1. Pilots of the North Caucasus Military District 4th Air Army are advised to utilise range data presented in this document for all mission planning. Additional intelligence for mission planning is available at the Flanker 2 Ironhand Site. Test results from Savostlyeka supercede data from all other sources, including Western print media and the Flanker 2.0 manual, for all operations in the Black Sea Theater.

Notes:

1. Opposing aircraft taking off from Khersones and Kirovskoye airfields, which are farthest apart among those visible on the Crimean View Editor Map, begin their missions on the very edge of one another's GCI/AWACS-assisted 150 km radius "attention zone" for Fighter Sweep, Intercept, and Escort tasks. This can cause illusions of omniscience in the part of computer-controlled aircraft.

Notes

1. Equivalent RCS is a theoretical calculation which assumes radar cross section to be the only variable affecting detection range. Effects of noise, ground curvature over large distances, irregular beam spreading and atmospheric attentuation are not considered. This results in the discrepancy between "Equivalent" and "Real World" RCS values for large targets.

2. "Real World" RCS figures are taken from Nicholas Fourikis, "Phased Array-Based Systems and Applications" and are themselves estimated values. Figure given for Su-27 is used as a common reference point for calculating relative RCS of other aircraft based on detection range.

3. AI aircraft behave differently according to type and mission, and often do not fire long-range weapons at their maximum lock-on range.

4. A-50 and E-3A AEW&C aircraft behave identically in every respect. The presence of either in a mission provides the user with unlimited detection and lock-on range against any target (tested at >1600 km vs F-117). Computer-controlled aircraft, on the other hand, appear to be advised only if they themselves are within 150 km of the target AND within 150 km of the AEW&C aircraft. EWR radars operate similarly, except that they direct only computer-controlled aircraft, and not the user.

5. The subject of Tu-160 vs B-1B "stealthiness" has been a topic of debate for some time ("Combat Aircraft" Sept. & Nov. 1998).

6. RCS is currently independent of aspect. "Beaming" Doppler radars has no apparent effect.

7. Computer-controlled aircraft detect and react to enemy radar lock-on.

8. Computer-controlled aircraft always use radar instead of EOS when attacking the user's aircraft.

9. Terrain masking against the user's radar is modelled.

10. Detection and lock-on range does not vary with altitude and air resistance, the way that missile range does.

Notes

1. Results were measured using head-on engagements against targets of sufficient radar cross section to ensure that the rocket motor, and not the user or AI radar, was the limiting factor in range. Max ranges will be lower for stealthy and/or evasive targets.

2. Max missile ranges in the print media (including the Flanker 2.0 manual, eg. p. 116) show significant variance and contradiction. An indication of this is given as the percent spread in parentheses.

3. Note that although the Flanker 2.0 Encyclopaedia figures do not always agree with outside sources, they are highly consistent within the game. Missiles behave exactly according to their descriptions.

4. Note that computer-controlled aircraft are conservative and never launch at maximum range. This may be the result of an attempt to make combat easier by giving the user first-shot opportunity, rather than spoiling the missile models. Computer-controlled aircraft also tend to fire IR missiles before radar missiles, especially for forward-aspect shots, unless the radar missile offers dramatically superior range.

Notes

1. Most missiles in Flanker 2.0 are controlled by modern, realistic "proportional navigation" homing logic. They predict the flight path of the opponent and do NOT follow a lag pursuit trajectory that is easily outmaneuvered by "beaming" the missile. Defeating missiles with maneuvering is difficult and requires dramatic changes in altitude and relative direction (e.g. beam the missile and perform a split-S). This will force the missile to constantly recompute your trajectory as you throw your plane around the sky. By forcing it to steer while it is in unpowered flight, you can sometimes slow it down to the point where it cannot keep up with you. This is not true of long-range S-300PS missiles and the AI's conservative 20 km AMRAAM shot, in which the missiles are still in "burn" when they reach you.

