We’ve taken a good look at unguided munitions in past missions, now we’ll start exploring the capabilities of the Su-25T with regards to precision guided munitions. Today we’ll be hauling quite a large and diverse load of weapons, both guided and unguided.
On our most outboard stations we’ll be carrying the ODAB-500PM Fuel-Air Explosive (FAE) bomb. The FAE is an extremely powerful bomb that has an enormous overpressure blast effect and is effective against soft targets such as personnel, aircraft and other unfortified structures. Moving inboard we’ll be carrying a single Kh-25ML on the right wing and an S-24 rocket on the left wing. The Kh-25ML is a semi-active laser guided missile designed for use against enemy fortifications, bunkers, weapons platforms, AAA and SAM sites. The S-24, on the other hand, is an older technology rocket that uses fins to stabilize its flight and is purely an aim-and-shoot type of weapon; there is no post launch guidance. Moving inboard once again we have mounted under each wing the 9K121 “Vikhr” anti-tank weapon system. Each launcher system carries 8 missiles and the targeting is done via the Su-25Ts “Shkval” targeting system with the integrated “Prichal” laser targeting system. In low-light the “Mercury” low-light television can also be used to target the Vikhr. Finally, on the most inboard stations we have the S-25L rocket on the right wing and the Kh-29T on the left wing. The S-25L is a beefy weapon (400 kg.) and uses laser designation to home-in on the designated target. The Kh-29T is a large missile capable of destroying concrete shelters, bridges, ships and other large industrial or reinforced targets. Once launched the Kh-2T guides itself to the target using integrated TV guidance.
With all of this ordnance and a full load of fuel, we’ll be tipping the scales near maximum gross takeoff weight so be aware that our –T will be even more of a pig today compared to prior missions. We’ll take off from Novorossijsk, hit waypoint #1 and #2 which will line us up for our first target: the river bridge crossing. This initial target is very important because it will prevent a column of armored units from continuing along the road (the armor column will also be a target). The Kh-29T is an ideal weapon to take out the bridge. After destroying the bridge we’ll circle around and take out the enemy armor (hopefully now stationary) with our Vikhr missiles.
After working over the armor we’ll head up to the airfield at Anapa and destroy some predesignated targets including both control towers and a row of parked aircraft on the ramp. We’ll finish up by landing at the Anapa airfield.
Weather for the mission will be a bit poor, but the ceiling and visibility will be plenty high enough for visual bombing. Expect a solid overcast with light rain and some mild turbulence at all levels.
Departing the gloomy airfield it is easy to tell we are loaded heavily as the acceleration is slower and we use almost the entire length of the runway to get airborne.
Turning toward the north we follow along the coast. The airplane is a bit of a handful to fly since we have an asymmetric loadout with weapons of various sizes and weights distributed across the wings.
Approaching the first attack waypoint I switch to air-to-ground HUD mode (7) and activate the “Shkval” optical system which shows up in the TV-indicator display on the right side of the panel. The system can automatically lock onto objects based on their expected size which can be set via the CTRL +/- keys. Additionally the optics zoom level can be adjusted for wide area searching or higher zoom levels. I’ve mapped the slewable cursor to my mini-stick on the throttle of my X52 so that I can easily move the camera around and punching the mini-stick button will lock the target. I have to admit that it is a real challenge to fly the aircraft (which is often out of trim), manage the weapons, and designate targets all at the same time. A challenge in this relatively low-threat environment, but a true nightmare no doubt when things are really going badly! Since the target has been predesignated in the preflight briefing, a diamond target market appears on the HUD to aid in locating and designating the target.
The arrow on the left side of the HUD scale drops down and soon the target is within range and the “Launch Authorized” (LA) illuminates in the HUD. Squeezing the trigger the Kh-29T missile is kicked from the rack, free falls for a second and then the rocket motor ignites in a blinding flash.
The missile streaks in just ahead of the convoy as it approaches the bridge.
I watch in fascination as the missile streaks into view on the TV display, impacting the bridge and sending chunks of concrete flying. Simultaneously my threat warning receiver is going nuts and I roll hard left to exit the area.
The armor column continues forward until it reaches the bridge then stops in their tracks.
The rear-guard ZSU-23-4 “Shilka” isn’t amused and sends a few bursts of AAA my way as I jink my way out over the water. I swear I hear the thump of a round hitting, but nothing seems amiss.
With the column stopped it is time to switch to the Vikhr missiles. I cycle to them using the “D” key (still haven’t mapped that to my X52) and visually line up on the target area using the fire from the burning bridge to guide me. Once the slewable laser circle is near the bridge area I hit the designate button, increase the magnification and slew the designator down the road until I come to the end vehicle. Since the “Zeus” is the biggest threat I take it out first. The target cursor on the Shkval display automatically locks onto the unit once it is within a few meters of it. You also have to make sure you have turned on your laser designator (Shift O) and you will see an “LR” illuminate on the left side of the HUD indicating the laser is firing. The laser has a finite firing time however (60 seconds or less) and it will automatically shut-off if it overheats, so engage it at the appropriate time. When all the parameters are right and the Shkval system determines you are within range, you will get a “launch authorized” cue to fire.
