Jak/Sandbox

Basic A/A Systems Operation
The following is a summary of operating the A/A Radar in a generic engagement. It is intended to give a generalized description of functions and modes to better understand using the overall system, which is detailed in depth in the other sections.

In the search phase of an engagement, the pilot generally desires to surveil a large chunk of space to detect targets for an attack. The Range While Search (RWS) mode is optimized for this purpose. An unlimited scan volume is available (as large as 6 elevation bars / 140° azimuth).

The size of the scan volume is changed on the Attack format using the azimuth width and elevation bar controls at PB20 and PB6. These options can be selected by pushbutton or via the cursor. The scan volume center can be easily changed on either the Attack or Az/El formats using the cursor. A quick TDC depress sets the scan center. The elevation can be centered in two ways: by using the Antenna Elevation wheel on the throttle or by using the cursor on the Az/El format.

In RWS, the Attack format provides a mostly decluttered view of raw hits, displayed as green bricks. However, RWS also processes Radar trackfiles like TWS, though they are mostly not displayed. There are a few ways a trackfile is displayed:

If designated, a trackfile will always be displayed as a HAFU symbol, with its Mach number and altitude to the left/right. In the case of a Radar track it is displayed ontop of the corresponding hits. Also, any trackfile can be displayed when the cursor is put over its corresponding raw hits. This is the Latent TWS (LTWS) function and can be toggled under the DATA sublevel if desired. With LTWS deselected, cursoring over a raw Radar hit will not display a trackfile, but will display the raw hit's altitude to the right of the cursor. Also, any trackfile in RWS with Datalink contribution is always displayed on the Attack format. This is regardless of whether it also has Radar contribution (seen by the Radar). This feature can also be toggled under the DATA sublevel at the "MSI" option. Note that neither the LTWS nor MSI selections have any effect on trackfile processing, but rather the display on the Attack format.

On the Az/El format the pilot is provided a forward-looking projection of trackfiles. No raw hits are displayed and the Az/El format is not subject to the complex RWS display logic on the Attack format; rather, all tracks are always displayed regardless of Radar mode.

The pilot is able to designate any Radar trackfile. The primary designated track is the Launch & Steering target (L&S). If desired a Secondary Designated Target (DT2) can also be made. The L&S points weapons to that target and also shows weapon launch parameter on the HUD and Attack format. The DT2 is simply used to monitor another track more closely as it also displays launch zones. The DT2 and L&S can be quickly switched with the Undesignate button.

To actually designate trackfiles, two methods are available. The quickest way is by pressing the Undesignate button, which assigns the L&S designation to the rank 1 trackfile. Subsequent presses step the L&S designation through each trackfile. If the button isn't pressed for more than 4 seconds then the next press reassigns the L&S to the rank 1. Note that when a DT2 exists the Undesignate button cannot do this function as it swaps the L&S/DT2 instead. The second way is with the cursor. While it is over any trackfile, depressing the TDC will make it the L&S, if none exists. If an L&S does exist, the track is instead made the DT2.

The other mode primarily intended for surveillance is Velocity Search (VS). VS does not create trackfiles and presents hits in a special azimuth over closure rage format. The advantage over VS is it realizes the maximum possible detection range of the Radar at the cost of poor target data (no range, therefore no altitude calculation, etc).

Once the target or targets of an attack are detected and identified, it is usually desired to more closely track them. This is generally done by way of the Track While Scan (TWS) or Single Target Track (STT) modes. TWS can be entered via the mode option at PB5 using the pushbutton or via cursor. STT can be entered from RWS or TWS in a few ways, all termed methods of "acquisition". The most common method is Fast Acquisition whereby the desired trackfile or hit is placed under the cursor and the Sensor Control switch is bumped toward the Attack format. This also works on the Az/El format.

In TWS mode, the scan volume is limited to maintain a scan frame time of 3 seconds or less, resulting in a high trackfile refresh rate. Note that there is no difference in trackfile processing between RWS and TWS, but TWS provides better tools for attack. In TWS, hits can be displayed like in RWS, but all trackfile HAFU symbols are also always displayed. Unlike RWS, raw hits can be removed in TWS using the HITS option at PB8.

