B1284.1: KAB-1500Kr-Pr TV/EO not engaging targets
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2022 11:43 pm
I see that this issue has been reported before with earlier builds and flagged as fixed, but I'm still finding problems. Using the Complex Air Strike tutorial I have a pair of Fencer-Ds with a KAB-1500Kr-Pr TV/EO [Penetrator) loadout tasked on a land strike mission against the ammo bunker at Zinder airfield. They fly the mission but just overfly the target without releasing, then fly figures-of-eight until they reach bingo fuel. Occasionally they might release one or two weapons after 20 minutes or so if I've adjusted the IP and release point heights to 14000ft ASL (which works out about 12500ft AGL at Zinder), but this seems to be as much luck as anything. Attempts to release weapons manually fail, typically with an "out of vertical boresight limits" message
I can micro-manage the attack to force weapon release fairly reliably by ordering a descent to 12000ft ASL just before the range circle crosses the target and then back to 14000ft ASL after weapon release (or failed weapon release). However, this option won't be available to an AI side, giving the opposing player plenty of opportunity to pick off aircraft using the KAB-1500Kr-Pr before they do any damage.
As far as I can tell, the issue is that the vertical angle for an attacking aircraft at max range and 12000ft AGL is too steep for the KAB-1500Kr-Pr TV/EO seeker to acquire its target. The AI pilot tries to compensate by pitching the aircraft nose down but usually cannot do so quickly enough to get a weapon lock before overflying the target. Also, if the attack run starts at too low an altitude there's the risk that the attacking aircraft will drop below minimum release height while manoeuvring.
I've experimented with other guided bombs such as Walleyes and Paveways and found no such issues, which I believe is because those weapons have considerably longer horizontal ranges.
The two attached saved games should show what I mean.
I can micro-manage the attack to force weapon release fairly reliably by ordering a descent to 12000ft ASL just before the range circle crosses the target and then back to 14000ft ASL after weapon release (or failed weapon release). However, this option won't be available to an AI side, giving the opposing player plenty of opportunity to pick off aircraft using the KAB-1500Kr-Pr before they do any damage.
As far as I can tell, the issue is that the vertical angle for an attacking aircraft at max range and 12000ft AGL is too steep for the KAB-1500Kr-Pr TV/EO seeker to acquire its target. The AI pilot tries to compensate by pitching the aircraft nose down but usually cannot do so quickly enough to get a weapon lock before overflying the target. Also, if the attack run starts at too low an altitude there's the risk that the attacking aircraft will drop below minimum release height while manoeuvring.
I've experimented with other guided bombs such as Walleyes and Paveways and found no such issues, which I believe is because those weapons have considerably longer horizontal ranges.
The two attached saved games should show what I mean.