In this video we’ll discuss JDAMs for the Viper. Our F-16C will be able to employ the 2,000 lbs class GBU-31(V)1/B, the penetrator 3/B version, and the 500 lbs class GBU-38. For the GBU-38, two can be mounted on each BRU-57 smart bomb rack unit. They can be loaded on stations 3 and 7.
Some of the biggest advantages of JDAMs compared to laser-guided bombs is that they are fire-and-forget, and you can employ them when the target is masked by weather.
In this video, we’ll look at the AGM-154A Joint Standoff Off Weapon, or JSOW, for the Viper. The JSOW is un unpowered glide bomb that weighs approximately a thousand pounds. It has a range to up to 70 miles range, based on launch altitude and airspeed. It is a fire-and-forget weapon that uses INS and GPS to reach its designated target.
It can be loaded on stations 3 and 7 as either singles or pairs using a BRU-57 smart rack.
The A model includes 145 BLU-97A combined effects bomb submunitions, which are ideal when attacking unarmored and lightly armored units. It is not though designed though to destroy heavily armored units like a main battle tank. While there are also B and C versions, the United States Air Force only operates the A version.
Key commands:
Set SPI - Target Management Switch (TMS) Up: Right Ctrl + Arrow Up
Set SOI Between Displays – Display Management Switch (DMS) Down: Right Alt + .
Set SOI to HUD – Display Management Switch (DMS) Up: Right Alt + ;
Weapon Release: Right Alt + Space
In the previous AGM-154A JSOW video, we looked at the employment process. In this video, we’ll go a bit more into what type or target you would use it for.
The primary task would be against air defense sites, and to a lesser degree unarmored and light-armored targets. The AGM-154A is a great Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD) weapon, whereas the AGM-88C HARM is a Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) weapon.
Although it can be effective against lightly armored vehicles like APCs, IFVS, and self-propelled artillery, heavily armored targets, like main battle tanks, are best attacked with Mavericks and sensor fused munitions like the CBU-97 and CBU-105 (coming in August).
In this DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll look at the CBU-105, Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser, or WCMD. Like the JDAM and JSOW, the CBU-105 is an Inertially Aided Munition, or IAM, that uses the Sensor Point of Interest, or SPI, as the aim point.
The CBU-105 is a canister weapon that contains ten BLU-108 submunitions, and each BLU-108 contains four skeets that use a sensor to detect and fire an explosively formed penetrator at the top of the target.
This is an ideal weapon against armor targets in a 1,500 x 500 area.
This a very similar weapon to the CBU-97, that also uses 10 BLU-108 submunitions, but as an IAM, it has a better standoff capability, and you can attack multiple targets on a single pass.
Dual Target Track (DTT) radar mode allows you to designate a primary and secondary target that the radar will continue to update when within the gimbal limits of the radar. However, they do not need to be in the selected scan volume.
In this example, we will set our azimuth to 30-degrees and designate two targets by slewing the cursor over each and then pressing TMS Forward on the control stick to designate them. We can toggle priority and secondary between them by pressing TMS Right on the control stick.
If we designate a third target, it will become the new secondary target, the previous will no longer be one of the two DTT targets.
DTT allows you faster updates of these two targets and engage both at the same time with AIM-120s.
If either target range is 10-miles or less, only the two DTT targets will update. Once either is at 3-miles or less, it will become a Single Target Track automatically.
Please note the radar symbols are still very much a work in progress.
Used Key Commands:
TMS Forward = Right Ctrl + Up Arrow
TMS Right = Right Ctrl + Right Arrow
Dogfight Switch MRM Mode = 4
In this DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll look at converting Lat/Long long coordinate to MGRS coordinates on the Steerpoint page. This is an item from our road map.
First, select the Steerpoint DED page from the ICP. It’s important to understand that you can only convert between Lat/Long and MGRS with Steerpoints 21 to 25. Once you select one of them on the ICP keypad or Steerpoint rocker switch, press the DCS, or Dobber, switch to the right to toggle the coordinate format. When going from Lat/Long to MGRS, there will be a small delay.
Having MGRS coordinates is useful as you may receive tasking coordinates in MGRS format at times.
You may be asking yourself how you will toggle between manual and automatic Steerpoint sequencing because it also uses Dobber right. Now, you need to Dobber to the Manual/Automatic field and then press the M-Select button on the ICP to toggle it. Note that you can only automatically sequence steerpoints 1 to 20.
In this DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll look at the addition of the radar warning receiver indication on the helmet mounted display of the helmet mounted cueing system. The indication can be enabled or disabled from the HMCS DED page.
The display is rather ghetto compared to the Hornet’s system and will only display the RWR gear priority threat. It appears in the top left of the HMD with the threat indication in the center. The notch in the circle indicates your head position relative to the nose of the aircraft. The diamond indicates the relative threat radar location from the nose of the aircraft.
Time for a little Viper update. While the AH-64D team has been very busy, or modern-day fixed wing team (Viper and Hornet), have been equally busy. Although not a promise (a lot can happen in test), we are shooting for the following in the October update:
• Air-to-Ground radar in Ground Map (GM) mode.
• HARM Targeting System (HTS) and HARM Attack Display (HAD).
• Bullseye DED page and indications for FCR and HSD pages.
• Addition of the HSD cursor.
• Addition of Mark Points.
• New INS/datalink system for AIM-120 guidance.
• Updated FCR and HSD symbols (color and shape).
• Highly detailed pilot for cockpit view.
• Smoother cursor control.
• Improved MPD clarity.
• Adjusted RWR detection ranges.
• Flight model adjustments including commanded G-onset rate.
• RWS/TWS refinements.
• On-speed AoA airspeed correction.
• Addition of the HMCS DED page.
This list is by no means complete, but it highlights some of the more pressing matters. Again though, this list is not in stone and may change based on internal test results.
In this DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll talk about new bullseye functions coming to our F-16. Although we’ve had bullseye information on the HUD since release, we will now be adding the ability to set a steerpoint as a bullseye, toggle between ownship bullseye and steering marker on displays, display bearing and range from bullseye to the FCR cursor or bugged target on the FCR and HSD pages and display the HSD cursor bullseye information.
In this DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll discuss the ground moving target, or GMT, mode of the fire control radar in air to ground mode. GMT allows you detect surface targets moving between 8 and 75 knots based on settings. This is a useful tool for locating enemy forces moving along roads and cross-country in all weather conditions.
In this DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll discuss the use of Mark Points in the Viper. A Mark Point location can be designated through the HUD, the HMCS, radar, or targeting pod, and stores the location in steerpoints 26 to 30. This is useful for returning to a target, and later, sharing over the datalink between flight members.
Later, Mark Points through the HMCS and sharing Mark Points between team members will be added.
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