I have noticed that I am able to pick up F-14 radars when they are completely cold, like I am following an F-14 and I pick up his radar.
I was just following one in my f-16aj while having my radar disabled and he went to land on the airfield having no clue I was stalking him knowing his direction and approximate distance due to my digital RWR
Maybe it also happens to other planes but I have only noticed this against F-14’s which is a big problem for them if you have an aware opponent with a good RWR.
Also if an enemy team has a bunch of them you are constantly being pinged by them thinking every single one of them might know your position and you need to be defensive in case there is a fakour coming.
I’m not sure if IRL the RWR would be able to pick up terrain echoes from powerful radars like the F-14 one, but for sure the RWR wouldn’t be able to tell it was from an F-14 and give a good distance and direction estimation.
IIRC WT also simulates sidelobes and backlobes of radars.
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I never heard about that, so you are saying that radars can also emit signals backward?
If that’s the case, is it realistic for RWR to recognize that the signal is from an F-14 anyway? I assume it isn’t. Neither should the RWR give the same signal intensity as if the radar was pointing at you, correct?
Well, I think its exagerated in WT, but radiation from an antenna is not just a singular, clearly defined cone pointing away from the antenna.
Makes sense, but why only the F-14? (that I’ve noticed, but I suspect mig23 too but I don’t recall 100%)
For the F-14 it would be a complete circle in that lobe diagram lol
Hm, I notice it often with F-4’s too… They’re pretty common in many trees.
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Ok, but my thinking is that every radar should be affected by it then, some more than others.
I noticed it on most radars. Maybe the AWG-9s back lobe is just larger since it’s a more powerful set.
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Are you sure? On 13.7 matches I find my RWR accurate when telling me someone went from cold to hot, clean when the enemy is running away, pinged after the radar starts pointing at you while leaving the notch. If that wasn’t the case I would be reluctant to push them.
I think you just need to be very close. It used to be more noticeable when RWRs didn’t filter out friendlies.
Well, I was picking up the left rear lobes from an F-14 from 15km or more at the same intensity as if the main frontal lobe was pointing to me
I am not sure about that honestly. I haven’t experienced that myself.