In the game, the multipath clutter mechanism is unconditionally effective within 50 meters. Except for vertical angles, it can almost completely jam the radar seeker. In the game, for area air defense systems using radar seekers, aircraft can essentially avoid being shot down as long as they maintain a low-altitude flight path. Especially in maps where most of the terrain is flat plains outside the combat zones (like in certain small towns or deserts), these air defense systems are virtually powerless against such aircraft. You might even see the aircraft heading straight toward you, yet all the missiles you launch end up crashing into the ground right next to the aircraft. If anti-radiation weapons are introduced in the future, this situation will only become even more severe.
Why doesn’t Gaijin try to improve this mechanic? In DCS, the multipath clutter effect is minimal and only increases during maneuvers like the “39” maneuver. Perhaps Gaijin could improve their system based on this concept—for instance, making multipath clutter nearly ineffective from the front, but gradually increasing during turns. This design would encourage pilots to act more cautiously after their RWR alerts, rather than mindlessly flying low-altitude—since they’d know it isn’t completely foolproof. Moreover, with such adjustments, distinctions can be made in the anti-clutter performance of different radar seekers. For instance, missiles with poorer performance could be designed to be less susceptible to clutter interference.
Of course, for balance, area air defense systems should also be adjusted accordingly. For example, after respawning, they could require a certain amount of time before the launcher vehicle is deployed, or the time for stowing and deploying the launcher could be extended, making each movement come at a certain cost. Players would need to deploy their air defense systems early to achieve the best suppressive effect, rather than having a system instantly respawn, deploy within seconds, and shoot down an aircraft right after being destroyed.