High altitude SAM avoidance
 

Hi all,

Geek question.

If your on a high level bomb run, well above MANPAD and AAA ceilings, and you get a warning of SAM's shooting at the formation would you dive into the low level threat environment or stay above it and try to evade?

Assume you have been briefed that the enemy has numerous advanced MANPAD's and AAA but their long range SAM's are a bit out of date? (Think SA-6)

TIA

Guess it depends how high is 'high'; giving that most missiles are going to be coming up at you at around 3-4000 mph, I reckon they will probably beat you to low level.

It would also depend on the missile's ability to manoeuvre. I believe against an SA2 the best technique was to turn in to the missile but that is only a vague memory. Back in the 60s the aim was break tracking rather than avoid the missile and execute horizontal turns.

Defeat the current threat before worrying about the next potential one.

The previous generation of aircraft had to descend to deliver the level of performance necessary to defeat or generate miss distance. I expect the current generation are more able to sustain altitude to do the same.

Add Jamming / Stealth etc and maybe the scenario is less relevant. There is a good video out there of an F16 evading multiple SAM launches during GW1. I am sure someone will have a link.

Adour

Not really a threat in the AD environment but I think the advice "back in the day" (From what came out of Vietnam and the likes of the F4 in that environment ) was above all keep,the missile in sight, do a manoeuvre ASAP to see if the thing was actually guiding on you, wait, and then at the last moment break hard into the SAM.....(as PN said).

In this day and age......no idea.

Thanks for the replies all.

Many years back when flying a GR1 over Iraq (Op Southern Watch) there was a microwave telecoms transmitter around Basra which had a nasty habit of coming up on the RWR as something like SAM6 tracking. I should add Iraq in those days did still have some SAMs.

We got an RWR alert close to Basra and I threw the mighty GR1 (8:6 fit) into a level burner break to the right which lasted all of 90 degrees before the airspeed was down by about 50kts! Since I could see no smoke and the RWR had quietened down I re joined the chaps wondering what was the point in a level break anyhoo?

[QUOTE=ExRAFRadar;9685002]Hi all,

Geek question.

If your on a high level bomb run, well above MANPAD and AAA ceilings, and you get a warning of SAM's shooting at the formation would you dive into the low level threat environment or stay above it and try to evade?

Assume you have been briefed that the enemy has numerous advanced MANPAD's and AAA but their long range SAM's are a bit out of date? (Think SA-6)

Managed to out-climb 2 X Roland in '82 when I was caught out trying to splash a low-level Pucara over Stanley. Luckily had a thrust/wt ratio approaching 1 and an eagle-eyed winger!

You use the appropriate tactical manoeuvre, hopefully honed during representative EW training, with countermeasures at the required points. If your manoeuvre robs more energy than your aircraft can make up then yes, you end up lower for the next shot. Rinse and repeat until at tree-top height. It can be quite exciting, especially when the large tanks you have pickled-off decide to say hello again as you evade ever downwards.

Adour wrote