I find it odd that the radar missiles in game and maybe in real life, lacks IFF capability. I understand if radar missiles are going on pitbull that they may lack the more powerful computing ability of the carrier aircraft.
But why aren’t they wired for IFF if given datalink with the carrier aircraft?
For example, we know that SARH principle that the carrier craft illustrates targets for the missile, then it chooses it’s own target.
Even in the game datalink is simulated.
How hard would it be to send bunch of XYZ coords to tell the missile not to go there?
You’re talking about the electromagnetic world, about radars (including the head of actively guided missiles) are wave signals, this means that the accuracy you question is NOT based on coordinates (this would be the space world like GPS). IFF signals between aircraft and the Datalink are based on wave principles of the electromagnetic spectrum and therefore, actively guided missiles have (or had) the problem of time-speed-space for the correct wave identification of the target. In fact, I think there must be a function of electronic warfare that affects this principle (jamming the radar to confuse both the missile and the radar that guides it)
Datalink all it does is updates inertial guidance. Inertial guidance is used only when seeker doesn’t detect anything.
If launching aircraft maintains uninterrupted radar track of the target, datalink channel remains open and missile will receive IOG updates through datalink when target notches and goes off seeker. It won’t help when missile bit chaff or otherwise switches targets.
Fire Control radars lack IFF because of time and consistency. IFF relies on sending out a signal then waiting to receive an answer, and when modern combat relies on just mere milliseconds to determine whether a missile hits or not it’s not worth waiting on an answer.
It’s why something like the Phalanx CIWS also lacks IFF, having only a 2 mi range it’ll take too long to wait for an IFF signal to return.
Additionally there’s the risk of IFF being cracked and used by an enemy, NATO has had to change IFF modes/codes numerous times during it’s existence due to China or Russia cracking said code, and you won’t know in that exact moment that an enemy did crack your code.
It’s also worth noting that the lack of IFF for FCS radars is much more prevalent in WT due to the small maps and such, typically irl if you fire a radar missile at a target there isn’t typically the risk of having a friendly close by that target due to irl combat ranges being much further.
