Suggest improving lock-on speed for Spike-ER/LR and similar missiles on helicopters without DIRCM

Game Discussion General Discussion
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1

Currently, only three helicopters are equipped with DIRCM (Directed Infrared Countermeasures): the AH-64E, Mi-28NM, and Z-10ME. All other top‑tier helicopters (such as the UHT, AH‑60, etc.) lack DIRCM.

Survivability:
In top‑tier Ground RB, helicopters without DIRCM have extremely poor survivability. They are easily hit by various IR‑guided ground‑to‑air or air‑to‑air missiles, or effortlessly shot down by DIRCM‑equipped helicopters. The Spike‑ER/LR missiles they carry pose no threat to helicopters with DIRCM.

Weapon performance:
The Product 305 and AGM‑179 JAGM (“Infrared 179”) feature multi‑mode guidance (infrared imaging + INS), providing stable lock‑on and high kill efficiency. The Blue Arrow 11A lacks INS but has very fast lock‑on speed. In contrast, Spike‑ER/LR have neither INS assistance nor fast lock‑on speed. This makes their already poor survivability even worse when engaging targets.

Horizontal comparison:
The AH‑64E carries 16 AGM‑179s, while the UHT carries 12 Spike‑ERs, the French UHT carries 16 Spikes, and the Israeli AH‑60 carries 16 Spike‑LRs. The latter are completely inferior in platform survivability, maneuverability, missile overload, flight speed, guidance method, and damage – a near‑total domination. More importantly, an AH‑64E can casually shoot down a UHT, while the UHT has no means to fight back.

These performance gaps are far beyond the current 0.3 BR difference.

Therefore, for balance and to increase vehicle diversity at top tier:
The lock‑on speed / lock‑on capability of Spike‑ER/LR should be improved (to a level close to that of the Blue Arrow 11A). This way, DIRCM helicopters would still retain significant advantages and survivability, while non‑DIRCM helicopters could become viable in the current top‑tier meta. It would also help balance nation win rates (e.g., Germany’s top‑tier win rate is only about 40%). Since Spike missiles lack INS, improving their lock‑on speed would not create unreasonable kill efficiency issues.

2

Better idea: Nerf DIRCM down to realistic performance levels

2 Likes
3

I understand the current top‑tier logic as follows:

· SPAA counters fixed‑wing aircraft.
· DIRCM helicopters counter SPAA (excluding the Pantsir‑SMSV).
· Fixed‑wing aircraft counter DIRCM helicopters.

The first two layers of this logic currently work fine. For fixed‑wing aircraft carrying Brimstones (like the Typhoon and JAS39E), they can also deal with DIRCM helicopters relatively easily. However, fixed‑wing aircraft without Brimstone or similar munitions currently have no good way to counter them — so this layer of the logic is still not perfect.

If DIRCM were nerfed or removed, SPAA would become far too dominant against CAS. With the addition of the Pantsir‑SMSV in the new update, its ability to suppress DIRCM helicopters is terrifying — it almost breaks the logic entirely. As a result, the win rates of other nations have dropped very noticeably.

4

That is incorrect. The current top tier logic is:

Pantsir SM counters fixed wing and helicopters
Mi28NM and Su30SM/2 counters SPAA

2 Likes
5

it only gets 8, same as the AH-129D, the french just also have an ah64E

6

this isnt even true, you cant use missiles against these DIRCM helicopters and if you go guns on you are just as likely to get hit by their literal auto-aiming never-miss guns as you are to kill them yourself

1 Like
7

French HAD should be able to carry up to 12 Akeron LP though

8

Depends on which missile we are talking about. Some “air-to-air” missiles like kh29t, vikhr or brimstone ignore jamming and kill helis just fine.

9

The top tier experience would be better if they never added Kh-38, spices, fire-and-forget helicopter missiles, and multi-vic spaa. It’s impossible to balance because if you nerf the DIRCM than the helicopters would just become IRIS-T fodder but with it they’re invulnerable.

10

those are agms/atgms, I mean actual regular air to air missiles dont work, two of those are also ussr

11

Helis wouldnt be fodder if devs actually tried making proper maps. Not flat plain where you can spot heli right on helipad. Add to this fact that radars ignore trees and see through them.

12

Yes, some maps like middle east and Sinai are quite good for helicopters as the mountains provide cover. However, in a map like Fire Arc you’re cooked.

1 Like
13

I also noticed that SPAA can see you much better than you can see them. Against SM-SV you have seconds to find and shoot enemies before the rocket obliterates you. On top of that your rockets will probably be intercepted.

1 Like
14

Oh thats true. Air-to-air loadouts are useless especially when mi28nm decides to sacrifice 2 lmurs for vikhrs.

Named most reliable ones. Tv mavericks work as well but miss sometimes due to their poor agility.

15

it’s hard to deny，hah

16

yes but you also need a jet that carries all these missiles, which for some nations can get hyper specific in which jet it needs to be due to availability