DCS: F-16C Viper NEW ALQ-184 ECM Pod Pros & Cons!

[@Spudknocker]

Known Video Errors: Always be in CAT III with a Targeting, ECM or HTS Pod on the aircraft, and always turn off your external lights while in combat! The new ALQ-184 pod is really cool, but not a magic suit of armor!

[@desertsaker196]

The ALQ-184 makes me invincible, roger

[@Spudknocker]

@@desertsaker196 whadda you mean?? You don’t need an ECM pod when you always have trees between you and the SAM site!

[@jackdanson2]

Don't need jammer if you're going mach 1.5+ 20 feet off the ground. -Viggen.

[@desertsaker196]

@@Spudknocker this is true

[@Idenwen]

Make the lights only a difference with humans or with the AI too?

[@Americium-120]

I have been practicing long range sorties without the centerline tank for a while now on servers so I've learned to become very fuel efficient. With the arrival of this ECM pod, my time has come!

[@varmint87]

I don't even play DCS but i love all the content on youtube to satisfy my inner nerd, Good work Spud.

[@geraldfisk4132]

Hello,I came across your video, and sent it to my father. He is retired from 132nd tfw out of desmoines Iowa, and was the boss of the ecm pod area. Was interested in his thoughts Just letting you know thanks for video, because I liked to give my dad small reminders of his great achievements in the air guard.

[@blkspade23]

The drag index is actually lower for the center bag in the viper. For A-A, it can make more sense to pull from the wing tanks first, and fight operating on to that extra fuel in the center.

[@TheRandomSqueak]

Exactly, idk why anyone wouldn't use the wings first fuel mode and get rid of the extra weight and drag as soon as possible.

[@questofknowledge8788]

Not to mention with them finally adding wing ripping to the f16, the wing tanks being empty can make you quite a maneuverable aircraft.

[@TomerTalmor]

Thanks for the video Spud! Can't wait to jam all those SAMs in your missions ;)

[@FirstDagger]

ED being awesome also gave us the choice to mount the ECM pods on the wing stations 3 or 7 for more obscure longer range strike loadouts.

[@WhereNerdyisCool]

7:43 I can't find how to put this into the aft position? What do we map this to?

[@WhereNerdyisCool]

I found it, it isn't under CMDS it shows under Countermeasures. Finally!

[@Fox3-Luck]

Thanks Spudknocker, great video. Thanks for the nice ECM tutorial.

[@davidcope3304]

I wonder if and when the A6 comes out if they will release the EA6B. It would also be cool is if someone made the F111and the EF111.

[@michaelwestmoreland2530]

Long time dream, dedicated ECM/ECCM operations. I get its classified but...not even Vietnam Era? Maybe Coldwar? Desert Storm?

[@ceruleanskies1414]

Excellent video. Brief course in F-16 EW.

[@Rob.Flynn81]

Plot twist: Spud is actually a robot teaching us all how to fly. Prove me wrong.

[@Spudknocker]

Spud is the updated version of Kortana. Saker is the ikea brand AI

[@c3f59]

Awesome digest. Thanks man.

[@wilbuzllf5057]

Great demonstration, well done!

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I tested the centerline tank and with normal afterburner climb to 25k feet and it was damn near empty. And it wasn't full afterburner, just past the horn and full military power. So, even if you did a non burner takeoff that's basically all the centerline tank is for. Getting you to altitude without using the wing tanks or internal fuel. And as a side thought, does the engine pull straight from the external tanks? Or does it pull from the internal and the bags just refill the internals? Or is it selectable?

[@thereisnospoon3595]

Wish the beeping could be turned down, in order to hear you everyone in my house thinks its catching fire lol. I know not you DCS but wow that jammer seems extra loud. Maybe in the mixing if you dulled the sounds of DCS a bit and raised yours a bit might help though. Thanks for the info as always Spuds!

