Last night I played a scenario where an Arleigh Burke DDG is attacked by SS-N-22 missiles fired from a Sovremenny DDG. The Sov had Helix AEW support but the Burke had no copter on board, and so detection of inbound missiles was limited to the SPY-1 radar.

 

Here was the problem. After the 1st move phase of an Engagement Turn the Sunburns were just outside the radar horizon of 24 nm and are still undetected. In the 2nd move phase the missiles are 6.9 nm closer. But, since the ship had no prior detection of the missiles, the Burke cannot see or fire on them in the 2nd fire phase, right?

 

If so, then the missiles move another 6.9 nm (1st move of next turn) but technically remain undetected until the detection phase. Now the missiles move another 6.9 nm closer(2nd move) and the burke can fire in defense (2nd fire phase). The missiles moved a little more than 20 nm during this event, leaving very little room to deal with them.

 

Is my interpretation of the sequence of the Engagement Turn correct?

 

 

 

Looks correct to me.

Thanks for the reply.

 

Here is a little twist on the above scenario. Let's say that the Burke has AEW support and the inbound missiles are detected before they reach the Burke's radar horizon. Does this mean that the Burke can fire on them as soon as they clear the radar horizon? I am assuming the SAMs must be directed by the launching ship, and thus the weapon directors must have a clear radar line of sight to the targets.

Thanks for the reply. Here is a little twist on the above scenario. Let's say that the Burke has AEW support and the inbound missiles are detected before they reach the Burke's radar horizon. Does this mean that the Burke can fire on them as soon as they clear the radar horizon? I am assuming the SAMs must be directed by the launching ship, and thus the weapon directors must have a clear radar line of sight to the targets.

Yes, with SM-2 it would. SM-6 would permit over the horizon engagement.

Hmm, even without CEC Burke could fire the SM-2 since they do the high altitude climb. Just as long as the inbound missiles can be painted by the director at the time of intercept right?

Yeah, the inertial/midcourse mode would permit launching the SM-2 into a 'basket' where they can then be gathered into the SARH mode (once the director can paint the target).

 

The rules have a whole sidebar on the Aegis system under rule 5.3.

A change I made to SimPlot regarding "Next Movement" would allow paper rules players to determine when and where that engagement could happen.

 

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/24759-simplot-by-kmart494-download/?p=49856