DCS F/A-18C HORNETEarly Access GuideDCS [F/A-18C]2ContentsChanges for June 2019............................................................................................................... 10Changes for December 2019....................................................................................................... 10HEALTH WARNING!.................................................................................................................... 10INSTALLATION AND LAUNCH...................................................................................................... 12GAME PROBLEMS .................................................................................................................. 12USEFUL LINKS....................................................................................................................... 12CONFIGURE YOUR GAME............................................................................................................ 13PLAY A MISSION........................................................................................................................ 17FLIGHT CONTROL ...................................................................................................................... 18F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW ....................................................................................... 20Left Instrument Panel ............................................................................................................ 22Left Digital Display Indicator (DDI)..................................................................................... 22Brightness Selector Knob ................................................................................................... 22Brightness Control............................................................................................................. 22Contrast Control................................................................................................................ 23Master Mode Buttons ........................................................................................................ 23Master Arm Switch [M]...................................................................................................... 23Emergency Jettison Button ................................................................................................ 23Selective Jettison / Landing Gear, and Flap Position Lights Panel.......................................... 23Integrated Fuel / Engine Indicator (IFEI)............................................................................ 24Left Engine Fire Warning/Extinguisher Lights ...................................................................... 25Master Caution Light ......................................................................................................... 25Left Warning/Caution Advisory Lights ................................................................................. 26Fire Extinguisher Pushbutton ............................................................................................. 26Center Instrument Panel ........................................................................................................ 28Head Up Display (HUD)..................................................................................................... 28Angle of Attack Indexer Lights ........................................................................................... 28Upfront Controller (UFC).................................................................................................... 29HUD Control Panel ............................................................................................................ 33Advanced Multipurpose Color Display (AMPCD)................................................................... 35[F/A-18C] DCS 3Lower Console Instrument Group ....................................................................................... 36Right Instrument Panel .......................................................................................................... 37Lock / Shoot Lights............................................................................................................ 37Right Warning/Caution Advisory Lights ............................................................................... 38Right Digital Display Indicator (DDI)................................................................................... 38IR Cool Switch................................................................................................................... 38Standby Attitude Reference Indicator (SARI)....................................................................... 38Azimuth Indicator.............................................................................................................. 39Standby Airspeed Indicator ................................................................................................ 39Standby Altimeter.............................................................................................................. 39Standby Vertical Velocity Indicator ..................................................................................... 40HMD Control ..................................................................................................................... 40Spin Recovery ................................................................................................................... 40Left Vertical Panel.................................................................................................................. 43Canopy Jettison Handle ..................................................................................................... 43Landing Gear Handle ......................................................................................................... 43Launch Bar Switch............................................................................................................. 44Flap Switch ....................................................................................................................... 44Selective Jettison Knob ...................................................................................................... 45Landing / Taxi Light........................................................................................................... 45Anti-Skid Switch ................................................................................................................ 45Emergency / Parking Brake Handle..................................................................................... 45Brake Accumulator Pressure Gauge .................................................................................... 46Arrestor Hook Bypass Switch.............................................................................................. 46Left Console .......................................................................................................................... 47Ground Power Panel.......................................................................................................... 47Fire Test Switch ................................................................................................................ 47Exterior Lighting Panel....................................................................................................... 48APU and Engine Crank Panel.............................................................................................. 48Flight Control System (FCS) Panel ...................................................................................... 49Volume Panel.................................................................................................................... 49Oxygen System Panel ........................................................................................................ 49DCS [F/A-18C]4Right Vertical Panel................................................................................................................ 50Standby Magnetic Compass ............................................................................................... 50Arresting Hook Handle and Light........................................................................................ 50Wing Fold Handle.............................................................................................................. 51RADAR Altimeter............................................................................................................... 51Hydraulic Pressure Indicator .............................................................................................. 51Right Warning / Caution Advisory Lights ............................................................................. 51Right Console ........................................................................................................................ 53Electrical Panel.................................................................................................................. 53Environmental Control System Panel .................................................................................. 54Interior Lighting Panel....................................................................................................... 54Sensors Panel ................................................................................................................... 55Internal Canopy Switch ..................................................................................................... 56Control Stick.......................................................................................................................... 58Throttles ............................................................................................................................... 60Audio Tones .......................................................................................................................... 64DDI and AMPCD Pages ............................................................................................................... 66Support (SUPT) Pages............................................................................................................ 66Tactical (TAC) ....................................................................................................................... 76HEAD UP DISPLAY...................................................................................................................... 79PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................................ 