Todays foul weather coupled with my 40 minute commute that took 2.5 hours gave me plenty of time to think about All Weather Attack Squadrons. What a capability to launch, seek out, and attack an enemy while they are beset by such aweful weather. Luckily I had my data annexes etc on the passenger seat so I was able to glance, while idle, at High Tide Annex B and its entry for the A-6E TRAM.

 

Since I also mounted two 1/6000 A-6's on a single mount last night, I may need to give some more attention to a foul weather strike using the most glorious A-6 in my harpoon gaming. Since I'm still on this GCS kick as well, perhaps individual combat boxes (perscribed to be about 10x10km and smaller) could be grouped together into kill boxes where sections of A-6's can be assigned to hunt down the enemy.

 

hmm....

Ok, back from lunch with even more questions than answers. First and foremost, was gives the A-6E TRAM its "all weather attack" capability in Harpoon when its Annex B data gives it the APQ-156 Surface Search Radar, Forward Looking Infra Red which is degraded 50/75/100% due to moisture in the air, and a Laser Range-Marked Target Seeker (LRMTS) capabilitywhich can establish target range and track targets designated by other forces/platforms?

 

Help please

The following link discusses a TAD, Tactical Altitude Director which assists in terrain avoidance in conjunction with low-level navigation which I suppose would allow for better V/Low flight performance in Harpoon.

 

Still need a compelling explanation of the "All Weather" aspect.

This may be of assistance, we'll have to see.

 

Naval Aviation News Sept-Oct 1997

I think the term "all weather", as it first came about and certainly in the context of the A-6E TRAM, was intended to point more to the aircraft's ability to operate under the cover of darkness rather than in all types of inclement weather. Perhaps a more useful term for this example, and admittedly you sometimes see it in use, is "day/night capable".

I think the term "all weather", as it first came about and certainly in the context of the A-6E TRAM, was intended to point more to the aircraft's ability to operate under the cover of darkness rather than in all types of inclement weather. Perhaps a more useful term for this example, and admittedly you sometimes see it in use, is "day/night capable".

Thank Brad, I suppose that its only real benefit is 3.3.4.2 Low Altitude Flight Over Land: "Aircraft in the low altitude band over land must have some way to steer around and over terrain. This can be by the naked eye (in vis over 25%), by imaging infrared system (such as FLIR in clear weather vis 10%+) or by terrain-avoidance or terrain-following radar in any vis. Use of radar can be detected by ESM. Failure to avoid terrain eliminates the aircraft due to its interaction with the earth/air interfaceand its infinite coefficient of friction" Which the TAD Tactical Altitude Director would account for?

Which the TAD Tactical Altitude Director would account for?

 

Sounds right. A fancy altimeter, I guess. From Joe Baugher:

 

"The APQ-156 integrated radar provides the capabilities of search, target tracking, airborne moving target identification, and beacon interrogation. The high resolution, real beam ground mapping radar, complemented by the Tactical Altitude Director (TAD) system, also provides terrain clearance and avoidance for low-level navigation."

Jan M pointed me here

 

"At the end of the 1970s, the United States military introduced its first FLIR for an attack aircraft on the A-6E Intruder. The Target Recognition/Attack Multi-Sensor (TRAM) debuted in 1979. TRAM incorporated a chin turret with a FLIR, a laser designator, and a laser receiver. (18) TRAM was used for the delivery of unguided and guided munitions. The FLIR turret was gyro-stabilized and aligned with the laser, allowing the laser to precisely update target range just prior to unguided munitions delivery. (19) The gyro-stabilized FLIR allowed the weapon's system operator to precisely track the target after ordnance release for guided munitions delivery. This gave the A-6E the capability to maneuver after a weapon's release while at the same time continuing to guide the bomb. (20)

 

The combat capabilities of PAVE TACK and TRAM came to fruition with Operation E1 Dorado Canyon. In April 1986, following a terrorist bombing in Europe, the United States responded by attacking Libya's ability to support and conduct such terrorist activity. For the first time in history, the United States military possessed a robust armada of precision night attack aircraft, namely the A-6E Intruder with its TRAM capability, and the FB-111 with its internal PAVE TACK system. (21) A night attack was authorized for two distinct reasons. The first was that the Libyan MIG-25 pilots had a limited night time capability and would likely be unable to engage United States warplanes post-strike. The second was that the risk for collateral damage was minimized by striking at night because most of the civilian populace would be at home asleep. IR sensors onboard the strike aircraft, as well as laser-guided bombs, also contributed to minimizing collateral damage.

 

Using TRAM technology, the A-6Es evaded enemy surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft artillery, destroyed their targets, and recovered safely home to their respective ships. FB-111s, flying at 150 meters and 834 kilometers per hour, employed GBU-10s (laser-guided 2,000 pound bombs). (22) Guiding these weapons with the PAVE TACK IR targeting and laser system, the first FB-111 dropped four bombs within 50 meters of the Libyan leader's headquarters. (23) Despite the loss of two American pilots, Operation E1 Dorado Canyon was a huge success. Tactical advantage and surprise were achieved by operating at night. IR sensors in military aircraft were now expected, and American industry would work hard to make the next generation of IR sensors even better than TRAM and PAVE TACK."

 

[Me] The H4.1 A-6E TRAM still needs to acquire the target.

Clipped from here. is one, I suppose, of the definitions of all-weather capability.

