by J.D. Webster
MiG-29 Data Card: Ignore or white out the (8) next to the AJM rating and ignore or white out the (10) in the BJM rating for the variant. F-22 and F-23 Data Cards: Psycho's LPI radar technology and Stealth technology notations explained. LPI Radar "Low Probability of Intercept radar". LPI radar uses advanced displays and synthetic arperture technology to enable it to develop an accurate picture of terrain or aircraft locations for the crew with as little as one or two scans. Subsequent short scans at randomized intervals allow the radar to track aircraft while limiting the ability of enemy ECCM systems to jam or get a bearing on the LPI radar's emissions. Its effect on play is that searches cannot be detected by RWRs of type C or less. A "D" model RWR can detect the search on a roll of 4 or less. Lock-oDS cannot be detected by RWR type A. Types B, C, and D can detect lock-ons on a roll of 2, 3, or 4 or less, respectively. Check for detection of LPI search and lock attempts in the Radar Search and Lock-On Phase immediately after an LPI radar conducts searches and lock-on rolls. Stealth Technology helps minimize the range at which an aircraft is detectable to radar by reducing the a/c's radar cross section (making it effectively farther from the radar in terms of energy returns than it really is). This can be done by using radar absorbing materials on the a/c's surface and/or by designing the exterior and interior geometry of the a/c to deflect radar waves away. In the game, stealthy aircraft are given a stealth rating which applies for radars in the aircraft's 150+ arcs only. For radars situated in the aircraft's other arcs use the listed stealth rating minus 2, or a rating of 1.5, whichever is greater. Also, if carrying external stores in excess of a CL configuration the stealth rating is reduced to half (round up but not less than 1.5) Stealth versus radar searches and lock-ons: Multiply the actual range of the stealth target from the search radar by the stealth factor and use the appropriate range column. This works for both 1st and 2d edition radar rules. Example: an F-22 (stealth factor 4) is 20 hexes away from an aircraft with a strength 25 radar. For radar search and lock on purposes it is considered 80 hexes away (4 x 20). This gives a +3 modifier to searches and lock ons by 1st edition tables and a shift of three columns to the right on the second edition tables. Also, if the adjusted range (80) is beyond the radar's listed maximum search and/or tracking range, then those functions are unusable against stealth aircraft. This applies to EWRs and TTRs as well. All FCRs must roll for a contact against stealth a/c to function and are treated as having a strength of 10 and a max tracking range of 50. FCRs roll for contact when tracking is declared or when plotted fire is written down. Finally, radar gunsight ranging die rolls must add 2 to their attempts. Psycho and Pluto. Back to Table of Contents -- Air Power # 21 Back to Air Power List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1992 by J.D. Webster This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com |