81Cold Start.............................................................................................................................. 81Airfield Taxi........................................................................................................................... 87Airfield Takeoff...................................................................................................................... 88Airfield VFR Landing............................................................................................................... 89Aircraft Carrier Taxi ............................................................................................................... 94Aircraft Carrier Launch ........................................................................................................... 97Case 1 Carrier Recovery......................................................................................................... 98HORNET COMMUNICATION SYSTEM..........................................................................................104How to Use the Radios..........................................................................................................104UFC Radio Functions.............................................................................................................105HORNET MASTER MODES..........................................................................................................106[F/A-18C] DCS 5HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV).................................................................................................... 106How to Navigate Using Waypoints......................................................................................... 107Waypoint Navigation ............................................................................................................ 111Time On Target (TOT) Navigation......................................................................................... 113Modifying a Waypoint........................................................................................................... 117Adding or Deleting a Waypoint ............................................................................................. 117Inserting a Waypoint............................................................................................................ 118TACAN Navigation................................................................................................................ 118TACAN Yard Stick ............................................................................................................ 121DATA Option Sublevel .......................................................................................................... 122A/C (Aircraft) Sublevel ..................................................................................................... 122WYPT (Waypoint) Sublevel............................................................................................... 124TCN (TACAN) Sublevel..................................................................................................... 125Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) Navigation ......................................................................... 126How to Navigate Using ADF Beacons..................................................................................... 126Additional HSI Symbology .................................................................................................... 127Setting a Course .................................................................................................................. 128Autopilot Relief Modes.......................................................................................................... 128Instrument Carrier Landing System (ICLS)............................................................................. 130How to Use ICLS.................................................................................................................. 131HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)............................................................................................... 132Air-to-Ground Stores Management System (SMS) Bombing Page ............................................ 132A/G Stores Programming ................................................................................................. 134Air-to-Ground Bombing HUD................................................................................................. 136Unguided Continuously Computed Impact Point (CCIP) Bombing Mode HUD....................... 137How to Bomb Using CCIP Mode........................................................................................ 137Automatic (AUTO) Bombing Mode HUD ............................................................................ 139Manual (MAN) Bombing Mode HUD .................................................................................. 146High Drag (HD) Bomb Delivery......................................................................................... 147Laser-Guided Bombing..................................................................................................... 149INS/GPS-Guided Weapons ............................................................................................... 151The Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM).............................................................................. 151DCS [F/A-18C]6The AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) ......................................................................152Weapon Selection.................................................................................................................153Pre-Planned (PP) Missions SMS Format ..................................................................................161Target of Opportunity (TOO) Missions....................................................................................163JDAM and JSOW HSI Format......................................................................................................164Air-to-Ground Gun and Rockets .............................................................................................166How to Use A/G Guns.......................................................................................................167How to Use Rockets .........................................................................................................167A/G Gun SMS Page...........................................................................................................168Rockets SMS Page............................................................................................................169A/G Gun and Rocket HUD.................................................................................................170AGM-65 Maverick..................................................................................................................171AGM-65E Laser-Maverick on SMS Page..............................................................................172AGM-65E Laser-Maverick Format Page, Unlocked ...............................................................173AGM-65F Infrared-Guided Maverick on SMS Page...............................................................178AGM-65F Infrared-Maverick on SMS Page..........................................................................178AGM-65F Infrared Maverick Format Page, TIMING .............................................................179AGM-65F Infrared Maverick Format Page...........................................................................181AGM-65F Infrared Maverick Targeting ...............................................................................182AGM-65F Infrared Maverick Tracking.................................................................................185AGM-88 HARM......................................................................................................................186Loading ...........................................................................................................................187HOTAS ............................................................................................................................187HARM Select....................................................................................................................187Self-Protect (SP) Mode .....................................................................................................189Target of Opportunity (TOO) Mode ...................................................................................192AGM-84D Harpoon................................................................................................................200Harpoon SMS Format .......................................................................................................200Harpoon HSI....................................................................................................................203Harpoon HUD ..................................................................................................................205AGM-62 Walleye II ER/DL with AWW-13 Data Link Pod...........................................................205Walleye SMS Page............................................................................................................207[F/A-18C] DCS 7AN/AWW-13 Data Link Pod Only Selected ......................................................................... 208Walleye Only Selected ..................................................................................................... 209Walleye and Data Link Pod Both Selected ......................................................................... 211Walleye HUD................................................................................................................... 213HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)....................................................................................................... 213Air-to-Air RADAR.................................................................................................................. 215Basic Air-to-Air RADAR Information .................................................................................. 215A/A Waypoint and Bearing and Range .............................................................................. 