AESA, Datalink, and Sensor Fusion

Machinery of War Discussion Aircraft
1

With the upcoming jets: F18C, F14D, EF-Typhoon, Rafale etc.

When should we expect AESA, Passive RADAR Mode, Datalink to finally work correctly (Aim-120s…), and Sensor Fusion?

We are over due for more capabilities for battlefield awareness. Sensor Fusion would be a very nice step in the next major updates direction and many of the aircraft already in game had it and would benefit from it.

AESA Passive mode + ECM Abilities would also be a very nice addition to come with this.

How far out do y’all think we are from finally having these abilities?

2

That has nothing to do with Russia, because all Russian aircraft use PESA

3

I didn’t name anything russian. Unless you are saying it won’t happen because it doesn’t benefit the USSR TT?

8 Likes
4

Friendlies being displayed in the Cockpit HUD in Sim would be really really cool (and in future where appropraite in HMS/HMD systems)

Im not sure if weapon based datalink would be appropriate (for much the same reason we never got buddy lasing) but perhaps shared radars for ground would work really well.

I think we could very much see early AESA this year, likely the first will be the Japanese F-2 and French Rafale.

ECM would also be very cool to get, even in a very limited form, but I suspect they are working on MAWS roll out first (many are missing it and even ones with it like the Gr7 have the wrong kind of MAWS) but ECM would be a big boost. Changes necessary would perhaps also allow for HARM to be added.

3 Likes
5

You don’t think they would implement in aircraft that “should” have it now? The F16, F15C, the coming F18 etc? All of them technically have the wrong RADAR with them not being AESA.

6

I dont believe they have the “wrong” radar, but rather got upgraded to a different radar later in life.

7

Only later Rafales use AESA AFAIK which brings them Brimstone equivs (AAM-HAMMER) so I think only PESA’s for the Rafales if they come.

The aircraft in-game have the correct radars, these aircraft started off with mechanical arrays and later got Electronically scanned arrays, F-15’s got them ~2008 iirc, F-18 isnt here yet, F-16C got it same sorta time as F-15 i think.

But the F-2 is loosely an F-16 derivative.

8

Perhaps that is what I was thinking. I just recall that the first Rafale had a crappy AESA, maybe its PESA that im thinking of

1 Like
9

The F15C II MSIP is listed as an APG-63V2 thats an AESA radar (but it has APG-63V1 instead of what it should have). It has the wrong RADAR.

Also the US Air Force is installing the AN/APG-83 SABR on 608 of its F-16C/D Block 40/42 and F-16C/D 50/52 fighters.

10

They started off with PESA, it had good ECM, but more limited range than Typhoons M-Scan or F-18 is implied from the Swiss Trial.

But yeah AESA is pretty much just better iirc.

1 Like
11

Passive mode would be huge. ECM would also be nice, because we could defeat RADAR missiles head on with the correct AESA radars. Not to mention with the HMDS we should be getting real time target data in the helmet and System Fusion for a better overall picture.

This would help sim battles tremendously avoid IFF incidents. You know right away. No guessing.

Which by the way, modern tanks do have. It shouldn’t be guess work. We had IFF Plates in the armored vehicles 30+ years ago during the 91 Gulf War. Hell we had IFF patches to better assist our air support 20 years ago in the early days of Iraq. Plus cats eyes on our helmets.

12

Yeah, it’s what they’re suggesting. Ngl I’m 50/50 on whether or not it will be added myself

13

This wouldn’t surprise me at all…

14

down the line there should definitely be a variant of the F-15 and F-16 based on 2010’s service, with their AESA radars, AIM-120C/D and AIM-9X. I can only see that being new vehicles to grind though and not a change to the currently in game F-15C and F-16C since those new weapons would make it a totally different beast

15

We already have the variant. The F15C MSIP II was AESA equipped, but in game has a different PD RADAR.

17

The F-15C had an entire squadron of AESAs before the F-2 even had a production aircraft

1 Like
18

I might be wrong but didn’t they equip like 3 squadrons with the V2(?) radar and then go back and equip every aircraft with V1(?) radars later on, as in 2008.

Plus there’s no need to make the best aircraft in-game any better right now.

19

They went on to equip them with the V3 actually and it was in 2006 that they moved them up to the V3.

20

1 full squadron, 18 jets, based in Alaska.

1 Like
21

ECM should only be added if they’re going to also add home-on-jam modes for the missiles that have them

2 Likes