In terms of realism, War Thunder is better than most games available but it is still missing many realistic features that would massively impact the performance of vehicles in game.
The developers have done a great job in modeling the vehicles specially planes and their cockpits, but that’s just about it. There are many buttons and switches in the cockpit the functionality of which are not present in the game. One prime example of it is the EW/ECM also known as jammer. With the recently added F/A-18 I noticed that the ECM switch in the cockpit is on ECM XMIT mode which should be actively jamming radars but even a MiG-21 is able to lock the F/A-18 and shoot it down with an R-3R which is the most primitive radar missile in game.
Sorry about the bad resolution but you can clearly see that the ECM switch is not on OFF and is on ECM XMIT which means that the jammer is active.
This is happening while some aircrafts have their DIRCM modeled like the Su-39 with its Sukhogruz DIRCM.
And on a side note why can’t we have interactive cockpit in War Thunder? Or at least have the switches and buttons modeled correctly and not like now that the ECM is on but is doesn’t function at all instead of just being modeled to be on OFF.
At least the ECM switch in the cockpit should be modeled to be on OFF. It is a shame that the switch is modeled wrong because some aircrafts have functional switches in the cockpit that are responsive to the actions performed, (for example the gear switch that moves when you lower or raise the landing gear in game).
Switches not moving isn’t unrealistic, it’s just resource saving.
Su-39 does not have DIRCM, it has standard IRCM which is on every* vehicle that’s supposed to have it.
IRCM and ECM are entirely different, just be patient.
DIRCM is modeled in game in many aircrafts, specially helicopters like Z-10ME and Mi-28NM.
And the Sukhogruz installed on Su-39 and Su-25T is actually a DIRCM too.
Why would they be unnecessary?
To be honest there are many military enthusiasts in this game (the leaked real classified documents prove it too lol) that would appreciate top notch and accurate simulation. we don’t have to make it a must for everyone of course, not everyone likes a steep learning curve to be able to fly an aircraft (the realistic torque/p factor in sim when trying to takeoff in a prop has already deterred many from playing sim already) but those who like military simulation would definitely appreciate a mode with interactive cockpit in it.
Clicky buttons is not simulation.
It’s a control method which is used primarily by VR users that feel their keyboard isn’t needed.
Sim pits don’t use them.
Most VR and conventional users don’t use them because there’s a perfectly good keyboard to setup universal functions to.
It is in fact simulation.
A true simulation mode would have an identical experience to sitting in the real cockpit of that plane.
And I didn’t say we should implement it in the current sim mode, I know many players wouldn’t like the idea. We can have a separate mode like an ultra sim mode to have interactive cockpit in it.
moreover, it is one of the most primitive, at the level of mi-24.
It literally does not work even on the most primitive missiles in the game, if they are launched closer than 2 km
Many sources call it a DIRCM.
And its functionality is pretty much of a DIRCM.
And no, it is not that primitive, I guess it was for balancing reason that they decided to make surface to air missiles immune to Sukhogruz but air to air missiles struggle to hit it a lot.
DIRCMs are directional systems (ka-52, mi-28nm, z-19me) that are paired with MAW and target a specific threat.
IRCMs, on the other hand, just shine a light on everything in the area of effect. It’s no different than the IRCM of an Mi-24 or apache. Moreover, in game they have completely identical effectiveness settings.
A-A missiles can safely hit a Su-25T or 39 from 6 o’clock from less than 2km away. And even those missiles, which due to their scanning type should be reflected by it.
And more advanced cross array missiles like R-73 or MM2 are completely invulnerable.
The entire existence of Sukhogruz is obscure like all other Russian tech in game like Kh-38MT.
There’s no official document about it out there and any source is out there calls it a DIRCM.
But anyways I appreciate the corrective info.
Very no for the AH-64 or similar aircraft using the AN/ALQ-144, the AN/ALQ-144 and it’s subsequent variants flat out prevent the Aquisition of the target full stop, they do not randomly dazzle the seeker like Russian IRCM systems, which do not prevent the launch, instead attempt to cause the missile to fully loose lock in combination with countermeasures. To that same end, the upgraded AN/ALQ-144s sport the ability to directly counter even modern rosette seeker IR SAMs and AAMs due to it’s pre-programmed pulse modes which switch to counter the specific launched missiles as identified by the MAWS present on US helicopters, such is very much so not present.
Currently the AN/ALQ-144 and it’s subsequent developments are not working as designed and have not since their introduction, such has been reported multiple times but gaijin very much so does not care.
As they should, as stated, the IRCM found on Russian aircraft is, by design, meant to be used with maneuvers and countermeasures to defeat a missile, it alone was never meant to defeat a missile unlike the AN/ALQ-144 and it’s derivatives.
100% Take some notes dcs.
Buttons don’t make it more realistic or immersive. It just draws out resources that can go somewhere else. Id rather have ecm than a button on the cockpit that turns the ball coolers on.