[@jonl.1603]

I imagine you're referring to the RWR warnings, which are not tied to the ECM pod at all. There is a volume panel on the left console. One is labeled threat. Use that to turn down the RWR warnings.

[@SteviePonder123]

HAD ECM and HARMs are amazing so far IMO

[@lasselahti4056]

So, which one to choose from two of those options? :) bigger number? how about today...? (september 2022)

[@MrWhiteladder61]

Great video, I would say this though. Against a Sa-2 site with the logic that dcs Sam sites employ I think you are better off not switching on your pod!! Given that most sites will only have 6 launchers, its better to use the Israeli wagon wheel tactic which they used in yom kipper, which with the pod off tempts the site into launching at max range, which can easily be defeated and then cluster bomb the site. With the pod on you are much closer before they launch and kinematically the Sa- 2 is in a much better position. Just my opinion

[@typhoonul985]

great spudknocker

[@simtaylor61]

Question: Does the sim differentiate between Conventional Wave Radar and Doppler Radar for SAM/Ground sites. I know a CW Radar, if you fly straight at it, will loose lock. It's like notching a Doppler Radar set. Is that modeled in the sim?

[@LukaszNawrocki]

Thank you for your super video.

[@Andromedon777]

Omg for some reason for the past year I forgot about Wags and thought you were him hahahaha

[@arkady86]

Great tutorial Spud, can I ask you what FOV you're using for the F-16 and the distance from your monitor? Thanks in advance and sorry to bother you, just trying to get the best out of my 21:9. Cheers!

[@Eleolius]

Try using the pod against Flankers/MiG's with R27ERs. AI's don't like it at least.

[@gundamator4709]

Spud as a strike eagle simp im curious to what you think of the 2022 and beyond video.

[@chichan4127]

how can you get the update? just fired up dcs and the ecm pannel is still inop

[@DD-sw1dd]

Are you playing the beta? If not, in steam theirs an option in the steam library to install the beta. If stand-alone, it’s pretty straight forward.

[@Brimmlinn]

Question. In Red Kites video he states that SAM HOJ is not modeled in DCS, but here you state that the SA-2 does have HOJ. RedKites quick test of the ALQ-184 pod seem to show it as a situational tool at best so I would be nice if someone could come up with the correct answer on HOJ.

[@NanoTrasen]

Spud tends to list out the real life capabilities regardless of how they are modeled in DCS. Defer to Red Kite if you prefer a more accurate video of how to employ the system in DCS.

[@bubu2674]

hi, spud, is CAT I and CAT III part of work done in F-16?

[@MaverickSu-35]

Are you sure that making the SAM have different skill levels makes it lose lock quicker or later? What I could see is that it only locks you up and engages you from closer or longer range only and the lock and missile behavior are unaffected. In DCS, the skills levels of AI are quite rudimentary and don't make much difference or at least it has only a few differences.

[@Maxtorym]

Nice vid. Now there is a new sale and i cant choose what plane to buy next. F16 or ac 10 tank killer. Allready have f18

[@isaacalvarado2568]

So when are the EA-6B Prowler, or E/A-18G Growler coming to the game? I wouldn’t ever fly anything else if those were in the game!

[@Hornet411]

the Growler is not coming in our lifetimes lmfao

[@agostonbazmajer1100]

Maybe an AI Prowler at best.

[@martindinner3621]

Well, they did tease an A-6/EA-6 in the end of year video.

[@LukaszNawrocki]

Where is this ECM POD, I can’t find it on my dcs f16 on steam? Is it already accessible?

[@raven229a6]

It's only in open beta at the moment.

[@LukaszNawrocki]

@@raven229a6 thank you for answer.

[@snotcycle]

Please show me this seeker head and its HOJ technology that you so casually reference in the SA-2 missile...