One TWS tool is AUTO scan centering, where the L&S and DT2 trackfiles are automatically maintained in the scan volume. The pilot retains the ability to "bias" the scan volume as desired while maintaining the L&S/DT2, or use MAN scan centering. TWS first defaults to MAN if entered from RWS or VS. AUTO is default when entering TWS from STT. A toggle is available at PB13.

STT is highly straightforward. The Radar is fully dedicated to tracking a single target. This results in the highest trackfile quality, especially important for weapon guidance, at the cost of the Radar not scanning any volume of space at all.

The main beyond visual range weapons available are the AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. The AIM-7 uses pulse Doppler illumination (PDI) guidance, where the Radar physically "paints" a target with a particular waveform. This guidance requires STT so the Sparrow can only be employed at one target at once and only in STT. The AMRAAM uses datalink guidance from the Radar for the majority of the missile's flight to the he target, which can be supplied in RWS, TWS, or STT. RWS is usually not used for AMRAAM guidance due to the previously mentioned advantages of TWS or STT, but it remains available. Note that an AMRAAM launch from RWS automatically commands TWS, but RWS could be reselected if ultimately desired.

HAFU SYMBOLOGY RADAR upper hos amb frd unk

F/F lower hos amb frd unk

SURV full small hos amb frd unk

RADAR+F/F full small hos amb frd
RADAR+SURV

PPLI full n/a n/a frd n/a

Priority is first given to PPLI HAFU symbology. Any PPLI trackfile is displayed as a full circle regardless of whether there is onboard contribution.

Non-PPLI Radar trackfiles are prioritized after and have an upper HAFU shape. If a Radar trackfile also has F/F and/or SURV contribution, a lower HAFU is displayed as well. Trackfiles with Radar contribution are also characterized by a rank number in the center of the HAFU.

A trackfile with either only F/F contribution or F/F and SURV contribution is displayed as a lower HAFU shape. There is no indication as to whether SURV is a contributor.

Trackfiles with only SURV contribution have the lowest symbology priority. SURV-only trackfiles are displayed as 3/4 size HAFUs with full diamond, circle, or rectangle shapes.

AUTOMATIC FORMAT SELECTION Commonly-used formats can be automatically selected without using the [TAC] or [SUPT] menu to ease pilot workload.

When A/A or A/G master mode is selected, the A/A Radar/Attack format or A/G Radar format is displayed on the RDDI. When either master mode is selected the Stores format is displayed on the LDDI.

Independent of master mode, when the Sensor Control switch is pressed right and the format on the RDDI cannot accept TDC assignment, the A/A Radar/Attack format or A/G Radar format is displayed on the RDDI, depending on which was last selected. However, in A/A master mode, only the A/A Attack format can be displayed.

In A/A master mode, when the Sensor Control switch is pressed left and the format on the LDDI cannot accept TDC assignment, the Azimuth/Elevation (Az/El) format is displayed.

On the Az/El format, the A/A FLIR and A/A Stores format can be displayed by selecting the "STORES DSPLY" or "FLIR DSPLY" label at PB4 with the cursor. When IFF/RDR is the priority Az/El sensor, PB4 invokes the Stores format. When the FLIR is the priority Az/El sensor, it invokes the FLIR format. The priority sensor is cycled when the Sensor Control switch is bumped toward the Az/El with the cursor outside the tactical region. Note that the cursor is initialized over the STORES/FLIR DSPLY label, which is also outside the tactical region, allowing for immediate selection of the Stores or FLIR format and/or sensor cycling between IFF/RDR and FLIR.

Independent of master mode, when the Sensor Control switch is pressed aft and the format currently on the MPCD cannot accept TDC assignment, the HSI format is displayed on the MPCD. On any display, when the Sensor Control switch is bumped toward the HSI or SA formats after the TDC is already assigned to the format, the HSI and SA formats are cycled (e.g. HSI, SA, HSI).