You guys seem to be a bit confused: There's DIRECT, WRCS and LOFT modes. You used WRCS. There's no "DIRECT" in there. You also forgot to mention that pilots should use the loft setting when selecting the seeker head, as the direct seakers will activate the control surfaces of the Shrike immediately, cutting the loft short and waste a lot of energy. In this case it worked, because you fired from very close. Lots of missing/wrong info, so I would recommend redoing the video.
The info on that kneeboard about the indexer is wrong and so is the method described here. First of all, WRCS mode (AGM-45 on the delivery method switch) only uses the target altitude (which is entered manually) your plane's altitude and your nose depression to calculate range. It's trigonometry, as you explained in the beginning. It doesn't require a radar signal. As such, the range indicator on the HSI doesn't need a radar signal. It will show a distance when you point at something on the ground, as long as you selected "AGM-45" in the delivery selector. It doesn't care if there's a radar there, nor does it care if you have any weapons installed. You can use it for quick range calculations to a landmark or a target (as long as it's under 30nm) just for this exact reason. Secondly, the indexer does not provide command cues for you to lower the nose or pull up, it provides delivery mode info based on range and nose depression, that's it. "Pull up" = Loft delivery. "Level" = Level delivery. "Dive" = Dive delivery. And the ADI depression is 35mils, not 45. You can use WRCS mode to deploy the weapon for loft, level and diving deliveries. It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters for deployment purposes is the seeker head (loft or direct). I think the best way to understand how WRCS (AGM-45 on the delivery method selector) mode is to think of it as being "Dive Toss" for a missile. Provided that you are pointing directly at the target (35 mils), and the needles are centered, pressing (and holding) the bomb release button will save the calculated range and start launch calculations. At this point it essentially acts like the dive toss method and you can start pulling up for a loft or level delivery (if the range allows, based on what the indexer shows before pickle... again it's not a command cue, it's a range indicator). At this point (button still pressed) you can pull up to level and wait for release or keep pulling until release, both timed automatically by the WRCS. The "donut" on the indexer after pressing the release button (pickle) does not indicate you should stop pulling up, it indicates weapon will release within 5 secs (generally speaking 5 seconds if you are flying wings level at 1g, fewer seconds if you pull up for a loft delivery). Going back to "the indexer does not provide command cues" topic (remember, you need to be pointing at the target for all of this); - The "pull up" cue is for loft delivery. This is the longest range delivery type and this is what's shown first as you approach your target (provided that you start out far enough... no light will illuminate if you are too far.) If you want to use this method at long (relatively speaking) range, you need to make sure you installed the loft seeker on the ground. The direct seeker start engaging the control surfaces immediately upon launch and the control logic is what's called a "bang-bang" type. It doesn't do small inputs, it uses full surface deflection in small intervals, as if someone is flying it with a keyboard. It is very draggy and quickly bleeds energy. This is partly why "DIRECT" delivery mode is the shortest ranged one. Whereas the loft seeker locks the controls in place for a certain amount of time and certain amount of loss in altitude. When it activates, the seeker head tracks towards the first signal it acquires (FOV of 45-degrees). You don't have to use the LABS mode to deliver a loft strike, or have a loft seeker installed on the ground for this. Like I said, the WRCS doesn't actually know anything about what you have on board or what you are trying to do, but gives delivery method info based on calculated range. You can launch a missile with the "direct" seeker using this method for loft or level deliveries, but it will in all likelihood not reach its target, precisely because of when each seeker activates. This is also why loft and level modes are the harder delivery methods to employ reliably. You need to fly very precisely to set the missile up for success for when it turns on during the descent stage. If it's not looking at the correct place at the correct angle, it won't track anything. - As you get closer, the "level" cue (the donut) shows up. This appears when the range is not sufficient for loft but still too far for dive. It also appears when the bomb release button is pressed (using WRCS and LABS delivery mode) to inform you that the weapon will be released within 5 seconds. It doesn't mean you should fly level. - As you get even closer, the "nose down" cue shows up. This appears when the range is sufficient only for dive delivery. The only difference between the "DIRECT" method and the "WRCS (AGM-45 on the delivery mode switch)" is when the missile launches when you press the button. With the delivery switched to "DIRECT" the missile launches 1 second after button press regardless of whether or not it is appropriate to do so. Zero automation, zero calculation. If when it launches it's looking directly at the target, it will track. If not, well... probably not. This is why "DIRECT" mode is really only appropriate for high angle dive deliveries at short range. You are basically doing old-school dive bombing, but releasing a missile instead of a bomb. Seeker head selection is very important for proper delivery of the missile, especially if you want to maximize your launch distance. Direct seeker is only appropriate for diving/direct deliveries. Whereas loft can be used for level and loft deliveries.
You guys seem to be a bit confused: There's DIRECT, WRCS and LOFT modes. You used WRCS. There's no "DIRECT" in there. You also forgot to mention that pilots should use the loft setting when selecting the seeker head, as the direct seakers will activate the control surfaces of the Shrike immediately, cutting the loft short and waste a lot of energy. In this case it worked, because you fired from very close. Lots of missing/wrong info, so I would recommend redoing the video.