[@xyz-hj6ul]

The SA-2 actually has very simplistic RFCG guidance in it's initial versions (who knows now, after multiple decades of upgrades...). The receiver for which are simple dipole antenna on the nose. Being a two stage missile, the weapon could not shield these command guidance uplink antenna on the back of the first stage tail and the second stage already places a tracking beacon here. The Schmel radio proximity fusing system was in the nose and since the missile includes a command-detonation function (for range safing and nuclear versions) it 'made sense' to place the RFCG aerials in the nose were ground radars could easily be seen, past the EM noisy plasma tail of the liquid fueled sustainer. Except... When B-52 formations started encountering the Guideline during Arc Lights, they casually jammed the uplink ('missile activity light') as well as the search radar and the threat went away because the Jammer strobe went in the same command guidance antenna and the distance of up to 8 miles vertically and 15 miles horizontally also put a lot of IBJ or Gate Steal stress on the Fan Song automatic tracking systems. With the missile essentially functioning on CLOS from a radar which was jammed white, this two-pronged electronic attack seemed guaranteed to destroy missile effectiveness. Except... By the time Linebacker rolled around, some clever soul had discovered that the RFCG could be set to home on a signal above the missile (repolarized the dipoles), whether the radar could see it or not. Much unpleasantness occurred during the Christmas raids when jammers became beacons. Ordinarily, the relatively slow angular maneuver rate of the missile meant it would fly right out the other side of the strobe and miss-ile the target bomber. But when it didn't... The SAM's proximity fuse triggers the 440lb warhead at a considerable distance and it blows a frag pattern forward, like a shotgun along the missile flight path, until it intersects the bomber, anything up to several hundred feet away. By leading their volley fired SAM like a thrown football, enough of the missiles would capture the jammer strobe early enough (as the bombers turned to come off target they sprayed RFCM energy across the sky from their fixed antenna depression angles while slowing their over-ground speed to a crawl for a few key moments) such that the HOJ modified missiles could lock onto the strobe and beam ride it, right up into the formation. Where the explosion of the SAM could strike the X108 Mk.82/M117 bombs which were located in the bomb bays just ahead of the jammer package (ALQ-117 IIRR) and on wing pylons of the B-52D. The resulting double explosion would light up the sky over Hanoi or Haiphong for MILES as the bombers took literally a minute or more to spiral in from 35,000ft to the ground, burning the whole distance. www.historynet.com/the-11-day-war.htm www.military.com/video/operations-and-strategy/vietnam-war/harrowing-audio-of-b-52s-bombing-hanoi/2849297403001 www.ausairpower.net/APA-S-75-Volkhov.html

[@HopcxSyvoalw]

4:38 operation

[@Peter-bakker]

Next video new voice chat ?

[@Spudknocker]

Yep! Just couldn’t get to it today!

[@Peter-bakker]

@@Spudknocker looking forward to it

[@Thumper770]

ECM pods are pretty standard when it comes to mounting them. We should have access to any ECM pod in pretty much any plane that carries an ECM pod.

[@subjectc7505]

👀EW? I hope we can get a Ai Growler

[@Spudknocker]

Ehhh… probably not soon haha

[@jfiery]

REALLY wish we could get the rails to carry more than 3 AARAMS as standard. Just so few weapons stations as is and she's a thirsty girl.

[@Spudknocker]

You can carry up to 4 AMRAAMs on a ground attack mission or up to 6 for a Counter Air mission!

[@jfiery]

@@Spudknocker I meant per side. I was in a server and the Israeli Vipers has racks that allowed 6 per side. All things considered I'd have purchased the Hornet despite its shortcomings do to my enjoyment of strike missions and the fact that they seem to have at least marginally more legs. I'm aware they dont have the escape abilities the Viper does but when cornered loaded down with a strike package the Viper has to dump everything to have a chance anyway.

[@Lorian667]

Well, you learn to use your weapons effectively in the Viper (because you must, lol). And that helps in other aircraft that carry more load.

[@brunofagulha]

Fuel management & AAR.

[@user-vp9lc9up6v]

Dert

[@wiesenbefeuchter]

Unfocussed

[@Agent0range67]

Do not talk to me like I'm stupid