Threat Database
The DCS universe is full of things that are constantly trying to kill you. In some cases, such as DCS: Black Shark, even your very own aircraft wants nothing more than to introduce you to the ground with maximum prejudice. In other cases, the threats you will encounter are proper anti-aircraft platforms, and that's what is covered here.
It helps to get an idea of what's out there. You should know when it's okay to dirty yourself when you hear BEEP! BEEP BEEP! come from your RWR vs. when it's safe to turn music back up. A SA-13 Gopher isn't much of a threat when you're 20,000 AGL, but if you see an SA-10 Grumble or one of its radars pop up on your green screen, well, it's probably a good time to call the wife and kids and tell them you might be stuck at the office for a while.
Contents
Symbology Overview
Here is a list of symbology that can be found on most modern (Western) fighters: note that the Russian planes may make use of a different RWR system that does not use these symbols. Note that the symbols denote critical differences between various threats: an American F-15C jet aircraft will have the same symbol ('15') as a Russian SA-15 Tor SAM system: the ^ HAT symbol differentiates between airborne or not airborne threat.
Threat Overview
Ground
Threat Guide |
Threat | NATO
Code |
RWR
IDENT |
Type | Gun
Ammo |
Missile
Amount |
Speed
(mach) |
Range (nm) | Radar
(nm) |
Acquire
Time (sec.) |
Altitude (ft) | Danger
(1~10) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min | Max | Max | Min | Max | ||||||||||
AAA | 2K22M Tunguska | SA-19 Grison | OP, RAD, LSR | 1936 | 8x SACLOS | 0 | 2/4 | 6 | 4 | 0 / 100 | 16000 | 5 | ||
Flk. Pnz. Gepard | A | RAD | 660 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 9500 | 4 | ||||
M163 VADS | OP | 2280 | 0 | 1.4 | 6 | 0 | 4500 | 3 | ||||||
ZPU-1/2/4 | OP | 50 - 4800 | 0 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 0 | 4500 | 1 | ||||||
ZSU-23-4 Shilka | A | RAD | 2000 | 0 | 1.3 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 6500 | 3 | ||||
ZSU-57-2 Sparka | OP | 254 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 14000 | 2 | ||||||
Zu-23-3 Sergey | OP | 100 | 0 | 1.3 | 4 | 0 | 6500 | 1 | ||||||
MPD | 3K38 Igla | SA-18 Grouse | IR | 3x IR | 0.25 | 2.5 | 6 | 0 | 12000 | 3 | ||||
9K338 Igla-S | SA-24 | IR | 3x IR | 0.25 | 2.5 | 6 | 0 | 12000 | 3 | |||||
FIM-92 Stinger | IR | 3x IR | 0.1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 11000 | 3 | ||||||
SHORAD | 9A33 Osa | SA-8 Gecko | RAD | 6x RAD | 0.8 | 7.5 | 16 | 26 | 50 | 21000 | 7 | |||
Strela-1 9P31 | SA-9 Gaskin | IR | 4x IR | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 100 | 12000 | 6 | |||||
9K35 Strela-10 | SA-13 Gopher | IR | 4x IR | 0.4 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 75 | 15000 | 6 | |||||
9K331 Tor | SA-15 Gauntlet | RAD | 8x RAD | 0.8 | 6.5 | 16 | 9 | 60 | 26000 | 7 | ||||