216Range While Search (RWS) Mode..................................................................................... 220How to Use RADAR in Beyond Visual Range Mode............................................................. 220Latent Track While Scan (LTWS) Mode ............................................................................. 223Single Target Track (STT) Mode....................................................................................... 226Air-to-Air RADAR HOTAS Controls..................................................................................... 228Range While Search (RWS) DATA..................................................................................... 230Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) Modes ............................................................................. 231Track While Scan (TWS) Mode for the F/A-18C Hornet ...................................................... 232Hornet Datalink, Situational Awareness Page, and IFF............................................................ 236MIDS Link-16 UFC Control................................................................................................ 237MIDS Secure Voice .......................................................................................................... 239MSI Trackfiles ................................................................................................................. 239Situational Awareness (SA) Top Level ............................................................................... 239SA Sensor Sub-Level........................................................................................................ 242HAFU Symbology............................................................................................................. 243Target Under Cursor (TUC) Data ...................................................................................... 247Correlated HUD Indication ............................................................................................... 250M61A2 Gun, Air-to-Air Mode (A/A GUNS)............................................................................... 251How to Use the Gun Summary ......................................................................................... 252A/A GUNS SMS Page ............................................................................................................ 252A/A GUNS HUD.................................................................................................................... 254Radar Not Tracking Mode................................................................................................. 254Radar Tracking Mode....................................................................................................... 256Training Mode with FEDS Cue .......................................................................................... 261DCS [F/A-18C]8AIM-9 Sidewinder Air-to-Air Missile ........................................................................................262How to Use the AIM-9 Summary .......................................................................................262AIM-9 on the SMS Page....................................................................................................262AIM-9 HUD......................................................................................................................263AIM-7 Sparrow Air-to-Air Missile ............................................................................................270How to Use the AIM-7 Summary .......................................................................................270AIM-7 SMS Page ..............................................................................................................271AIM-7, No RADAR Tracking...............................................................................................272AIM-7, RADAR Tracking....................................................................................................274AIM-7 with L&S Target.....................................................................................................276AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)...............................................279How to Use the AIM-120 Summary ...................................................................................279AIM-120 SMS Page...........................................................................................................280AIM-120, No RADAR Tracking ...........................................................................................281AIM-120, RADAR Tracking Pre-Launch...............................................................................282AIM-120, RADAR Tracking Post-Launch .............................................................................286Helmet Mounted Display (HMD).............................................................................................289HMD POWER ...................................................................................................................289HMD BIT TEST.................................................................................................................289HMD Format DDI Page .....................................................................................................290BASIC HMD INFORMATION ..............................................................................................293A/A AIM-9 Undesignated Target........................................................................................294A/A AIM-9 Self-Track........................................................................................................295AIM-120 and AIM-7 Undesignated.....................................................................................295HMD ACM Modes .............................................................................................................296A/A Designated Target .....................................................................................................297HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS ..................................................................................................299Integrated Countermeasures Control Panel (ICMCP)...............................................................300EW Page ..............................................................................................................................302Azimuth Indicator .................................................................................................................304Right Instrument Panel Warning / Advisory / Threat Display Panel...........................................307BIT......................................................................................................................................308[F/A-18C] DCS 9Control Indicator Panel......................................................................................................... 309HOTAS ................................................................................................................................ 309DCS [F/A-18C]10 Changes for June 2019Changes for June 2019The following sections have been added to the guide or significantly updated:• TACAN Yard Stick• HSI / DATA / A/C• HSI / DATA / WYPT• PRECISE Coordinate Entry• LAT/LONG Option from HSI/DATA A/C• Updated information on bomb fuzing• Additional detail and images regarding AUTO bombing mode• High drag bomb section• Laser-guided bombing• INS/GPS-guided bombing• AGM-65F Maverick• AGM-88C HARM• Bullseye and BRA Indications• Latent Track While Scan (LTWS) Mode• Multi-Sensor Integration (MSI)• Single Track Target (STT)• Datalink, Situational Awareness (SA) page, and IFF• A/A Gun SIM Mode with FEDS• AIM-9X• FLOOD Mode• JHMCS UpdatedChanges for December 2019• Track While Scan (TWS) radar mode• AGM-84A Harpoon• AGM-62 ER/DL Walleye IIHEALTH WARNING!Please read before using this computer game or allowing your children to use it.A very small proportion of people may experience a seizure or loss of consciousness when exposed tocertain visual images, including flashing lights or light patterns that can occur in computer games. This [F/A-18C] DCS 11may happen even with people who have no medical history of seizures, epilepsy, or "photosensitiveepileptic seizures" while playing computer games.These seizures have a variety of symptoms, including light-headedness, dizziness, disorientation,blurred vision, eye or face twitching, loss of consciousness or awareness even if momentarily.Immediately stop playing and consult your doctor if you or your children experience any of the abovesymptoms.The risk of seizures can be reduced if the following precautions are taken, (as well as a general healthadvice for playing computer games):Do not play when you are drowsy or tired.Play in a well-lit room.Rest for at least 10 minutes per hour when playing the computer game.DCS [F/A-18C]12 INSTALLATION AND LAUNCHINSTALLATION AND LAUNCHYou will need to be logged into Windows with Administrator rights in order to install DCS World andthe DCS: F/A-18C Hornet module.After purchasing DCS: F/A-18C Hornet from our e-Shop, start DCS World. Select the Module Managericon at the top of the Main Menu. Upon selection, your Hornet will automatically install.DCS World is the PC simulation environment that the F/A-18C Hornet simulation operates within. Whenyou run DCS World, you in turn launch DCS: F/A-18C Hornet.As part of DCS World, a map of the Caucuses region, the Su-25T Frogfoot attack aircraft, and TF-51training aircraft are also included for free.After executing the DCS World icon on your desktop, the DCS World Main Menu page is opened. Fromthe Main Menu, you can read DCS news, change your wallpaper by selecting either the F/A-18C Horneticon at the bottom of the page, or select any of the options along the right side of the page. To getstarted quickly, you can select Instant Action and play any of the missions listed for the F/A-18C Hornet.GAME PROBLEMSIf you encounter a problem, particularly with controls, we suggest you back up and then delete yourSaved Games\User Name\DCS\Config folder, which is created by DCS on your operating system driveat first launch. Restart the game and this folder will be rebuilt automatically with default settings,including all the controller input profiles.If problems persist, we suggest consulting our online technical support forums athttp://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=251USEFUL LINKSDCS Homepage:http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/DCS: F/A-18C Hornet forum:https://forums.eagle.