 

"Before the requirement areas are described, it is essential to have a firm understanding of the all-weather attack mission. To a large extent, mission dictates the requirements that each individual type of aircraft must meet. The all-weather attack mission includes many different tasks which are emphasized differently by the Navy and the Marine Corps. The Navy describes the all-weather mission as the destruction of moving and fixed sea and land targets in all-weather conditions and during darkness. (6:1)

 

While land targets are included in that mission statement, the Navy naturally puts more emphasis on sea control tasks such as anti-ship operations, open-ocean interdiction, aerial-mining, surface surveillance and aerial refueling missions. (3:34) On the other hand, the Marine Corps' number one task is to conduct close air support under all-weather conditions. While the capability to deploy and operate from aircraft carriers is mentioned, the majority of Marine tasks deal with power-projection missions such as supporting the infantry scheme of maneuver and destroying land targets. (9:36-37)

 

Although difficult to combine all these tasks into one mission statement, it is clear that the replacement aircraft will have to operate at sea and over land, be capable of performing a variety of high and low altitude attacks during conditions of darkness and bad weather, and operate in both the sea control and power projection roles. The requirements established for the replacement aircraft must reflect that mission in order for the aircraft selected to successfully perform all required tasks."

 

 

It also goes on, when discussing survivability, that these aircraft will rely of electronic countermeasures carried by accompanying aircraft - such as the unamed EA-6B. Time to break out data on one of those - remember there is a Sitrep out there with revisements to the effectiveness of electronic jamming. I will post that issue information later today.

I'd suggest the original definition of 'all weather attack' was referring to the nuclear strike mission. An F-111A (reading an article on this now) or A-6E using TF flight could drop a nuclear bomb in zero visibility against a radar significant target (not currently covered by the rules). I've seen teh figure of 1000-2000 yard CEP by radar - which is enough for a nuclear bomb.

 

They could also drop dumb ordnance at much reduced hit effectiveness.

 

During the 1999 Allied Force bombing aircraft fitted with embedded GPS navigation were cleared to drop dumb bombs through clouds without visible LOS against fixed preplanned targets.

 

Currently fighters and bombers with SAR radars (F-15E, F/A-18E/F with APG-79, B-2A, etc) can image the targets and drop either dumb or GPS guided bombs based on these radar images. Currently limited to stationary targets.

 

I'd suggest in Harpoon 4 terms, aircraft with TF radars could drop nuclear bombs in all weathers; aircraft with advanced bombsights can drop without visual LOS. 6.3.4.1 infers this:

Manual through Computing use visual LOS

Advanced adds radars, GPS etc

 

I'd suggest the recent Western emphasis on laser guided bombs has distorted out perception on air warfare.

I'd suggest in Harpoon 4 terms, aircraft with TF radars could drop nuclear bombs in all weathers; aircraft with advanced bombsights can drop without visual LOS. 6.3.4.1 infers this:

Manual through Computing use visual LOS

Advanced adds radars, GPS etc

 

Are you sure of your use of the word "nuclear" here? I've yet to employ them in harpoon, and doubt that it will change. I'm hoping that you meant gravity, dumb, laser guided...something like that. My focus is usually more tactical/operational power projection.

Here is some adverse weather capability for the A-6E and -like aircraft.

 

4.2.4.5 Terrain Following Radar (TF) These are specialized radars that allow a plane to fly nap of the earth without restriction (see section 3.3.4.1), regardless of weather or time of day or night.

 

3.3.4.1 Very Low/NOE Altitude. These special altitude bands are part of the Low altitude band, but allow flight near the land or sea surface, with some risks. Very Low altitude extends from sea level to 30 meters high over water. Nap-of-the-Earth (NOE covers 31-100 meters...

 

I've seen other references to a ground mapping radar capability for the A-6E TRAM so although the High Tide data annex does not attribute the APQ-156 as having (TF) Terrain Following, I will allow it in my solo gaming.

 

APQ-156, see both pages.

I'd suggest in Harpoon 4 terms, aircraft with TF radars could drop nuclear bombs in all weathers; aircraft with advanced bombsights can drop without visual LOS. 6.3.4.1 infers this:

Manual through Computing use visual LOS

Advanced adds radars, GPS etc

 

Are you sure of your use of the word "nuclear" here? I've yet to employ them in harpoon, and doubt that it will change. I'm hoping that you meant gravity, dumb, laser guided...something like that. My focus is usually more tactical/operational power projection.

 

 

Yeah, but you need to acquire the target first. Standard radar is good enough for nuclear weapons. The A-6E needs to use either its FLIR or to spot targets visually.

 

The A-6A isn't all weather. It has two radar sets APQ-92 provides side to side clearance, the APQ-112 provides vertical clearance and cues to the pilot. In H4 terms its TF by radar but you need visual LOS - I've toyed with calling this 'manual TF'.

 

I have an A-6E book somewhere - I'll have a look at the radar data.

A-6E APQ-156 is the APQ-148 after TRAM has been added. They have 5 modes:

1) Search - this is the standard SS mode

2) Ground mapping - navigation

3) Tracking and ranging of fixed and moving targets

4) Terrain avoidance or terrain following

5) Beacon detection and tracking

 

ISTR the radar is not coupled to the flight control system. Its probably the "manual TF" - maybe terrain avoidance (TA) would be a better H4 description?

A-6E APQ-156 is the APQ-148 after TRAM has been added. They have 5 modes:

1) Search - this is the standard SS mode

2) Ground mapping - navigation

3) Tracking and ranging of fixed and moving targets

4) Terrain avoidance or terrain following

5) Beacon detection and tracking

 

ISTR the radar is not coupled to the flight control system. Its probably the "manual TF" - maybe terrain avoidance (TA) would be a better H4 description?

Can you get it into the rules then.

 

P.S. More crappy weather today, so much more food for thought.