The Vikhr missiles come out of their tubes rapidly and their flight time is very short (9 seconds to cover the 4000 km range). The missile contains only one servo motor which results in the characteristic “corkscrew” path that the missile takes to the target. This is very cool to watch through the Shkval display as the missiles crisscross their way to the target.
The “Zeus” goes up in a ball of flames. You’ll notice that busses are placed throughout the armor column; these are not to be targeted. Since this is a practice exercise we are stressing targeting and accuracy as much as possible. I spend a good amount of time extended out from the column and coming back in on multiple runs, not all of which are successful. I found that after turning off the laser it would cool down in just about the amount of time that was required to reverse course and come back in for another attack. I do think I wasn’t getting far enough away from the column to give me more time to target and launch at maximum range. By launching at maximum range you can target multiple vehicles in a single pass. My proficiency with targeting using my X52 is still in its infancy though, so I was limited to one pass – one shot operations. On some passes I got in too close prior to designating and my missiles missed. Also, I found hitting the lead tank on the top of the bridge abutment was difficult, perhaps due to too shallow of an attack angle. The missiles ended up impacting just below the tank instead of striking the hull directly.
You also have to keep track of how many missiles you’ve fired because I didn’t see any indication in the HUD that shows how many missiles you have remaining. From the external view it is easy to see the empty launch tubes however.
Speed is also another important factor during Vikhr attacks since flying slower gives you more targeting and engagement time. On the other hand, flying slower gives you less energy for evasive maneuvers and exposes you for a longer time to counter-fire from air defense units; all factors to be considered. Overall I really enjoyed the Vikhr/Shkval weapon system. While it will take me awhile to learn to “play the
HOTAS” like a flute, the system is very cool.
Even though I didn’t kill all of the targets in the armored column I’m soon out of missiles and head for the next target. Approaching the airfield I can see the next predesignated target diamond superimposed over the first control tower (is there a way to cycle through predesignated targets or does the diamond show up over ALL predesignated targets?). For this attack I elect to use the unguided S-24 rocket so I select station #3 and fly the pipper over the diamond and pull the trigger.
The rocket swooshes down on a straight (unguided) trajectory and I wait to see the results though the HUD.
Unfortunately I must have been just a smidge off target to the left when I fired; instead of destroying the control tower the rocket lands in the parking area just to the left, destroying the four vehicles that were parked there.
Frustrated I select the laser guided S-25L rocket and use the Shkval laser targeting system once more to lock on to the control tower.
This time the rocket homes in on the laser point and the building is destroyed.
Glancing to the left as I cross the airfield I can see the row of aircraft on the apron that represent another target.
With each weapon I launch, and more fuel expended, the –T becomes a bit more nimble as the mission progresses. Whereas I was barely able to climb and reverse course earlier in the mission I’m not able to climb aggressively and do smooth wingover type reversals as the weight decreases. I fly off to the northeast of the field for a bit and come back around to target the final predesignated target (the 2nd control tower) and Kh-25ML to target the building.
With the target designated and the laser on I wait for the launch authorization and pull the trigger.
I see the explosion of the building getting hit and figure that while I’m on the same run I can also take care of the aircraft on the apron. The weapon selection automatically cycled to the last weapons on the pylons (the FAEs) so I simply use the CCIP piper (even though the Shkval designator is still on the HUD as well) to line up on the target.
The FAE is pretty darn impressive although I was disappointed that the blast radius wasn’t big enough to envelope all of the targets on the flight line. It also seems apparent that no matter what your ripple settings are the outboard weapons pylons always release simultaneously so you can’t really get a good dispersion of those two weapons along any axis.
Now completely out of weapons I activate the canon to try to clean up the remaining two aircraft and helicopter that are parked on the ramp. My first two canon runs are less than impressive as I manage to only stir up a bunch of smoke around the targets.
Eventually I settle down and by peering though the magnified HUD and shooting in short and controlled bursts I start getting the hang of when exactly to fire. Waiting until close range instead of trying to hit the target at maximum range seems to improve my effectiveness tremendously.
During my strafing runs I realize that my attack on the second control tower actually failed; once again I hit the parked vehicles next to the tower instead of the building itself. I try putting some canon rounds into the building to no effect.
With all of my weapons depleted I enter the downwind and come in for a safe landing. I’m getting the hang of flying this beast now and even though every landing is exciting I’ve learned what kinds of speeds and normal for approaches and touchdown (I’ve surely jinxed myself now!).
Altogether the mission ran about 30 minutes long and I destroyed a good number of targets. My Vikhr attacks could have been much more effective but for the first try I thought it went pretty well (I didn’t fly into the ground anyway). The static objects destroyed on the ramp don’t show up in the destroyed list, which is a shame, I feel like debriefs should include all targets hit whether they were mission related or not.
This plane is a blast to fly and fight. The feeling of flight, as so many people have observed, is second to none. The complexity of doing all of the targeting, flying, attacking, and escaping is very exciting and even in my rather poorly made and crude missions I’m having a blast. I’m really looking forward to flying campaign missions where surprises may lurk as well as other user created missions that will no doubt be very challenging. For now though, the learning continues.
This mission can be downloaded here: http://www.mudspike.com/lomac/simhq10.zip Regards..
BeachAV8R