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=557DCS Wiki:http://en.wiki.eagle.ru/wiki/Main_Page[F/A-18C] DCS 13CONFIGURE YOUR GAMEBefore jumping into the Hornet cockpit, the first thing we suggest is to configure your game. To do so,select the Options button at the top of the Main Menu screen. You can read a detailed description ofall Options in the DCS World Game Manual. For this Early Access Guide, we will just cover the basics.Figure 1. DCS World Main MenuUpon selecting the Options screen, you will see seven tabs along the top of the page.OptionsDCS [F/A-18C]14 CONFIGURE YOUR GAMEFigure 2. DCS World OptionsSYSTEM. Configure your graphics options to best balance aesthetics with performance. You havePRESET options along the bottom of the page, but you can further adjust your graphics settings tobest suit your computer. If you have lower performance, we suggest selecting the Low PRESET andthen increase graphics options to find your best balance.Items that most affect performance include Visible Range, Resolution, and MSAA. If you wish toimprove performance, you may wish to first adjust these System options.CONTROLS. Set up your controls and functional bindings. Let's take a closer look at this page:First, select the aircraft you wish to assign control inputs to by use of the Aircraft Selection drop-down.Next, along the left side of the screen are all the ACTIONS associated with the selected Input Functiondrop down. To the right are all the detected input devices that have been detected to include keyboard,mouse, and any joysticks, throttles and rudder pedals.[F/A-18C] DCS 15Figure 3. Controls Configuration1. Aircraft Selection. From this drop-down menu, select F/A-18C Sim.2. Input Functions. This displays various categories of input functions, such as axis devices,views, cockpit functions, etc. To assign a function, double mouse-click in the box thatcorresponds to the desired input function and the input controller device. Once selected,press the button or move the axis of the device to assign it.a. Example 1: if setting a pitch axis for a joystick, first select AXIS COMMANDS fromthe Input Functions drop down. Find the box where your Joystick input device andthe Pitch Action intersect, and double mouse-click in the box. In the ADDASSIGNMENT PANEL, move your joystick forward and back to assign the axis.Press OK when done.b. Example 2: if setting a keyboard of HOTAS command like cycle the landing gear,first select ALL as the Input Function category. Find the box where your inputdevice and the LANDING GEAR CONTROL HANDLE – UP/DOWN Action intersect,and double mouse-click in the box. In the ADD ASSIGNMENT PANEL, press thekeyboard or controller device button you wish to assign to the action. Press OKwhen done.3. Axis Tune. When assigning an axis (like X and Y axis for a joystick), you can use this subpage to assign a dead zone, response curve, and other tuning. This can be very useful if youfind the aircraft overly sensitive to control. The Deadzone, Response Curve Saturation Y, andInvert and the most common and useful elements to tune your controls.Aircraft SelectionAxis TuneInput FunctionsDCS [F/A-18C]16 CONFIGURE YOUR GAMEGAMEPLAY. This page primarily allows you to adjust the game to be as realistic or casual as you wantit to be. Choose from many difficulty settings like labels, tooltips, unlimited fuel and weapons, etc.To help improve performance, turning Mirrors off can assist in this.AUDIO. Use this page to adjust the audio levels of the game. You also have the option to turn on andoff different audio effects.MISC. This is a catch-all of features to further tune the game to your preference.VR. The VR tab allows you to enable support for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive and adjust itsfunctionality. When using VR, be particularly aware of the Pixel Density setting as it can have a dramaticeffect on game performance.[F/A-18C] DCS 17PLAY A MISSIONNow that you have configured your game, let's get to why you purchased DCS: F/A-18C, to fly somemissions! You have several options to fly a single- and multi-player mission.Figure 4. DCS World Main Menu1. INSTANT ACTION. Simple missions that place you in the task of your choice. We will beusing several of these in this Early Access Guide to test what you learn.2. CREATE FAST MISSION. Set various mission criteria to allow a mission to be created foryou.3. MISSION. More in-depth, stand-alone missions. We will be using several of these in thisEarly Access Guide to test what you learn.4. CAMPAIGN. Linked missions to create a campaign narrative. One mini-campaign for theHornet is available.5. MULTIPLAYER. Create your own or join an internet server.6. MISSION EDITOR. Use this very powerful Mission Editor to create your own missions.On the Main Menu page, you have the options to fly the Hornet in an INSTANT ACTION mission,CREATE FAST MISSION, load a MISSION, play a Hornet CAMPAIGN, or create a mission in the MISSIONEDITOR. You also have the option to jump online and fly with others.DCS [F/A-18C]18 FLIGHT CONTROLSelect the INSTANT ACTION from the right side of the screen. From here, you will be presented severalF/A-18C Hornet INSTANT ACTION missions to choose from.To get started, we suggest the FREE FLIGHT mission. Later, you can also use these missions to practicestarting up the aircraft, takeoffs, landings, navigation and sensor / weapon employment. The MISSIONSselection holds a great number of combat and practice missions.FLIGHT CONTROLPrimary aircraft flight controls include the flight control stick, throttle, and rudder pedals. The stick isused to roll the aircraft left and right to perform turns and pitch the nose up and down to climb ordescend. The throttle is used to control engine power and resulting airspeed. The pedals are used toyaw the airplane left and right using the rudder (like a boat). Pedal use in flight is limited to eliminatingsideslip and helping to coordinate smooth turns, but they are also used on the ground to turn the nosewheel when taxiing.To fly the aircraft to the right or left: roll the aircraft in the direction you wish to go and gently pullback on the stick. The more you pull back on the stick, the faster your turn rate will be and the morespeed you may lose.When flying from the cockpit, you can toggle the Controls Indicator display by pressing [Right Control+ Enter] to see a visual reference of the positions of your flight controls.Figure 5: Controls Indicator displayMaximum Pitch Trim Deviation Indicator. Before takeoff, the pitch trim indicator (5) shall be setapproximately to a neutral positionIf you are flying only with a keyboard, the primary flight control keys will be: arrow keys to control rolland pitch, [Numpad+] and [Numpad-] to control throttle, and [Z] / [X] to control the rudder pedals.Left Throttle and Position IndicationRight Throttle and Position IndicationTrim Tab Position (mechanism used to reduce pressure on controlstick)Control Stick and Position IndicationPedals and Rudder Pedal IndicatorWheel Brake pressure Indicator[F/A-18C] DCS 19If you do have a joystick, it may be equipped with a throttle handle and/or a twist grip, which will allowyou to control the rudder pedals.Figure 6. Flight Key CommandsDCS [F/A-18C]20 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWF/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWOnce in the cockpit, it's best to have a general understanding of where the various controls are located.To help locate items more easily, we have broken the Hornet cockpit into eight primary areas. In latersections of this Early Access Guide, we will reference these locations.Hornet Instant Action Mission: Hornet Cold and Dark. Use this mission to explore the cockpit andbecome familiar with its layout. To move your view:• [Keypad 8]: Up• [Keypad 6]: Right• [Keypad 2]: Down• [Keypad 4]: Left• [Keypad *]: Zoom In• [Keypad /]: Zoom OutPress pressing [Left Alt + C] toggles mouse control between interacting with the cockpit andcontrolling your view.What follows is a summary description of cockpit functions included in this Early Access version thatare generally not described elsewhere in this document.Instant Action Mission Practice: Hornet Cold and Dark[F/A-18C] DCS 21Figure 7. F/A-18C Cockpit OverviewLeft Instrument Panel Center Instrument PanelLeft Vertical PanelLeft ConsoleThrottlesRight Instrument PanelRight Vertical PanelControl StickRight ConsoleDCS [F/A-18C]22 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWLeft Instrument PanelFigure 8. Left Instrument PanelLeft Digital Display Indicator (DDI)The left DDI is a 3-color (green, yellow, and red) display that provides desired information to controlvarious aircraft functions and displays. There are 20 pushbuttons (PB) on the DDI which are used toselect the function and the mode for proper indicator display. PB 1 is the lowest button on the left side,and then each PB button is numbered sequentially in a clockwise manner.Brightness Selector KnobPlacing this rotary knob to OFF prevents the DDI from operating. Placing the knob to NIGHT providesa lower brightness control range, and the DAY setting provides a brighter default setting.Brightness ControlThis knob varies the intensity of the symbols and text. Rotate clockwise to increase brightness andcounterclockwise to decrease brightness.Master Mode Buttons Left Digital Display Indicator(DDI)Left Warning/Caution AdvisoryLightsIntegrated Fuel / EngineIndicator (IFEI)Master Arm SwitchEmergency Jettison ButtonSelective Jettison / LandingGear, and Flap Position LightsPanelFire Extinguisher PushbuttonLeft Engine FireWarning/Extinguisher LightsMaster Caution Light[F/A-18C] DCS 23Contrast ControlThis knob varies the contrast between symbology and the dark background on any level ofbrightness. (no function currently)Master Mode ButtonsThese two buttons allow you to change between Air-to-Air (A/A) [1] and Air-to-Ground (A/G) [2]master modes. There are three master modes of operation: navigation (NAV), air-to-air (A/A), and airto-ground (A/G). The controls, displays, and the avionic equipment operation are tailored as a functionof the master mode you select. There are three master modes of operation: navigation (NAV), air-toair (A/A), and air-to-ground (A/G). The controls, displays, and the avionic equipment operation aretailored as a function of the master mode which you select. The navigation master mode is enteredautomatically when power is applied to the aircraft, when the air-to-air or air-to-ground modes aredeselected, when the landing gear is lowered, when the SPIN mode activates, or when the aircraft hasweight on wheels and the throttle position (power lever angle) is greater than 56°. The A/A mastermode is entered either by pressing the A/A master mode button or by selecting an A/A weapon