[1263.1] Radar not detecting the incoming missile

[AceOfSpadeszzzzzz]

In the attached scen, the missile is already within 175nm, but the radar can't detect it. Is it an intended behavior or?

[eclair]

It may worth to note that radar detect BM with better range when Tico is located further from launching point (I'm not sure Devs intended this).

*Tico 400nm and 1200nm have ESM contact, and range is greatly overestimated (actual range is about 10nm).

[SteveMcClaire]

In the attached scen, the missile is already within 175nm, but the radar can't detect it. Is it an intended behavior or?

In this situation the ballistic missile is coming down from a very high altitude at a very steep angle. The Tico's radar can't look straight up and, by the time the missile has descended to within the radar's range, the missile is in the radar blind cone (or 'cone of silence') above the ship. If you place another ship with a similar radar some distance (say 80-90nm) to the west of the target ship you should get a radar detection.

[AceOfSpadeszzzzzz]

In the attached scen, the missile is already within 175nm, but the radar can't detect it. Is it an intended behavior or?

In this situation the ballistic missile is coming down from a very high altitude at a very steep angle. The Tico's radar can't look straight up and, by the time the missile has descended to within the radar's range, the missile is in the radar blind cone (or 'cone of silence') above the ship. If you place another ship with a similar radar some distance (say 80-90nm) to the west of the target ship you should get a radar detection.

I see, may I ask how can we find out the blind cone for a ship?

[Gizzmoe]

In this situation the ballistic missile is coming down from a very high altitude at a very steep angle. The Tico's radar can't look straight up and, by the time the missile has descended to within the radar's range, the missile is in the radar blind cone (or 'cone of silence') above the ship. If you place another ship with a similar radar some distance (say 80-90nm) to the west of the target ship you should get a radar detection.

That makes sense, but can you please retest it with the attached scen to see if it's really actually WAD? It's the same scen the OP provided, except that this is at pre-launch of the missiles 650nm away. The CG detects them the first time at only 138nm away ever via ELINT, once they turned from a guided missile into a RV.

[SteveMcClaire]

I see, may I ask how can we find out the blind cone for a ship?

There isn't a visual representation for this in the sim, but for an array-based radar like the Tico it is at about 60 degree elevation. You can estimate using 3000m altitude per nm distance (not exact but a quick shorthand, and assuming I've done my math correctly...) so if something is 20nm down range it would need to be above about 60,000m altitude to be in the blind cone. With mechanical radars it is roughly 1000m altitude per nm distance. Most aircraft and weapons can't go high enough to get into the blind cone without passing through a radar's search area. Ballistic missiles are one of the few things.

[SteveMcClaire]

That makes sense, but can you please retest it with the attached scen to see if it's really actually WAD? It's the same scen the OP provided, except that this is at pre-launch of the missiles 650nm away. The CG detects them the first time at only 138nm away ever via ELINT, once they turned from a guided missile into a RV.

This is the ESM on the Tico detecting the missile's active radar seeker as soon as it goes active. The initial range is an estimated range, which is not precise but it is in the ballpark for the slant range (hoizontal and vertical distance) and firms up within a few seconds as other sensors pick up the missile.

[Gizzmoe]

You can estimate using 3000m altitude per nm distance (not exact but a quick shorthand, and assuming I've done my math correctly...) so if something is 20nm down range it would need to be above about 60,000m altitude to be in the blind cone. With mechanical radars it is roughly 1000m altitude per nm distance.

Thanks for the explanation, that's good to know So the radar works fine, the missile was simply too high.

[AceOfSpadeszzzzzz]

I see, may I ask how can we find out the blind cone for a ship?

There isn't a visual representation for this in the sim, but for an array-based radar like the Tico it is at about 60 degree elevation. You can estimate using 3000m altitude per nm distance (not exact but a quick shorthand, and assuming I've done my math correctly...) so if something is 20nm down range it would need to be above about 60,000m altitude to be in the blind cone. With mechanical radars it is roughly 1000m altitude per nm distance. Most aircraft and weapons can't go high enough to get into the blind cone without passing through a radar's search area. Ballistic missiles are one of the few things.

I see, thanks for the explanation!