2. Knowing this, your rate of turn becomes the single most important flight parameter that will determine whether or not you can physically outmaneuver an incoming, post-burn missile. Second in importance is your speed (i.e. can you get away from the warhead quickly enough when the missile control fins are defeated).

3. The table above demonstrates that your altitude and your weight are FAR MORE IMPORTANT to your rate of turn than whether or not you are at "Corner Velocity". If you are carrying any air to ground ordnance, drop it (Ctrl-W)! A full load of KAB-1500KRs can weigh over 6000 kg. Even worse, a full load of fuel is 8500 kg. Try to plan short-range missions or dogfights with less fuel on board. Jettisonning air-to-air weapons, however, is generally unnecessary, a full load of R-27s is only 2618 kg, R-77s are even lighter.

4. An additional observation. If your aircraft is light enough, you can establish 800 km/h, activate autothrottle (press "J"), and yank on the stick as hard as you like to get near-maximum horizontal turn rate without losing "energy". It turns out that under these conditions, the engines have enough power to overcome drag no matter how hard you turn. This should allow online gunzo fighters to spend more time concentrating on their opponent without worrying about their energy state. This may also be a good tactic with which to enter a missile threat zone, since it lets you quickly turn to beam a missile, dive and split-S to change direction, and still have a good high speed at the end of the maneuver with which to get away. When you level out, the autothrottle will keep you from overspeeding and losing your maneuverability.

1. Pilots are advised that maneouvering solutions to aspect problems generated by modern air-to-air missiles have timing windows shorter than one second (1 s) and constitute neither viable training material nor practicable tactics for the mission planning level. Pilots will train and plan to prevent launch at all times, through combinations of avoidance, masking, and standoff SEAD, including high-altitude AWACS-assisted R-27ER shots.

2. When approaching a SAM or aircraft threat zone, pilots are advised to employ the tactic described in Table 6, Note 4: Establish 800 km/h and engage Autothrottle ("J"). Maximum maneouverability is experienced at altitudes below 3000 m. Sorbtsiya ECM pods should be activated.

3. Air missile threats must be categorized according to a) speed and b) motor burn on/off. The R-33E is used at various phases in its TOF in the recordings below by way of example.

• The first R-33E is fired at long range. The motor burns out and it homes unpowered on Master's Su-33. Master's beam and split-S (which is carried through into an inverted loop; do not initiate this maneover below 1500 m AGL) force the missile to continually correct its lead trajectory, inducing drag. The missile slows to less than 1800 km/h. It is necessary to time the maneouver exactly so that Master's Su-33 is heading straight up when the missile reaches him. This forces the missile to fight earth's gravity, which it fails to do. Since Master was approaching the threat when MLWS was triggered, the missile is beamed and the split-S is initiated exactly 11 s after warning. If the missile had already been on the beam, split-S would be initiated 13 s after warning.
• The second R-33E is fired at shorter range, and is powered up until the time it reaches Master's aircraft. Master has less time to react to this faster (4-5000 km/h) missile and begins his split-S immediately upon warning. The missile is powered, so this time the loop fails to slow it down. Instead, Master settles into a -15^o dive for 5 s, giving the missile time to settle into a lead intercept course. Master times his pull-up so that his Su-33 is pointing up the instant the R-33E reaches him. The R-33E misses, its motor burns out, it is unable to overcome earth's gravity and it crashes into the ground.
• The third R-33E is fired before Master has enough altitude for a split-S, so he settles into a dive again, demonstrating that split-S maneuvers are unnecessary and ineffective against powered high-speed missiles. The R-33E is defeated as before, but this missile is still powered and does not crash into the ground when it misses.
• Master turns toward the MiG-31 and fires an R-73 (which is defeated by an enemy flare), flying straight into an enemy R-77. An extremely lucky bank at just the right millisecond causes Master to dodge the R-77, despite a head-on collision course.
• The MiG-31 fires a second R-77 within too short of a range. Master maneouvres for a guns kill.