withthe A/A weapon select switch on the control stick. The A/G master mode is selected by pressing theA/G master mode button. The selection is performed by the Stores Management Set (SMS), and theSMS identifies the selected master mode to the mission computer.Master Arm Switch [M]This switch controls the ability for weapons to be employed or jettisoned. Weapons can only bereleased when this switch is set to the ARM position.Emergency Jettison ButtonThe emergency jettison button, labeled EMERG JETT jettisons stores from the parent bomb racks onexternal stores stations 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8. Holding the button down for 375 msec initiates jettison.Selective Jettison / Landing Gear, and Flap PositionLights PanelThis panel has three primary functions; the top is used to selectively select stations to jettison andthe bottom two provide landing gear and flaps status.Station Jettison Select Buttons. Selective jettison is performed by the selective jettisonknob in conjunction with the station jettison select buttons. The station jettison select buttonsare used to select which weapon station or stations will be jettisoned. The selective jettisonknob is used to select jettison of either the stores or the stores and launchers/racks on theweapon stations selected by the station jettison select buttons. After station andstore/launcher/rack selection, jettison is performed by pressing the JETT center pushbuttonin the selective jettison knob. In addition, the selective jettison knob can jettison the right orleft fuselage Sparrow or AMRAAM missile by selecting R FUS, MSL or L FUS MSL and pressingthe JETT center pushbutton. Selective jettison can only be performed with the landing gearup and locked with the master arm switch in ARM and jettisons the stores in a safe condition.DCS [F/A-18C]24 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWThe station jettison select buttons are on the left edge of the instrument panel below theemergency jettison button. The buttons are labeled CTR (center), LI (left inboard), RI (rightinboard), LO (left outboard) and RO (right outboard). Pressing a button illuminates aninternal light and selects a weapon station for jettison. The station jettison select buttons arealso used in the backup A/G weapon delivery modes for weapon selection.Landing Gear Indications. There are three green landing gear position lights markedNOSE, LEFT and RIGHT. The lights indicate that the gear is down and locked, or that a gearlink is not locked.Flap Indications. A green light indicates the aircraft is within flight parameters for the flightcontrol computer to adjust flap scheduling in accordance with the selected switch position.• HALF. FLAP switch at HALF setting and airspeed below 250 knots.• FULL. FLAP switch at FULL setting and airspeed below 250 knots.• FLAPS. FLAP switch HALF or FULL settings and airspeed over 250 knots,abnormal flap condition (any flap is off or lacks hydraulic pressure), in spinrecovery mode, or GAIN switch in ORIDE position.Integrated Fuel / Engine Indicator (IFEI)The integrated fuel/engine indicator (IFEI) engine display contains a left and right liquid crystal displayfor RPM (N2)%, TEMP (EGT)°C, FF (fuel flow) PPH, NOZ (nozzle position)%, and OIL (oil pressure) psi.During engine starts without external electrical power, only RPM and TEMP are displayed by batterypower until the APU comes online. With the APU online or external power, all engine data is displayed.Engine RPM. Displays engine N2 rpm from 0 to 100%. There is no RPM indication of afterburner.Exhaust Gas Temperature (TEMP). Displays turbine exhaust gas temperature (EGT) from 0 to1,999°C.Engine Fuel Flow (FF). Displays main engine fuel flow only (afterburner fuel flow is not displayed).Range is 300 to 15000 Pounds Per Hour (PPH) with 100 pound per hour increments. The tens of unitspositions have fixed zeros. When fuel flow is less than 320 PPH, zero is displayed.Engine Nozzle Position (NOZ). Displays exhaust nozzle position from 0 to 100% open in 10%increments.Engine Oil Pressure (OIL). Displays engine oil pressure from 0 to 195 psi in 5 psi increments.The IFEI fuel display window contains three digital counters to provide dynamic fuel quantityindications. The upper digital counter displays total aircraft fuel quantity (10-pound increments). Themiddle digital counter displays total internal fuel quantity (10-pound increments). A digital counterlegend is displayed to the right of the upper and middle counters (T - total fuel, I - internal fuel). Thelower digital counter displays the selected BINGO fuel quantity (100-pound increments).BINGO. The Bingo fuel setting can be set by pressing the up and down arrows in the center of theIFEI. The value in pounds will then be displayed in the Bingo Fuel field and be used to trigger Bingofuel caution messages and audio alerts.[F/A-18C] DCS 25MODE Button. Pressing the MODE button in the center of the IFEI. Two presses of the button allowyou to set the day and time. Use the QTY button to cycle between editing of Hour (H), Minute (M),time offset (D), and Year (Y). Upon selection of each, use the up and down arrows on the IFEI toadjust the value.ZONE Button. Press the ZONE button on the IFEI to toggle the TIME to display local or ZULU (Z)time.Elapsed Time (ET) Button. Press once on the ET button to start an elapsed time timer that will countin seconds. A second presses pauses the timer. A third presses resumes. By holding down the button,the timer will reset to zero.IFEI Brightness Knob. In the bottom left corner of the IFEI panel is the IFEI Brightness (BRT) knob.This is used to control the brightness of the display in the internal lighting panel mode switch is set toNITE or NVG. It has no effect in the DAY setting.Figure 9. Integrated Fuel / Engine Indicator (IFEI)Left Engine Fire Warning/Extinguisher LightsIf a fire is detected in the left engine, this indicator, marked FIRE, will be lit along with an "Engine FireLeft, Engine Fire Left" audio warning. This is a steady state, red light. To enable the fire bottle todischarge into the selected engine/AMAD bay, the pilot must lift the guard over the FIRE warning lightand press the FIRE button. The button has two positions. Pushed in shuts off fuel flow to the engineand arms the fire extinguisher and the READY light will illuminate. Pushing this FIRE Warning buttonin once more toggles the button to the out position and the fuel valve will open again for that engineand the READY light will turn off.Master Caution LightA yellow MASTER CAUTION light, on the upper left part of the instrument panel, comes on when anyof the caution lights or caution displays come on. The MASTER CAUTION light goes out when it ispressed (reset). An audio tone is initiated whenever the MASTER CAUTION light comes on. This buttonis also used to "re-stack" caution and advisory notices.Total FuelTotal Internal FuelEngine RPMExhaust Gas TemperatureEngine Fuel FlowEngine Nozzle PositionEngine Oil PressureBingo FuelLocal or Zulu TimeElapsed TimeDCS [F/A-18C]26 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWLeft Warning/Caution Advisory LightsThe Left Warning/Caution Advisory Lights provide visual indications of normal aircraft operation andsystem malfunctions affecting safe operation of the aircraft. A red warning light normally indicates asystem malfunction that could be a severe hazard to further flight and may require immediate action.Yellow caution lights and displays normally, but not always, indicate malfunctions that require attentionbut not immediate action. After the malfunction has been corrected, warning and caution lights andcaution displays go out. Advisory lights and displays indicate safe or normal conditions and supplyinformation for routine purposes.L BLEED. Will light when the Fire and Bleed Air Test Switch is pressed or bleed air leak or fire (600Fdegrees) has been detected in the left engine bleed air ducting. If illuminated, the left bleed valve isautomatically closed. Will light when TEST A or TEST B switch is held, or a bleed air leak or fire hasbeen detected in the left engine ducting. A "Bleed Air Left, Bleed Air Left" audio message will alsosound. L BLD OFF caution will be displayed on the LDDI.R BLEED. Will light when the Fire and Bleed Air Test Switch is pressed or bleed air leak or fire (600Fdegrees) has been detected in the right engine bleed air ducting. If illuminated, the right bleed valveis automatically closed. Will light when TEST A or TEST B switch is held, or a bleed air leak or fire hasbeen detected in the right engine ducting. A "Bleed Air Right, Bleed Air Right" audio message will alsosound. R BLD OFF caution will be displayed on the LDDI.SPD BRK. Will light anytime the speed brake is not fully retracted.STBY. When ALQ-165 ECM mode switch is set to STBY on the ECM control panel, the STBY lightindicates that the ECM Jammer is in warm up mode. This will last five minutes and then time out andextinguish. To be implemented later in early access.L BAR (Red). Launch bar malfunction. Nose gear cannot retract. The launch bar can only be extendedwith weight on wheels.L BAR (Green). Launch bar extended with weight on wheels. Will extinguish when the launch barswitch is in the UP position (catapult shuttle holds the launch bar in the extend position until the endof the catapult stroke).REC. Indicates that the aircraft is being illuminated by a threat RADAR. To be implemented later inearly access.XMIT. Lit when ECM Jammer is transmitting. To be implemented later in early access.GO. Indication of successful BIT test of ALQ-165. Will remain illuminated until BIT mode is deselected.To be implemented later in early access.NO GO. Indication of unsuccessful BIT test of ALQ-165. Will remain illuminated until BIT mode isdeselected. ALQ-126 is inoperable. To be implemented later in early access.Fire Extinguisher PushbuttonThis switch has two lights. A yellow light labeled READY and a green light labeled DISCH (discharge).When READY is on, the fire extinguisher bottle is armed. The READY light comes on when theappropriate fire warning/extinguisher light is lit. Pressing an engine fire warning/extinguisher light shuts [F/A-18C] DCS 27off fuel to the engine at the feed tank. With READY on, pressing the fire extinguisher pushbuttondischarges the fire extinguisher bottle and turns on the DISCH light. DCS [F/A-18C]28 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWCenter Instrument PanelFigure 10. Center Instrument PanelHead Up Display (HUD)The HUD is used as the primary flight instruments, weapon status, and weapon delivery display for theaircraft under all selected conditions. The HUD receives attack, navigation, situation, and