17 March, 2024 - Nellis Training Detachment Week 8

[MrBean]

MISSION OVERVIEW

DATE: 17 March 2024

TIME: 11:00

SUNRISE: 05:56
SUNSET: 17:49

TASK: SEAD/DEAD Suppression of Enemy Air Defense

WX: 360@13 / 17,000 Scattered, 36,000 Scattered / T15 / QNH: 29.87

FLIGHT DURATION: 250 nm (plus loiter)

AVAILABLE SQUADRON ASSETS:
Dealer 1: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 2: 4 x F/A-18c
Dealer 3: 4 x F/A-18c

DEPART/ARRIVE:
Nellis AFB / Freq 132.55,327.0 [1] / TCN 12X "LSV" / ATIS: 270.1 [20]

SUPPORTING UNITS:
Nellis Range Control: “Blackjack” / 377.8 [2]
Range Tanker: TEXACO / 6X / 295.4 [7] / KC-135
ELINT Support: HOUND / 266.0 [6] / EA-6B, EC-130

DIVERT:
Tonopah
Rwy: 14/32
TCN: 77X
ATC: 257.95 [19]
ATIS: 233.1

BULLSEYE: ALAMO (WP2)


SITUATION

With last week’s mission, Squadron-level training has concluded. For the remaining weeks in Nellis, VFA-41 will be conducting joint operations with other USN and/or USAF assets.

This week, squadron pilots will be conducting Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD/DEAD) missions against live enemy surface to air missile systems.

Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) assets will be assisting the squadron in detecting and locating these targets.

Mission Commander’s note: No F-14s are available this week. Dealers 1&2 will be loaded out for enemy radar suppression (3x HARM, 3xTALD). Dealer 3 will be loaded out for missile launcher/TELAR destruction (2x MAV-F, 4x GBU-38)



MISSION

Winds are from the north, and flights will depart via Runway 3 utilizing the DREAM SIX departure. Flight leads will be directed to contact Blackjack upon range entry at JUNNO.

• Once cleared into the range, flights will be directed to proceed to the squadron’s SEAD patrol station, point ALAMO (WP2).
• Once the cooperating ELINT assets (C/S HOUND) are also on station and operating, DEALER flights will be directed to switch to and check in with HOUND on 266.0 [6].
• As enemy radars go live and are detected, squadron pilots will receive the normal RWR indications within their jet. Additionally, once the emitters are picked up and triangulated by HOUND – radar type and rough location (Bullseye + major grid square) will be broadcast over HOUND frequency.
• Mission Commander/Flight Leads may then request a more detailed target briefing via the F10 – ELINT menu. HOUND will come back with as much of the following information as is known:
  
  • Radar type
  • Estimation of location accuracy
  • Triangulated Lat/Long of emitter
  • Triangulated MGRS coordinates of emitter
  • Elevation of emitter
  • Detection elipse length/width/axis (basically a quantification of the size of the probable area in which the emitter is located)
  • Recency of information
• Pilots can use the above information (primarily location and elevation data) to create a target waypoint from which they can begin a FLIR search and, in conjunction with the provided threat summary kneeboard card, create an attack plan.
• DEALER 1 and/or DEALER 2 should use their HARMs and/or TALDS to decoy and destroy SAM site search and tracking radars. Once radars are down, DEALER 3 should be called in to destroy the remaining missile launchers.
• Once a SAM site is sufficiently neutralized (radars and majority of launchers destroyed), HOUND will advise and direct DEALER flights to return to and resume patrol at ALAMO (WP2).
• HOUND will notify of other emitters as they pop up. A total of 3 (out of 5 possible) SAM sites will be activated and prosecuted.

TEXACO is available east of ALAMO for mission tanking if needed.

At the conclusion of training, HOUND will go offline and DEAER flights will be directed to exit the range via ELGIN E (WP3).

THREATS

Various Radar-guided SAMS will be present and live. They will launch missiles at DEALER aircraft as able. Missile Trainer mode will be active on the range and hits on friendly aircraft will be announced via text message, but not lethal.

Squadron pilots should perform recommended evasion maneuvering and countermeasures techniques if fired upon. Any pilot that gets a “hit” notification, should extract themselves from the fight, climb back to altitude and return to pt. ALAMO (WP2).

R4808A (Dreamland) will be NOT be active. Flights may transit through the area as required.


ROE

Follow the prescribed route of flight and any directives issued by ATC/Range Control.

The goal of this training is to utilize all available information and resources to come up with and perform a well-planned attack on pop up targets. There is no urgency (other than fuel state). Mission Commander should feel free to develop his plan and execute each attack when ready.

All aircraft are reminded that it is squadron SOP to monitor GUARD frequency (121.5/253.0) on COMM2. This will be required at all times in the range complex for high priority information and traffic deconfliction purposes.



MIssion Data Card

Z_MDC.png (59.31 KiB) Viewed 125 times

Route of Flight

MAP.png (4.05 MiB) Viewed 125 times

Emitter/SAM Threat Card

Emitter threat Card.png (476.32 KiB) Viewed 125 times

[MrBean]

A little more explanation and info on the ELINT script that will be working in the background for anyone who cares or is interested.

In a nutshell, the script allows the mission-maker to designate two or more AI aircraft as donors that can help identify and locate an enemy ground-based emitter (SAM, EWR, or ship). If the AI aircraft is flying in an area where they would detect transmissions from the radar (within range, not blocked by terrain), then the script attempts to locate the emitter via triangulation, based on the bearing of the transmission from each of the donor aircraft.

The fidelity of the location is based on the location and number of donor aircraft. The more donor aircraft detecting the signal and/or the more widely spaced out they are, the better the accuracy of the triangulation. In our case, we will have an AI C-130 flying in the southern part of the range, and a flight of Prowlers flying in the northern part of the range.

Once they detect an enemy radar, they will announce it on their frequency and the transmitter will appear as a line item under an ELINT submenu that can be accessed under our normal Comms- F10 menu.

Selecting the appropriate line item under the ELINT menu will then allow us to get more detailed information on the threat that can be used to help locate the enemy transmitter as well as possible confirmation on what type of SAM we may be dealing with.

Estimated location will be given in both lat/long (DD MM SS) or MGRS (eight-digit).

It will also show us how long the radar has been tracked, and how recently it was detected.

Therefore, for example, if we fire off some HARMS, turn away, and eventually lose the radar on our RWR we might assume the radar was neutralized. In reality, perhaps we just flew out of range or behind some terrain. We can check in with the ELINT script again and if AI sates that the radar was perhaps last seen 120 seconds ago - it means that they have also lost contact with it and chances are good that we killed the radar. If, however, they say that the radar was last seen 10 seconds ago, it is probably still lurking out there and we may need to turn back inbound and attack it again.

The video linked below shows a demonstration of how the script works and can be interacted with in the upcoming mission.

https://youtu.be/BYwl00Um5pI


Additionally, for anyone who does not already have it and wants to correctly see the EA-6B Prowlers in the upcoming mission rather than generic placeholder aircraft, you can install the attached optional mod.

Prowler Mod

To install, unzip the file and place the entire "Northrup Grumman EA-6B Prowler" folder in your Saved Games --> DCS.openbeta --> Mods --> aircraft directory.

The mod will be disabled as a "required" mod in the mission so will not be required to launch/join the mission on Sunday.