The info on that kneeboard about the indexer is wrong and so is the method described here.
First of all, WRCS mode (AGM-45 on the delivery method switch) only uses the target altitude (which is entered manually) your plane's altitude and your nose depression to calculate range. It's trigonometry, as you explained in the beginning.
It doesn't require a radar signal. As such, the range indicator on the HSI doesn't need a radar signal. It will show a distance when you point at something on the ground, as long as you selected "AGM-45" in the delivery selector. It doesn't care if there's a radar there, nor does it care if you have any weapons installed.
You can use it for quick range calculations to a landmark or a target (as long as it's under 30nm) just for this exact reason.
Secondly, the indexer does not provide command cues for you to lower the nose or pull up, it provides delivery mode info based on range and nose depression, that's it.
"Pull up" = Loft delivery.
"Level" = Level delivery.
"Dive" = Dive delivery.
And the ADI depression is 35mils, not 45.
You can use WRCS mode to deploy the weapon for loft, level and diving deliveries. It doesn't matter.
The only thing that matters for deployment purposes is the seeker head (loft or direct).
I think the best way to understand how WRCS (AGM-45 on the delivery method selector) mode is to think of it as being "Dive Toss" for a missile.
Provided that you are pointing directly at the target (35 mils), and the needles are centered, pressing (and holding) the bomb release button will save the calculated range and start launch calculations. At this point it essentially acts like the dive toss method and you can start pulling up for a loft or level delivery (if the range allows, based on what the indexer shows before pickle... again it's not a command cue, it's a range indicator). At this point (button still pressed) you can pull up to level and wait for release or keep pulling until release, both timed automatically by the WRCS.
The "donut" on the indexer after pressing the release button (pickle) does not indicate you should stop pulling up, it indicates weapon will release within 5 secs (generally speaking 5 seconds if you are flying wings level at 1g, fewer seconds if you pull up for a loft delivery).
Going back to "the indexer does not provide command cues" topic (remember, you need to be pointing at the target for all of this);
- The "pull up" cue is for loft delivery. This is the longest range delivery type and this is what's shown first as you approach your target (provided that you start out far enough... no light will illuminate if you are too far.)
If you want to use this method at long (relatively speaking) range, you need to make sure you installed the loft seeker on the ground. The direct seeker start engaging the control surfaces immediately upon launch and the control logic is what's called a "bang-bang" type. It doesn't do small inputs, it uses full surface deflection in small intervals, as if someone is flying it with a keyboard. It is very draggy and quickly bleeds energy. This is partly why "DIRECT" delivery mode is the shortest ranged one. Whereas the loft seeker locks the controls in place for a certain amount of time and certain amount of loss in altitude. When it activates, the seeker head tracks towards the first signal it acquires (FOV of 45-degrees).
You don't have to use the LABS mode to deliver a loft strike, or have a loft seeker installed on the ground for this. Like I said, the WRCS doesn't actually know anything about what you have on board or what you are trying to do, but gives delivery method info based on calculated range. You can launch a missile with the "direct" seeker using this method for loft or level deliveries, but it will in all likelihood not reach its target, precisely because of when each seeker activates.
This is also why loft and level modes are the harder delivery methods to employ reliably. You need to fly very precisely to set the missile up for success for when it turns on during the descent stage. If it's not looking at the correct place at the correct angle, it won't track anything.
- As you get closer, the "level" cue (the donut) shows up. This appears when the range is not sufficient for loft but still too far for dive.
It also appears when the bomb release button is pressed (using WRCS and LABS delivery mode) to inform you that the weapon will be released within 5 seconds. It doesn't mean you should fly level.
- As you get even closer, the "nose down" cue shows up.
This appears when the range is sufficient only for dive delivery.
The only difference between the "DIRECT" method and the "WRCS (AGM-45 on the delivery mode switch)" is when the missile launches when you press the button. With the delivery switched to "DIRECT" the missile launches 1 second after button press regardless of whether or not it is appropriate to do so. Zero automation, zero calculation. If when it launches it's looking directly at the target, it will track. If not, well... probably not.
This is why "DIRECT" mode is really only appropriate for high angle dive deliveries at short range.
You are basically doing old-school dive bombing, but releasing a missile instead of a bomb.
Seeker head selection is very important for proper delivery of the missile, especially if you want to maximize your launch distance.
Direct seeker is only appropriate for diving/direct deliveries. Whereas loft can be used for level and loft deliveries.
Always a great way to start the day! Thanks for the video!
Thanks for this tutorial, best one I've seen yet.
You are describing the following mode: AGM-45 (WRCS Mode). The direct mode is a different one. Otherwise, it's a very good video ❤❤😊😊
Hey Cap- what about doing a South China Sea scenario with the new B-52J slinging SM-6s?
Thanks guys.
So cool
lmfao , poor ivan
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Day 3 of asking cap to bring back humans to carrier battles