steeringcontrol information from the left or right DDI symbol generators (under mission computer control), andprojects symbology on the combining glass for head-up viewing. The HUD will be discussed in muchgreater detail later in this guide.Angle of Attack Indexer LightsThe AOA indexer is mounted to the left of the HUD. It displays approach angle of attack (AoA) withlighted symbols. Corresponding AOA indications are shown on the HUD. The indexer only operates withthe landing gear down, Weight-off-Wheels, a valid Air Data Computer (ADC) AOA signal and a functionalADC. The lighted symbol(s) flash if the arresting hook is up and the Hook Bypass Switch, on the leftvertical panel, is in CARRIER. The symbols do not flash with the arresting hook up and the hook bypassswitch in FIELD. The switch is solenoid held to FIELD and automatically goes to CARRIER when thearresting hook is lowered, or aircraft power is removed. The AOA indexer knob on the HUD controlsdimming of the symbols.Head Up Display (HUD)Up Front Controller (UFC)HUD Control PanelAdvanced Multipurpose ColorDisplay (AMPCD)Lower Console Instrument GroupAngle of Attack Indexer Lights[F/A-18C] DCS 29The AOA Indexer Control on the Upfront Control adjusts the brightness of the lights. Currently nofunction.With Weight on Wheels (WoW), the indexer lights do not operate.SYMBOL AIRSPEED AOASlow 9.3° to 90.00°Slightly slow 8.8° to 9.3°On speed 7.4° to 8.8°Slightly fast 6.9° to 7.4°Fast 0° to 6.9°Upfront Controller (UFC)The UFC is on the main instrument panel below the HUD. The UFC is used to select the autopilot, ILS,data link, and radios. The UFC is used in conjunction with the two DDIs and the AMPCD to enternavigation, sensor, and weapon delivery data. DCS [F/A-18C]30 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWFigure 11. Up-Front Controller1. Scratchpad Window. The scratchpad window displays keyboard entries on a ninecharacter readout. The first two characters are alphanumeric and the other seven arenumeric.2. Automatic Direction Finding (ADF) Function Select Switch. This is a three-placeswitch that allows the pilot to set ADF navigation based on the COMM 1 radio by setting theswitch to 1, or COMM 2 by setting the switch to 2. Placing the switch in the center, OFFposition disables ADF navigation. See ADF Navigation chapter for greater detail.3. COMM 1 Volume Control. Turning the volume control to the OFF position turns off theCOMM 1 radio. Out of the OFF position, the knob controls the audio volume for thecorresponding COMM 1 radio.4. COMM 1 Channel Display. The COMM 1 channel display window displays the channel ofthe COMM 1 radio.5. COMM 1 Channel Selector. Rotating the knob with the mouse wheel selects channel 1thru 20, manual (M), or guard (G). The channel is displayed in the corresponding COMM 1channel display window. Pulling the spring-loaded knob a right mouse click causes theselected channel and its frequency to be displayed in the scratchpad and enables the controlconverter to change the frequency of the selected channel via the keyboard entry.6. COMM 2 Volume Control. Turning the volume control to the OFF position turns off theCOMM 2 radio. Out of the OFF position, the knob controls the audio volume for thecorresponding COMM 2 radio.1 1123451210967813[F/A-18C] DCS 317. COMM 2 Channel Display. The COMM 2 channel display window displays the channel ofthe COMM 2 radio.8. COMM 2 Channel Selector. Rotating the knob with the mouse wheel selects channel 1thru 20, manual (M), or guard (G). The channel is displayed in the corresponding COMM 2channel display window. Pulling the spring-loaded knob with a right mouse click causes theselected channel and its frequency to be displayed in the scratchpad and enables the controlconverter to change the frequency of the selected channel via the keyboard entry.9. EMCON Pushbutton. Pushing the button inhibits radar, radar altimeter, data link, andWalleye from transmitting. The letters E, M, C, O, and N are displayed in a vertical columnin the five option windows when EMCON is selected. Pushing the button again permits thetransmitters to radiate. Currently no function.10. Brightness Control Knob. The knob has positions of BRT (bright) and DIM. The brightnessof the Option Display Windows and Scratchpad Window increases as the knob is rotatedclockwise toward BRT.11. Option Select Pushbuttons. The five pushbuttons select or deselect the displayed options.12. Option Display Windows. The option display windows display five options of fouralphanumeric characters each that are available for selection.13. Pushbutton Keyboard. The pushbutton keyboard contains alphanumeric pushbuttons, aCLR (clear) pushbutton, and an ENT (enter) pushbutton. Pressing the alphanumericpushbutton enters a corresponding alphanumeric as digital information into the controlconverter. The number or letter of the pressed button is displayed on the right end of thescratchpad. The number or letter moves to the left as additional numbers are entered. Thedecimal point or degree/minute symbols are automatically displayed in correct position forinformation being entered. Trailing zeroes must be entered. Pressing the CLR pushbuttonclears the scratchpad and/or the option display windows. Pressing the CLR pushbutton onceclears the scratchpad, pressing it a second time clears the option display windows. Pressingthe ENT pushbutton causes the keyboard entry displayed in the scratchpad to be sent to thecontrol converter to change operation of selected equipment or to make data available tothe mission computer. If entry via the keyboard is valid, the scratchpad display blinks once.If entry is invalid, ERROR appears and flashes in the scratchpad display until the scratchpadis cleared.Figure 12. UFC Function ButtonsFunction Selector Push buttons. The function selector pushbuttons as pictured above are allmutually exclusive. When a function selector pushbutton is pressed, the control options for thatequipment are displayed in the Option Windows (and in case of the autopilot switch, the autopilot isengaged). The autopilot button displays the selected autopilot mode options in the option windows andthe desired mode/modes are colonized ( : ). Note that pressing the autopilot button will not engageautopilot! When the equipment is on, the word ON is displayed in the first two alphanumeric of thescratchpads. The first two alphanumeric are blank when the equipment is off. Pressing the functionselector pushbutton, a second time clears the UFC display. The pressing of a function selector DCS [F/A-18C]32 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWpushbutton, the pulling of a channel selector knob, or the receipt of a UFC mode command from themission computer terminates all prior activity, with all previous entries retained, and presents theoptions for the newly selected mode.Autopilot Pushbutton (AP). The automatic flight control system (autopilot) has two basic modes:pilot relief and data link. The pilot relief mode consists of heading hold, heading select, attitude hold,barometric altitude hold, and radar altitude hold. Control of the automatic flight control modes isaccomplished by the switches on the up-front control (UFC), heading set switches on the heading andcourse set switches panel, and the autopilot disengage/nosewheel steering switch on the control stick.Before any mode can be selected bank must be less than or equal to 70°, pitch must be less than orequal to 45°, and the A/P pushbutton must be pressed. Selection of the A/P pushbutton displays thepilot relief options of: ATTH (attitude hold), HSEL (heading select), BALT (barometric altitude hold),and RALT (radar altitude hold) the UFC option display windows. When a pilot relief option is selectedvia the UFC a colon (:) appears in front of the selected display and the selected mode appears on theDDI advisory display. If an option is not available, it is not displayed.Autopilot modes include:Pressing the A/P button displays the autopilot options and the desired mode is colonized by pressingthe Option Select Button next to the desired mode. Decolonizing will exit the autopilot.ATTH: Attitude hold mode is selected. Attitude hold is engaged by pressing the optionpushbutton next to the option display window displaying ATTH. Engagement is indicated bya colon in the ATTH option window. Currently the aircraft maintains the existing pitch androll attitude.BALT: Barometric altitude hold mode is selected. To establish barometric altitude hold, pressthe button next to the option display window displaying BALT. The existing barometricaltitude at time of engagement is captured and maintained. Heading or attitude hold ismaintained, depending upon which mode was previously engaged. The operating range is 0to 70,000 feet. ATTH or HSEL can be selected with BALT to provide lateral control.HSEL: Heading select mode is selected. To establish heading select mode, select the desiredheading on the HSI display by using the heading set switch, located to the left of the centerDDI. Press the button next to the option display window displaying HSEL. The aircraft turnsfrom existing heading through the smallest angle to the selected heading. Heading hold isreestablished after the selected heading is captured. Existing pitch attitude is maintained.RALT: Radar altitude hold mode is selected. To establish radar altitude hold, press thepushbutton next to the option display window displaying RALT. Engagement is indicated bya colon appearing in the window next to RALT. The existing radar altitude is maintained uponengagement. Radar altitude hold coverage is from 0 to 5,000 feet. If no other mode isselected, the lateral axis control remains in heading hold. In this configuration, roll trim switchcan be utilized with automatic turn coordination up to 45° with altitude maintained. ATTH orHSEL can be selected with RALT to provide lateral control. [F/A-18C] DCS 33TCN Pushbutton (TCN). To enable the TACAN system press the TCN pushbutton. This allows theTACAN code and ON/OFF status to be displayed on the UFC scratchpad, along with the TACAN modeoptions on the UFC Option Windows. These include:• T/R: Transmit / Receive.