[FIXED][B1877] Tomcat F14A - AIM-54C Crank angle

[Knightpawn]

Based on what I read when a Tomcat fires an AIM-54C the AWG-9 radar does not broadcast a widened illumination cone. The AWG-9 continues to provide periodic mid-course uplink corrections to the missile via pulse-width modulation of the radar beam. Once the AIM-54C's own seeker acquires the target, the missile goes fully autonomous and the F-14 can break the lock.

The issue is that, when behavior is set to Crank the game puts the target exactly on top of the (narrow) illumination arc and this results in the Phoenix going blind and loosing the target before going Pitbull. One could circumvent this problem if BVR is set to Straight in, but this behaviour is "unhealthy" in general and for Sparrow shots in particular.

Maybe the Crank angle merits a slight adjustment?

Screen Recording 2026-06-04 224916.gif (5.25 MiB) Viewed 217 times

[Raptorx7_slith]

Thanks, logged as 0017357

[Knightpawn]

Thanks, logged as 0017357

Based on this reference it seems that also the illumination width should be larger +/- 65d — unless I got something wrong

https://theaviationist.com/2026/01/19/a ... ar-system/

" Scanning hydraulically, with a maximum scanning pattern of 65 degrees to either side of the Tomcat’s centerline, the antenna focused radiated energy into a narrow beam with pulses being transmitted and echoes received back. Utilizing the received return, a bearing angle was obtained, and the time lapse between emission and return could be measured to calculate a distance.

The AWG-9 was designed with the intent of ultra-long range detection and weapons guidance for mainly the AIM-54 Phoenix AAM."

[Dimitris]

The just-too-excessive-crank-angle issue has been fixed for the next update.

[Dimitris]

Thanks, logged as 0017357

Based on this reference it seems that also the illumination width should be larger +/- 65d — unless I got something wrong

https://theaviationist.com/2026/01/19/a ... ar-system/

" Scanning hydraulically, with a maximum scanning pattern of 65 degrees to either side of the Tomcat’s centerline, the antenna focused radiated energy into a narrow beam with pulses being transmitted and echoes received back. Utilizing the received return, a bearing angle was obtained, and the time lapse between emission and return could be measured to calculate a distance.

The AWG-9 was designed with the intent of ultra-long range detection and weapons guidance for mainly the AIM-54 Phoenix AAM."

When guiding Sparrow missiles the AWG-9 can indeed provide illumination to an impressively wide arc, which is VERY useful for cranking in BVR jousts against approaching fighters. (Fun fact: The F-14 over its US service life was often prized far more for its ability to easily haul up to 6x AIM-7F/Ms and launch them at better range and PH than any other Navy/AF fighter, rather than for its Phoenix capability.)

However, things change when guiding Phoenix missiles. The AWG-9 goes into a special "almost TWS" mode with time-shared SARH illumination for each missile until the missile(s) go active. By necessity this constraints the scan volume (and thus the illumination arc) considerably, in order to provide adequate refresh rate. Kurt Plummer described well the tactical implications of this and other limitations of the AWG-9/AIM-54 system: https://pastebin.com/Fsy8MhgN