Tensions between the United Kingdom and France have crept close to breaking point (again?). The French destroyer Aconit has entered waters it has been told to keep out of. The UKs response is to send 2 Sea Harriers to ward her off.

 

The two Sea Harriers approach at 450kts and very low altitude. Initial range is 16.0nm. The Sea Harriers pick up the Destroyer and continue to close. The Destroyer detects the 2 aircraft at a range of 13.5nm. At 9.5nm the Aconit begins trying to shoot down the incoming Sea Harriers with 100mm guns but is unsuccessful. The Sea Harriers continue to pass their low altitude die rolls (not crash) and fire their Paveways when at a range of 4.0nm.

 

After two and a half minutes of action the Aconit has failed to shoot anything down, the two harriers had not crashed and burned during movement and 4 paveways (2 each) were fired when in range but all 4 missed (each had a 40% chance of success!). The 2 harriers flee the scene still under fire from the Aconit but are not damaged as they retreat to a safer distance.

 

The UK decides to send in a nuclear submarine to do what the fly boys could not. More to come.

 

 

What happens when an aircrafts speed (Sea Harrier 650kts) is greater than the launching missiles speed (Paveway Mk 13/18 of 549kts)?

Does the Sea Harrier have to slow down prior to firing? If it fires is there a catastrophic failure (resolve a paveway "hit" on the Harrier) or something else?

What happens when an aircrafts speed (Sea Harrier 650kts) is greater than the launching missiles speed (Paveway Mk 13/18 of 549kts)? Does the Sea Harrier have to slow down prior to firing? If it fires is there a catastrophic failure (resolve a paveway "hit" on the Harrier) or something else?

 

Without looking at the specifics of the rules, I assume there is no issue and certainly no chance for catastrophe because you have 'separation' between launch aircraft and the weapon.

What happens when an aircrafts speed (Sea Harrier 650kts) is greater than the launching missiles speed (Paveway Mk 13/18 of 549kts)? Does the Sea Harrier have to slow down prior to firing? If it fires is there a catastrophic failure (resolve a paveway "hit" on the Harrier) or something else?

 

Without looking at the specifics of the rules, I assume there is no issue and certainly no chance for catastrophe because you have 'separation' between launch aircraft and the weapon.

 

You're dropping the weapon, so no issue.

Incidentally, I was yesterday looking for laser guided bombs data (for me the range in the game is too short).

Some interesting links about LGBs:

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app5/paveway-1.html

http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/rtnwc...m_datasheet.pdf

http://www.ausairpower.net/APA-Rus-GBU.html

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51636

I'd agree that the game range is short compared to the ranges cited, but I think there are several valid reasons for this:

 

1) Real Life is never as much fun as a contractor demo!

2) Not all launches will occur from high altitudes and high Mach numbers. Low and slow = less range.

3) As the USAF discovered with early versions of the Maverick in Europe, the flight range of the weapon is often considerably in excess of the spotting range of the associated optics.

 

Considering that the game needs to represent every conceivable launch mode for the weapon with a single number, I don't think they've done too bad a job with the numbers they've given us ...

For ease of gaming i use graph paper where each square representing 0.5 a mile. So i round all speeds/distances to the nearest half mile.

 

Knowing ranges etc are a combination of other factors, i dont feel so bad taking the easy route and rounding distances.

Yes, I agree with all these issues, "contractors demo" included, but it's for compensate ranges and other factors in my own databases, as I explain now:

In my own databases, the range of a dumb bomb/GPB is now 4 nm, because the (for me) excesive range and no apparent limits on height in the AAA.

Also, for compensate the protection inherent to high level bombing, out of the AAA height, and methods of delivering dumb bombs standing-off, as in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toss_bombing

Also aplicable, of course and essential, I think, to free fall nuclear bombs launching ranges.

Also, we can find some "real world data" about ranges of dumb bombs and LGBs in a very enlightening and fascinating article about the use of Mirage 2000 in the Kargil Campaing, 1999 (very difficult to find now, because the very bad restructuring of bharat-rakshak):

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/...1056-PCamp.html

 

In the article:

Dumb bomb range, 250 Kg. bombs (toss bombing or similar, I suppose, not specificated in the article. And they're ... Spanish manufactured bombs !): 8 Km=4,31 n.m.

LGB range (Paveway II with some indian parts as consequence of weapons embargo): target acquisition 20 Km=10,79 n.m., target designation 15 Km=8,09 n.m., weapons release 8,5 Km=4,58 n.m.

 

Vintage 250kg bombs from the 1970’s that were made in Spain for the HAL Ajeet aircraft and had been in storage were found and made available

Only 9 LGB’s were dropped during the whole war, 8 by the Mirage fleet and one by a Jaguar. Normal procedure employed during the dumb bomb attacks was for the aircraft to commence a dive at about 30,000 feet and designate the target at 15 kms distance. At 8 kms distance anything from 6 to 12 bombs would be despatched towards the target. Procedure for a LGB attack would differ in that the target would be acquired at 20 kms distance, designation would occur at 15 kms with release of the weapon at 8.5 kms. The LGB would travel towards the target and the Mirage would turn away still illuminating the target and at point of impact it would be 6 kms away.