Jeep Avenger ADS | OP, IR | 180 | 8x IR | 0.1 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 0 | 11000 | 4 | |||||
M6 Linebacker | OP, IR | 1500 | 4x IR | 0.1 | 2 | 2.5 | 0 | 11000 | 4 | |||||
MIM-115 Roland | RO | RAD | 10x RAD | 0.5 | 3.4 | 5.1 | 11 | 30 | 19500 | 6 | ||||
MIM-72G Chaparral | IR | 4x IR | 0.1 | 3 | 2.5 | 150 | 9500 | 5 | ||||||
MERAD | S-75 Devina | SA-2 | 02 | RAD | ? | ? | 25 | ? | ? | ? | ||||
S-125 Pechora | SA-3 Goa | RAD | 4x RAD | 13.5 | 40 | 21 | ? | 700 | 33000 | 5 | ||||
2K12 Kub | SA-6 Gainful | RAD | 3x RAD | 0.5 | 19.2 | 47 | 28 | 100 | 33000 | 7 | ||||
9K37 Buk | SA-11 Gadfly | OP, RAD | 4x RAD | ? | 20.2 | 90 | 26 | 450 | 45000 | 8 | ||||
MIM-23 Hawk | HA, HK | RAD | 3x RAD | 1 | 25.6 | ? | 12 | 450 | 45000 | 7 | ||||
LORAD | S-300PS | SA-10 Grumble | OP, RAD | 4x RAD | 3 | 40 | 160 | 3 | 50 | 150000 | 10 | |||
MIM-104 Patriot | RAD | 4x RAD | 1.6 | 86 | 92 | ? | 200 | 80000 | 10 | |||||
TGT RAD* | P-19 Flat Face | SA-3 | FF | Often part of SA-3, but can also guide others | 85 | ? | ? | |||||||
SNR-125 Low Blow | SA-3 | ? | SA-3 Missile guidance radar | 22 | ? | ? | ||||||||
1S91 Straight Flush | SA-6 | ? | SA-6 Target acquisition and tracking radar | ? | ? | ? | ||||||||
9S80M1 Dog Ear | SA-9 | DE | SA-9, SA-13, ZSU-23-4 support radar | 20 | ? | 100000 | ||||||||
5N66M Clam Shell | SA-10 | SA-10 TGT RDR | 64 | ? | ? | |||||||||
64H6E Big Bird | SA-10 | SA-10 TGT RDR | 160 | ? | ? | |||||||||
30N6E Flap Lid | SA-10 | SA-10 Target tracking radar | ? | ? | ? | |||||||||
9S18M1 Snow Drift | SA-11 | SA-11 TGT RDR | 86 | ? | ? | |||||||||
Roland Radar | RO | Roland TGT RDR | 16 | ? | ? | |||||||||
AN/MPQ-46 HPIR | HA | MIM-23 Hawk Target tracking radar | ? | ? | ? | |||||||||
AN/MPQ-53 | HK | MIM-104 Patriot acquisition and tracking radar | ? | ? | ? | |||||||||
EWR / ACQR | 1L13 Box Spring | S | Early Warning / Surveillance Radar | 160 | ? | 130000 | ||||||||
55G6 Tall Rack | S | Early Warning / Surveillance Radar | 215 | ? | 130000 | |||||||||
P-37 Bar Lock | S | 210 | ? | ? | ||||||||||
PRW-11 Side Net | S | 100 | ? | 100000 | ||||||||||
RSP-7 Two Spot | S | 20 | ? | ? | ||||||||||
Types: OP = optical, RAD = radar, LSR = laser, | ||||||||||||||
Missile reload time for units supplied with logistical facilities (supply trucks, friendly bases) is approx. 10 minutes | ||||||||||||||
Target radars (often) boost (radar) range and reaction time of the default vehicle: you could still be locked with the launchers own radar / optics | ||||||||||||||
Vehicles that do not use radar for guidance may still use it for ranging and target detection (SA-13, SA-19) |
Non-NATO
NATO Designation | Platform | RWR Symbol(s) | Min Range (nm) | Max range (nm) | Min Altitude (ft) | Max Altitude (ft) | Speed (Mach) | Armament | Threat Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SA-3 Goa | S-125 Nyeva | 3.24 | 13.5 | 300 | 82,200 | 3+ | 4 | High | |
SA-6 Gainful | 3M9 Kub/Kvadrat | 2.16 | 13 | 46,000 | 2.8 | 3 | High | ||