• RCV: Receive• A/A: Air-to-Air• X: X Channel• Y: Y ChannelNow you can actuate the ON/OFF selector pushbutton to turn the TACAN system on. The TACANchannel number may be changed using the UFC keypad. In the T/R mode the TACAN computes bearingand measures slant range from the selected TACAN station. In the RCV mode only bearing from theselected TACAN station is computed. In the A/A mode, interrogations and replies are only single pulsefrom one aircraft to another. TACAN with bearing and range information is plotted on the HSI. WhenTACAN is boxed on the HSI, range information is displayed on the HSI and HUD. With a course lineselected and in NAV mode, steering information is displayed on the HUD and the distance course lineis displayed in the lower right corner of the HSI with a C beside it. For example: 15 miles from courseline would be displayed as "15 C". This is very useful on the downwind leg of a carrier landing patternby selecting the carrier TACAN, set the carrier course line, and then fly 1.2 miles abeam of the courseline on the downwind leg parallel to the course line until starting the 180-degree turn.Please see TACAN Navigation chapter for greater detail.ILS Pushbutton (ILS). This allows the Instrumented Carrier Landing System (ICLS) channel numberand ON/OFF status to be displayed on the UFC scratchpad along with the CHNL option appearing onthe UFC Option Window. Now you Can actuate the ON/OFF selector pushbutton to turn the ILS on. TheILS channel may be changed (1 to 20) using the UFC keypad. For ILS data to be displayed on the HUD,STBY GYRO, ADI, and ILS must be boxed on the HSI.Please see ICLS Navigation chapter for greater detail.ON/OFF Pushbuttons. Activates or deactivates selected function.HUD Control PanelThe HUD control panel allows the pilot to adjust the HUD display and how some data is presented.DCS [F/A-18C]34 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWFigure 13. HUD Control Panel1. HUD Symbology Reject Switch. This three-position toggle switch has positions of NORM,REJ 1, and REJ 2. With the switch placed to NORM, the normal amount of symbology isprovided for all HUD displays. Placing the switch to REJ 1 removes aircraft Mach number,aircraft G's, bank angle and pointer, airspeed box, altitude box, peak positive G, and requiredground speed cue from the HUD. Placing the switch to REJ 2 removes all REJ 1 symbologyplus the heading scale, current heading indication (caret/T), command heading marker,NAV/TACAN range, and the ET/CD timer.2. HUD Symbology Brightness Selector Knob. This is a two-position toggle switch withpositions of DAY and NIGHT. Placing the switch to DAY provides maximum symbol brightnessin conjunction with the HUD symbology brightness control. With the switch set to NIGHT, areduced symbol brightness is provided in conjunction with the HUD symbology brightnesscontrol.3. AOA Indexer Control. This knob controls the brightness of the AoA indexer lights.Currently no function.4. HUD Symbology Brightness Selector. This is a two-position toggle switch with positionsof DAY and NIGHT. Placing the switch to DAY provides maximum symbol brightness inconjunction with the HUD symbology brightness control. With the switch set to NIGHT, areduced symbol brightness is provided in conjunction with the HUD symbology brightnesscontrol.5. Altitude Switch. The ALT switch is used to select either RADAR altitude or barometricaltitude for display on the HUD and as the primary altitude source for the mission computer.When the switch is set to RDR (RADAR), the altimeter altitude followed by an R is displayedin the upper right portion of the HUD display. If RADAR altitude becomes invalid, such as theaircraft exceeding the 5,000 feet AGL RADAR altimeter limit, barometric altitude is displayedand a B next to the altitude flashes to indicate barometric altitude is being displayed.12345[F/A-18C] DCS 35Advanced Multipurpose Color Display (AMPCD)The AMPCD (generally referred to as just the MPCD) is a full-color, NVG compatible digital displaycapable of providing any MENU selectable format except the A/G RADAR display. The MPCD is drivenby either the Digital Map Set (DMS) for HSI displays, or the left DDI for all other MENU selectableformats. Four momentary two-position rocker switches and a rotary knob, located on the front of theMPCD, permit control of MPCD off/brightness, night/day viewing modes, symbology, gain, and contrast.Figure 14. MPCD1. Off/Brightness Control. This rotary switch is located in the top-center of the MPCD and isused to turn the AMPCD on and off or to select the brightness level.2. Night/Day Brightness Selector. This rocker switch is located in the upper left corner ofthe MPCD and is used to select the lower brightness control (night) range and disableautomatic contrast control (NITE position selected) or to select the higher brightness control(day) range (DAY position selected).3. Symbology Control. Momentary actuations of the upper half of the switch incrementallynarrows the symbology, making it sharper and dimmer. Momentary actuations of the lowerhalf incrementally widens the symbology, making it brighter and less sharp.4. Gain Control. Momentary actuations of the upper half of the switch incrementally increasesbackground video brightness. Momentary actuations of the lower half incrementally decreasevideo brightness.6315624DCS [F/A-18C]36 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW5. Contrast Control. Momentary actuations of the upper half of the switch incrementallyincrease the contrast of the display. Momentary actuations of the lower half incrementallydecrease the contrast of the display.6. Heading and Course Set Switches. At either side of the top of the MPCD are the Course(CRS) and Heading (HDG) switches that allow the pilot to manually set course and headingson the HSI. Both switches are spring-loaded to the center position but can be held up toincrease value (degrees) or held down to decrease value (degrees). Increase Heading [LALT+ [Left Shift + 2] and decrease [Left Alt + [Left Shift+ 1]. Increase course [LALT +[Left Shift+ 4] and decrease [Alt + Left Shift+ 3].Lower Console Instrument GroupAside from the cabin pressure gauge, this group of instruments is dedicated toward defensive systems.These will be discussed in the Defensive Systems portion of this guide. [F/A-18C] DCS 37Right Instrument PanelFigure 15. Lock and Shoot LightsFigure 16. Right Instrument PanelLock / Shoot LightsThe Lock/Shoot cue function is provided during air-to-air (A/A) operation for the AIM-9 Sidewinder andA/A gun mode. This function provides a visual indication for RADAR lock on (LOCK light) and whenweapon release interlocks are satisfied (SHOOT light/SHOOT cue).Lock / Shoot LightsRight Warning/Caution Advisory APU Fire LightLightsRight Digital Display Indicator (DDI)Standby Attitude Reference Indicator(SARI)Standby AltimeterRight Engine FireWarning/Extinguisher LightsIR Cool SwitchAzimuth IndicatorStandby Vertical Velocity Indicator Standby Airspeed IndicatorHMD ControlSpin RecoveryDCS [F/A-18C]38 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW• Lock: Single Target Track (STT) and target within Rmax range.• Shoot / Steady / Missile: target locked and within Rmax range.• Shoot / Flashing / Missile: target locked and within Rne range.• Shoot / Steady / Gun: target within solution.• The strobe light below the SHOOT cue will also flash when shot is valid.The Shoot light function is also provided during air to ground (A/G) rocket delivery, and with no weaponselected, shoot light is functional for A/G gun mode when gun is selected on left DDI. Lock light is notfunctional during A/G mode operation.Right Warning/Caution Advisory LightsThe Right Warning/Caution Advisory lights provide visual indications of the recorder and the onboardThreat Warning System (TWS). See Defensive Systems Chapter for greater details.• DISP. Countermeasure dispense program is active.• SAM. Surface-to-Air Missile tracking RADAR locked to aircraft. Light is solid when RADAR istracking and flashing when guiding a missile.• AI. Airborne Intercept (AI) RADAR locked to aircraft.• AAA. Ant-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) fire control RADAR locked to aircraft. This is a steady lightfor all RADAR directed AAA except ZSU-23-4 in which the light will flash at 3 Hz.• CW. Aircraft illuminated by Continuous Wave (CW) RADAR.• APU Fire Light. The APU Fire Light will light when a fire has been detected in the APUcompartment.• Right Engine Fire Warning/Extinguisher Lights. If a fire is detected in the rightengine, this indicator will be lit. it will light when a temperature greater than 1,000 degreesF is detected in the right engine bay.Right Digital Display Indicator (DDI)The right DDI functions identically to the left DDI.IR Cool SwitchManually provides coolant to AIM-9 seekers. See AIM-9 procedures section of this guide.Standby Attitude Reference Indicator (SARI)This is a self-contained instrument to indicate aircraft pitch, roll, and yaw. Cage and increase pitch[LALT + [Left Shift+ V] cage and decrease pitch [Left Alt + Left Shift+ X]. [F/A-18C] DCS 39Figure 17. SARIThe standby attitude reference indicator (SARI) is a self-contained electrically driven gyro-horizon typeinstrument An OFF flag appears if both power sources fail or the gyro is caged. During caging the gyroinitially cages to 4° pitch and 0° roll regardless of aircraft attitude. Caging when the aircraft is in a rollattitude greater than 5° cuts out the roll erection system and the gyro does not erect properly. After 3to 5 minutes, the indicator reads 0° in pitch and 0° in roll. Both readings assume the aircraft is straightand level. Pitch display is limited by mechanical stops at approximately 90° climb and 80° dive. As theaircraft reaches a near vertical orientation, the roll display experiences large rotations. An aircraft wingslevel attitude in the vertical orientation may result in large errors in either pitch or roll, or both. This isnormal and is not an indication of damage or improper function of the indicator. After completion ofvertical maneuvers, the indicator most likely requires caging in the normal cruise attitude, to eliminatethe errors. Vertical maneuvers with a wing down condition of 7° or more usually do not developsignificant gyro errors. A needle and ball are at the bottom of the instrument. A one-needle width turnis 90° per minute.Azimuth IndicatorAlso referred to as the RADAR Warning Receiver (RWR), this is discussed in the Defensive Systemssection of this guide.Standby Airspeed IndicatorThe standby airspeed indicator displays airspeed from 60 to 850 knots indicated airspeed. It operatesdirectly off left pitot pressure and left static pressure with NORMAL selected by the static sourceselector lever or right static pressure with BACKUP selected.Standby AltimeterIndication of aircraft barometric altitude. Increase [LALT + Left Shift+ S] and decrease [LALT +Left Shift+ A]. The standby altimeter is a counter-pointer type. The counter drum indicates altitudein thousands of feet from 00 to 99. The long pointer indicates altitude in 50-foot increments with onefull revolution each 1,000 feet. A knob and window permit setting the altimeter to the desiredbarometric setting. This setting is also used by the air data computer. The standby altimeter operates DCS [F/A-18C]40 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWdirectly off the left static pressure with NORMAL selected by the static source selector lever or rightstatic pressure with BACKUP selected.Standby Vertical Velocity IndicatorIndication of aircraft positive or negative change of altitude rate.HMD ControlRotating the HMD knob clockwise turns displays the Helmet Mounted Sight and adjusts brightness.Please see HMD chapter.Spin RecoveryThis control is a hold-over from earlier production lots of the Hornet. During later development of theHornet's flight control system, this switch and system was rendered obsolete. In fact, in official Hornetflight manuals, it is prohibited from use. Although we have fully-modeled this system for completeaccuracy, it should not be used.The spin recovery system, when engaged, puts the flight controls in a spin recovery mode (SRM). Thismode, unlike CAS, gives the pilot full aileron, rudder and stabilator authority without any control surfaceinterconnects and all rate and acceleration feedbacks are removed. The leading-edge flaps are drivento 33° •}1° down and the trailing edge flaps are driven to 0° •}1°.