fruitbat

@delta7 Here are a couple more vids, first one showing JDAMs in use, This one shows a Laser guided bomb (GBU-12) on a moving target,

Depends on what bombs.... For Snake eyes and dive bombing you want to be in CCIP (easy and very effective with dumb bombs), for level (ish) bombing on a waypoint or dropping LGB's on a target in your TGP you want either DTOS or CCRP (function very similar, DTOS allows more flexibility with designating, particularly using the Helmet). There is also a hybrid CCIP/CCRP mode which can be useful for dropping LGB's onto a target your being talked onto and don't want to get to low to, but we'll leave that for now. This thread I did a couple of years ago walks you through LGB's (also has an extensive part on the HTS pod and HARM's in it). LGB's are bread and butter bombs, and you don't even need to lase them yourselves with helicopters around, one thing i would learn though if you are going to drop bombs with other people lasing for you is how to quickly enter a new steerpoint into the DED, its actually very easy and can be done in 30 secs or so..... JDAMs and other GPS weapons work in two different modes, PRE for launching on a steer point, or VIS for using the helmet to designate an area on the ground before using the TPOD to fine tune before dropping. JDAMs are an incredibly powerful and quick way to get warheads on foreheads quickly, and up to 4 in 1 pass on 4 different targets once you are proficient, but not suitable for moving targets. Basically, a JDAM is going to land wherever your Tpod is looking, whether via steerpoint, helmet cuing, HUD or HTS pod, as long as you are in release constraints. You will need to learn your Tpod unless you get co-ordinates from another source (can easily be sent via datalink from one F-16 to another...). If you learn how to drop LGB's and JDAM's and understand CCIP functionality you will be able to drop every type of bomb ordnance, only types of Air to Ground weapons that the F-16 has that are employed differently than these 3 methods are Mavericks and Harms. I would start with LGB's, that knowledge base will then help with progressing to JDAM's, or if you want to start with dumb bombs, start with CCIP bombing. Here's a quick little demo of CCIP bombing, put the thing on the thing...... (can I get direct hits every time, no, but I'll be close every time. If you set up a good approach you are 90% there though, throttle back and speedbrakes out in the dive). If you do CCIP bombing with CBU 97's you will make a real mess on enemy positions. Here a silly vid I made several years ago showing the carnage you can do with CBU97's, (CBU 105's are a GPS guided version of this weapon dropped the same way as JDAMs) this run in a low level toss bombing in CCRP using a steer point... skip to the last minute and a half for the release and carnage (symbology of the drop has changed since this video was made, but same process).

Since more and more of us are getting the mighty Viper, this post is going to go through the steps you need to do to get the full functionality of datalink, rather than just the basic functions that you get with a dynamic spawn. Full functionality gives you the ability to not only share targets with the push of a button, but you can see what targets your team members are targeting, both air to air and air to ground on the HSD, you can hook team members via the HSD and have visual cues as to where they are in the helmet, In general its a real situational awareness huge plus especially in air to air. On top of that it allows for the full power of the HTS pod to be utilised, and quickly get PGML 1 locks on enemy SAM's, by using 3 or more HTS pods to triangulate the enemy SAM positions, and are accurate enough to use JDAM's on, negated the enemies ability to turn of its search radar when HARM's are employed. Once you have done it a few times, it is very easy, and takes a minute, and can be done at the airfield before moving. It is however critical it is done perfectly, otherwise it will not work. First up, press the LIST button, then hit the ENTER button, then use the DOBBER switch and go right twice, this will show the STN page on the DED, see below, Next we have to populate the STN numbers. These are 5 digit octal numbers, and there are 8 available slots, for a total of 8 team members. The critical thing here is, that everyone populates this list with the same numbers. I suggest we use the same numbers as a Dogz standard and just use, 00200 00201 00202 00203 etc up to 00207. We only need to populate with enough numbers as vipers flying. To enter these numbers you need to Dobber up and down until the Asterix's are bracketing the slot you want to enter, In this screenshot number 2 slot is ready to be set, as shown by the Asterix's bracketing it. once the number is typed in via the ICP, press enter on the ICP. Lastly everyone needs to pick a unique own ship number between 1 and 8, which we will have to allocate there and then on comms, to get to that, dobber down until the own ship number is bracketed, as shown below, Enter your number and press Enter. That is the Datalink set up. To get the full HTS pod functionality, one extra step has to be taken to add to the TDOA network, and that is to add the T in front of the STN number. this is quick and easy, just dobber down in front of each STN number to get the Asterix's either side of that position as shown by there position in the first screenshot, and type any number on the ICP and the T will appear, that' all that need to be done. Happy flying!

Good man! Want any help or have any questions, feel free to ask

Sure, no problem.

@delta7 If you want to save yourself a lot of time, I can go through with you what are particular things you really need to have mapped to your hotas, and what isn't as important, plus cockpit setup. Plus anything else really. But if you don't want to go down that route, grim reapers vids will be ok. I am actually around this evening, and was going to ask colin if he wanted to fly anyways, if you happen to be free.

I did chuckle to myself earlier today, thinking about how it might offend Tom's sensibilities if we parked a carrier of the coast on the Normandy map.....🤣

And some more.....

Some new pics, Supposed to come out in the next patch.....

Its the only way to use the F4 radar to get BVR kills against fighters in my experience, known about this for a while, but that video explains it really well. I have the buttons mapped for entering Boresight and the different aspects on a 4 way push hat (push to enter Boresight mode). You can use this method in WVR as well, just put the piper on the enemy, no need to 'Jester context button long' to lock, you can fire as long as you keep the piper on the bandit through firing to the impact. The F4 radar is a Fire Control Radar really just for guiding missiles onto targets rather than for building up a situational awareness as well, as in jets from the F-14 onwards, so you need to be guided on to the target (as accurately as possible) to use this method. One thing that is pretty key to note, is that if you are being guided on by AWACS in the F-4, you will need to know the MAG Variation on the map at that current date and subtract/add to the BRA calls by the AWACS to be guided on accurately and have the enemy in the Boresight cone. F-16/F-18/A-10 can access the Current MAG Variation from inside there cockpit displays for sure, maybe others, so I use one of them to check it when building missions. Its a sensible thing to have in the Mission briefing page.

Glad you're enjoying yourself, all credit goes to DD_FT

Saw the same video myself yesterday and was going to post it here!

Myself and Colin had a couple of scenic flights around Germany tonight, sight seeing in Berlin (very impressive), checking out Ramstein (huge base!), before a trip to Frankfurt,