SA-8 Gecko | 9K33 Osa | 0.8 | 5.4 | 80 | 19,700 | 6 | Moderate | ||
SA-9 Gaskin | 9K21 Strela-1 | N/A (IR Guidance) | 0.43 | 2.27 | 100 | 11,500 | 1.8 | 4 | Moderate |
SA-10 Grumble | S-300 | 25.4 | 98,500 | 6 | 4 | Extreme | |||
SA-11 Gadfly | 9K37 Buk | 2 | 13 | 39,400 | 2.8 | 4 | High | ||
SA-13 Gopher | 9K35 Strela-10 | 0.1 | 2.7 | 30 | 11,500 | 1.6 | 4 | Moderate | |
SA-15 Gauntlet | 9K330 Tor | 0.54 | 6.5 | 19,700 | 2.7 | 8 | High | ||
SA-18 Grouse | 9K38 Igla | N/A (IR Guidance - MANPAD) | N/A | 2.8 | 9,800 | 1 | High | ||
SA-19 Grison | 9K22 Tunguska | 0.8 | 6.5 | 19,700 | 8 | Moderate |
Missiles
Non-NATO
Russian Designation | NATO Designation | Platform | Min Range (nm) | Max range (nm) | Min Altitude | Max Altitude | Speed (Mach) | Guidance type | Armament | Threat Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R-24R | AA-7 Apex | link | 0.25 | 10.8 | N/A | N/A | 3 | SARH | High Explosive | Moderate |
R-24T | AA-7 Apex | link | 0.25 | 10.8 | N/A | N/A | 3 | IR | High Explosive | Moderate |
R-27ER | AA-10C Alamo | link | 0.25 | 37.8 | N/A | N/A | 3 | SARH | High Explosive | High |
R-27ET | AA-10D Alamo | link | 0.25 | 37.8 | N/A | N/A | 3 | IR | High Explosive | High |
R-27R | AA-10A Alamo | link | 0.25 | 27 | N/A | N/A | 3 | SARH | High Explosive | Moderate |
R-27T | AA-10B Alamo | link | 0.25 | 21.6 | N/A | N/A | 2.5 | IR | High Explosive | Moderate |
R-60 | AA-8 Aphid | link | 0.25 | 2.7 | N/A | N/A | 2 | IR | High Explosive | Moderate |
R-73 | AA-11 Archer | link | 0.25 | 8.09 | N/A | N/A | 2.5 | IR | High Explosive | Very High |
R-77 | AA-12 Adder | link | 0.25 | 31.07 | N/A | N/A | 3 | ARH | High Explosive | Very High |
NATO
NATO Designation | Platform | RWR Symbol(s) | Min Range (nm) | Max range (nm) | Min Altitude (ft) | Max Altitude (ft) | Speed (Mach) | Guidance | Armament (Warhead Type) | Threat Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AIM-120B | link | N/A | 0.25 | 29.71 | N/A | N/A | 4 | ARH | Blast-Fragmentation | Very High |
AIM-120C | link | N/A | 0.25 | 29.71 | N/A | N/A | 4 | ARH | Blast-Fragmentation | Very High |
AIM-7M | link | N/A | 0.25 | 24.31 | N/A | N/A | 3 | SARH | Blast-Fragmentation | Very High |
AIM-9M | link | N/A | 0.25 | 9.71 | N/A | N/A | 2.5 | IR | Blast-Fragmentation | Very High
|
Aircraft
Non-NATO
NATO Designation | Platform | RWR Symbol(s) | Min Range | Max range | Min Altitude | Max Altitude | Speed | Armament |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
shell | link | UNK | UNK | UNK | UNK | UNK | UNK |
Airspace Surveillance
Non-NATO
NATO Designation | Platform | RWR Symbol(s) | Flexibility | Max detection range | Min Altitude | Max Altitude |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dog Ear | 1S80 "Sborka" PPRU | self-propelled | 80 km | UNK | UNK | |
Tall Rack | 55G6-1 NEBO | stationary deployable | 500 km | UNK | 40 km | |
Box Spring | 1L13-3 NEBO-SV | stationary deployable | 500 km | UNK | 40 km |