Countermeasures

CHAFF/FLARE COUNTERMEASURES

A while ago, I pared down my CM program as both chaff and flare seemed
to run out very quickly. With anything approaching heavy traffic, I’ve
found I’m still very unlikely to retain any chaff and certainly no
flares by the time I get to egress, so I’ve redesigned my programs from
scratch and I thought I’d share.

In general flares have been spaced out to provide more separated targets
for IR missiles, except for 3, which contains a double dose. Chaff have
been left fairly close together, but still thinned out in number.

First of all 2 things. These have to be manually programmed, and if
you’re not sure how to do this, see page 54 of your SP3 manual. There’s
a brief summary below. The second thing is that this program requires
the ability to change between programs mid-combat, and this will be
explained as you read on. If your setup cannot accommodate this or if
you simply do not wish to have to do so, this program is not for you.

The breakdown is basically this:

PROG 1 – SAMs and BVR (Beyond Visual Range) combat – ie: for radar
missiles only. Can be relied on in semi-auto mode, but is programmed as
one burst, to be released manually, as many salvoes as required.

PROG 2 – BVR/WVR (Within Visual Range) combat – the merge. This can be
used against SAMs but is principally designed as a controlled mixed
defence when committing to a dogfight. There is defence both against IR
and Radar missiles. This is a better program to use when launching into
the fray with, for example, MIG 29s and SU27s which are both able to
carry longer range IR missiles. Can be relied on in semi mode, but is
programmed as one burst, to be released manually, as many salvoes as
required.

PROG 3 – WVR – This contains one chaff, but mainly comprises a
concentrated burst of 2 flares very close together, effectively doubling
the heat signature. For the dogfight. Programmed as one burst, to be
released manually, as many salvoes as required.

PROG 4 – Melée – For those times when it’s hot in the kitchen, and it’s
all you can do to stay alive, switch to Prog 4 and onto SEMI. Flares
will be released with the chaff but have regard to the important note
below.