Land-based radars: any reason NOT to turn them on?

[unmerged(105596)]

What it says on the tin.

All land bases are known to the enemy from the start. The basic reason why you would not want to use active radars is that the enemy will detect the unit using it. Therefore, by turning the base radars on at the very moment you start the game you lose nothing.

Correct?

If this is correct, then why not turn the land-based radars on by default in all scenario settings?

 

[Nats]

I could certainly see the sense in that. Along with AWACS probably. Its not as if you will ever have an AWACS in the sky and not have its radar on, unless its possibly whilst it's on route to its patrol area.

 

[long_fella]

If a radar isn't on it can't be targeted by anti-radiation missiles, for instance HARMs or Kilters.

 

[Destraex]

But they can be targetted by GPS right

 

[long_fella]

An amusing aside from wikipedia:-

"During the Gulf War, the HARM was involved in a friendly fire incident when the pilot of an F-4G Wild Weasel escorting a B-52 mistook the latter's tail gun radar for an Iraqi AAA site. (This was after the tail gunner of the B-52 had targeted the F-4G, mistaking it for an Iraqi MiG). The pilot launched the missile and then saw that the target was the B-52, which was hit. It survived with shrapnel damage to the tail and no casualties. The B-52 was subsequently renamed In HARM's Way.[7]".

 

[unmerged(255172)]

In the next build, all land installations (which are known to the enemy always) will have the radar turned on from the start. The AI already practiced this.

Turning off active radar will reduce the hit probability of HARMs and other anti-radiation missiles, but that's up to you as a player

 

[Sakai007]

One thing to keep in mind for AWAC platforms is where you launch from. The E-2 is an outstanding platform, but you must wait a while before turning the radar on. If you turn it on directly after launch, you will give away the position of the carrier that launched it. I always station E-2s off the axis between the suspected enemy and I. If I were the enemy, I would bearing launch missiles at the direction of your E-2, if they line up with the CV, that's bad news.

 

[unmerged(105596)]

In the next build, all land installations (which are known to the enemy always) will have the radar turned on from the start. The AI already practiced this.

Turning off active radar will reduce the hit probability of HARMs and other anti-radiation missiles, but that's up to you as a player

Thanks for the confirmation!

 

[nimitz98]

If a radar isn't on it can't be targeted by anti-radiation missiles, for instance HARMs or Kilters.

What's a radar for anyway?! If it's off, it's not doing its job. If it's destroyed, it's also not doing its job. You might as well turn it on so you can detect enemy units, and if you see any missiles coming its way you can just turn the radar off.

 

[unmerged(255172)]

Exactly. Anti-radiation missiles these days will have secondary guidance systems anyway. Since an airfield can't move very much, turning off the radar is like closing your own eyes to hide.

 

[General Baker]

One thing to keep in mind for AWAC platforms is where you launch from. The E-2 is an outstanding platform, but you must wait a while before turning the radar on. If you turn it on directly after launch, you will give away the position of the carrier that launched it. I always station E-2s off the axis between the suspected enemy and I. If I were the enemy, I would bearing launch missiles at the direction of your E-2, if they line up with the CV, that's bad news.

True, but I wonder whether the AI takes the hint and specifically checks out regions where aircraft seem to be appearing from frequently? I can understand in MP, ofc.

 

[unmerged(255172)]

True, but I wonder whether the AI takes the hint and specifically checks out regions where aircraft seem to be appearing from frequently? I can understand in MP, ofc.

Not yet, but plan to add that.

It sends planes out to intercept, however, and is very stubborn about chasing targets. So very often it will find the launch platform simply by being aggressive against whatever air you launch.

 

[unmerged(290331)]

If I may say something,.....

In the scenario "Iron Weasels", illuminatng the Air Radar at the Northern Air Base will do noting but invoke an early TU-22m Backfire Bomber strike on the base. It is better to use an Airborne Asset, like the airborne-already P-8 Posiedon for AEW Operations (Set at Max Altitude for Maximum Coverage). You will still see all contacts to the north, while keeping your airbase invisible (genreally, not literally).

 

[Ekyman]

If I may say something,.....

In the scenario "Iron Weasels", illuminatng the Air Radar at the Northern Air Base will do noting but invoke an early TU-22m Backfire Bomber strike on the base. It is better to use an Airborne Asset, like the airborne-already P-8 Posiedon for AEW Operations (Set at Max Altitude for Maximum Coverage). You will still see all contacts to the north, while keeping your airbase invisible (genreally, not literally).

All airbases are always visible, even if active radar is turned off, so turning on the radar at the airbases has no effect on what the enemy sees.

 

[General Baker]

If I may say something,.....

In the scenario "Iron Weasels", illuminatng the Air Radar at the Northern Air Base will do noting but invoke an early TU-22m Backfire Bomber strike on the base. It is better to use an Airborne Asset, like the airborne-already P-8 Posiedon for AEW Operations (Set at Max Altitude for Maximum Coverage). You will still see all contacts to the north, while keeping your airbase invisible (genreally, not literally).

In that case, I think the AI needs a tweak.

 

[unmerged(255172)]

There is some random element in AI targeting (it first calculates optimal targets, but sometimes it may go for the #2 or #3 priority just to be a bit unpredictable). Whether bases turn on radar or not is not part of the equation at all, so that was just a coincidence.