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Old 26th May 2022, 16:06
  #114 (permalink)  
Cat Techie
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Narfalk
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Originally Posted by ex-fast-jets
Firstly, we didn't have a working INAS. There was a system called FINRAE (Ferranti Inertial Navigation Rapid Alignment Equipment). The INAS could not be aligned on a moving deck - FINRAE was supposed to help resolve this, but it didn't. The best we could get was close to useable heading info, which was better than the only alternative on-board device, the E2B which was close to useless. The sun was not a lot of help initially, because in the Southern Hemisphere, everything is the wrong way around until you get used to it.

So we had no inertially derived weapon aiming solutions, and had to do everything reversionary using manual fixed depressions.

I was involved in three different delivery profiles on the 25th..........

The first was two GR3s on the wings of a SHAR. It used its radar using an offset to pull up into a toss manoeuvre, out of range of AAA and/or SAMs. When its computed aimed bombs came off its wings, we manually released ours to match. Second was a level delivery from 20,000', which was above the AAA/SAM threats using manual depressions and a map to offer the best release point. The third was a manual toss profile - all alone - based on the best QWI derived guesses.

With hindsight, it would have been wise to have a monitor overhead above 20,000' in the safe zone above the airfield to spot fall of shot. But there wasn't one. Tasking on HERMES didn't even use foresight, and was very ad hoc and a bit "what shall we do today?" which wasn't really the best way to make effective use of the limited assets and weapons available.
Thanks for that EFJ. Assume you did have revisionary HUD flight info at least? Assume the laser was as good as useless without a nav kit that had an idea where it was? Heard others talk about how a map and stopwatch was more useful than a E2B.

Last edited by Cat Techie; 26th May 2022 at 16:56.
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