so it didn't show up on my logbook. :) Well, it's annoying that the bug is there, but at least now I know why it happened. Thanks!