Russian EOS vs. Gazelle

[:Money]

Just to give a bit of useful information to anyone flying around the SA342 Mistral like myself, I did some basic testing offline flying the Mig-29S EOS mode while tracking a Gazelle with an IR suppressor fitted. 

Conditions were co-altitude of 500ft over the ocean and passes made trailing and head on. Speeds of 800-1000km/h for Mig-29 and 200km/h for Gazelle. Did not test without IR suppressor.

EOS able to lock at about 6km from behind. EOS able to lock at about 3km head on. 

Reason for test was because I would take evasive action when being locked up head on by 27/29 and break lock, then I would be worried they would be tracking me in EOS with radar off, so I would try to hide. Now knowing this, at 3km nose on at high speed, the 27/29 would only have a few seconds at that closure rate to see the target symbol in the hud, move cursor to lock and get a missile off.

When you add to the fact that the pilot could/would/should be scanning visually left/right as well and might miss the initial detection for even a second or two the chance of being successfully attacked in EOS in an initial head on engagement appears to be extremely low. Being detected at an off angle from the front quarter would probably lessen success of initial engagement even further.

I would imagine that a 27/29 flying not nearly as fast would gain a few seconds of possible detection/reaction time.

Of course all bets are off after the merge.

Hope this helps the Mistral pilots just a little...

Money

 

 

[104th_Maverick]

Great info, thanks Money!