• NORM. Spin recovery mode engaged when all of the following conditions are met:o Airspeed 120 •+/- 15 knots.o Sustained, un-commanded yaw rate.o Stick is placed in the direction indicated on the DDI spin recovery display.o The flight controls revert to CAS anytime the stick is placed in the wrong direction(i.e. prospin), the airspeed increases above about 245 knots, or the yaw ratedecreases to less than 15°/second.• RCVY. Spin mode engaged when airspeed is 120 +/-15 knots. The flight controls revert toCAS when the airspeed increases above about 245 knots. Full authority prospin controls canbe applied with the switch in RCVY and spin mode engaged.Spin Recovery Switch in NORMWith the airspeed at 120 •+/- 15 knots and a sustained, un-commanded left yaw rate with positive gor sustained, un-commanded right yaw rate with negative g:[F/A-18C] DCS 41Figure 18. Spin Recovery DisplayThis appears on both DDIs after about a 15-second delay at 15°/second yaw rate decreasing toabout a 5-second delay at 50°/second yaw rate.With the airspeed at 120 ±15 knots and a right yaw rate over 15°/second with positive g or left yawrate over 15°/second with negative gappears on both DDIs after about a 15-second delay at 15°/second yaw rate decreasing to about a5-second delay at 50°/second yaw rate.When the stick is placed in the indicated directions, the wordsSPIN MODEAre replaced bySPIN MODEENGAGEDDCS [F/A-18C]42 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWWhen the yaw rate decreases below 15°/second or the airspeed increases above about 245 knots,the spin recovery display is replaced by the MENU display.Spin Recovery Switch in RCVYSPIN MODEAppears on both DDIs.If the airspeed decreases to 120 ±15 knots, the wordsSPIN MODEAre replaced bySPIN MODEENGAGEDIf a yaw rate over 15°/second develops the words STICK RIGHT or STICK LEFT with anaccompanying arrow also appear on the DDI.When the airspeed increases above about 245 knotsSPIN MODEappears on both DDIs and the flight controls revert to CAS.Airspeed appears in the upper left corner, altitude appears in the upper right corner, and AOAappears in the lower center of the spin recovery display. [F/A-18C] DCS 43Left Vertical PanelFigure 19. Left Vertical PanelCanopy Jettison HandleThe black and yellow striped canopy jettison handle is on the left inboard canopy sill just aft of theinstrument panel. Pulling the handle aft activates the canopy jettison system.Landing Gear HandleThe landing gear is controlled by a two-position, wheel-shaped handle on the lower left side of themain instrument panel. Two conditions must be met before the gear can be raised: the aircraft mustsense that weight is off all three-landing gear and the launch bar must be retracted. When theseconditions are met, the landing gear is raised by moving the handle up. If the launch bar is extendedwhen the handle is raised, the main gear retracts but the nose gear remains extended. When theaircraft senses weight on any of the three-landing gear, a mechanical stop in the landing gear controlpanel extends preventing movement of the handle from DN to UP. Moving the handle down lowers thegear.The landing gear warning light is a red light in the gear handle. The light comes on when the gear isin transit and remains on until all three gear are down and locked when DN is selected, or all the gearCanopy Jettison HandleLanding Gear ControlHandle Flap SwitchLaunch Bar SwitchLanding / Taxi LightArrestor Hook BypassSwitchAnti-Skid SwitchSelective Jettison KnobEmergency / Parking BrakeHandleBrake Accumulator PressureGaugeDCS [F/A-18C]44 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWdoors are closed when UP is selected. The light remains on with the gear down and locked if the leftor right main landing gear link is not locked. When the landing gear handle light has been on for 15seconds the landing gear aural tone also comes on.Emergency gear extension is done by rotating the gear handle 90° clockwise with a right mouse clickand pulling to the detent where the handle locks in place. This can be done with the handle in eitherUP or DN; however, the handle must be rotated 90° before it is pulled. Rotating and pulling the gearhandle opens the valves for the emergency landing gear control, the APU accumulator and theemergency brake accumulator. The nose landing gear extends by free fall aided by air loads, and themain landing gear extends by free fall aided by the side brace down lock actuator and the compressedshock absorber. If gear indicates unsafe following emergency extension, it may be the result of theAPU accumulator arming valve not opening. [G]Launch Bar SwitchThe launch bar is hydraulically extended and retracted by redundant springs. A locking tab mechanicallylocks the launch bar in the up position. The two position (EXTEND and RETRACT) launch bar switchcontrols launch bar operation. As the launch bar extends the green L BAR advisory light comes on.When the launch bar is fully extended it is held against the deck by deck load control springs. Thecontrol springs allow vertical movement of the launch bar during taxi. As the aircraft is taxied into thelaunch gear the launch bar drops over the shuttle and is held captive in the extended position as theshuttle is tensioned. The green L BAR advisory light goes out when the switch is placed to RETRACT.If the red L BAR warning light is on with the switch in RETRACT, an electrical fault exists which preventslaunch bar retraction after launch. At the completion of the catapult stroke, launch bar/catapultseparation occurs and the return springs cause launch bar retraction which allows the landing gear tobe retracted. If the launch bar fails to retract after the aircraft is launched, the red L BAR warning lightcomes on and the nose wheel does not retract. A launch bar circuit breaker is on the left essentialcircuit breaker panel and when pulled de-energizes the launch bar electrical system.Flap SwitchThe FLAP switch selects which of the two flight control computer modes (auto flap up or takeoff andland) is active and thus determines the flight characteristics for those conditions.• AUTO. Without Weight On Wheels (WOW), leading and trailing edge flaps are scheduled asa function of AoA. With WOW, leading and trailing edge flaps and aileron droop are set to0°. [F]• HALF. Below 250 knots, leading edge flaps are scheduled as a function of AoA. Trailing edgeflaps and aileron droop are scheduled as a function of airspeed to a maximum of 30° atapproach airspeeds. Above 250 knots, the flaps operate in the auto flap up mode and theamber FLAPS light comes on. On the ground, the leading-edge flaps are set to 12°. Thetrailing edge flaps and aileron droop are set to 30°. With the wing unlocked, aileron droop isset to 0°. [Left Shift+ F]• FULL. Below 250 knots, leading edge flaps are scheduled as a function of AoA. Trailing edgeflaps and aileron droop are scheduled as a function of airspeed to a maximum of 45° flapsand 42° aileron droop at approach airspeeds. Above 250 knots, the flaps operate in the auto [F/A-18C] DCS 45flaps up mode and the amber FLAPS light comes on. On the ground, the leading-edge flapsare set to 12°. The trailing edge flaps are set to 43° to 45° and aileron droop to 42°. Withthe wings unlocked, aileron droop is set to 0°. [Left Control + F]Selective Jettison KnobThe selective jettison knob on the left vertical panel has rotary positions L FUS MSL, SAFE, R FUS MSL,RACK/LCHR, and STORES. L FUS MSL and R FUS MSL selects the required fuselage missile for jettison.The RACK/LCHR and STORES positions select what is to be jettisoned from the weapon stationsselected by the station jettison select buttons. The JETT center pushbutton activates the jettison circuitsprovided the landing gear is up and locked and the master arm switch is in ARM. The SAFE positionprevents any selective jettison.Landing / Taxi LightThis is a combination landing and taxi light located on the nose gear strut. The light is controlled bythe LDG/TAXI light switch on the left vertical panel.• OFF. Light is off.• ON. If the landing gear handle is in DN and the landing gear is down, the light is on.Anti-Skid SwitchThe anti-skid circuit prevents brake application on landing until wheel speed is over 50 knots, or if awet runway delays wheel spin-up, 3 seconds after touchdown. A locked wheel protection circuit releasesthe brakes if the speed of one main wheel is 40% of the other main wheel. The locked wheel protectioncircuit is disabled at about 35 knots. The anti-skid system is totally disabled below 10 knots. Anti-skidis used for airfield operation, but not for carrier operations.Emergency / Parking Brake HandleThe combination emergency/parking brake handle is on the lower left corner of the main instrumentpanel. The handle is shaped such that EMERG is visible to the pilot when the handle is in the stowedor emergency position and PARK is visible to the pilot when the handle is rotated to the park position.The parking brake system uses the same hydraulic lines, accumulators and actuation handle as theemergency brake system. The system is activated by rotating the emergency/parking brake handle 90°counterclockwise from the horizontal stowed position and pulling it out to a positive locked position. Ifthe emergency brakes have been activated, it is necessary to reposition the handle to the stowedposition then rotate it 90° counterclockwise and pull it to the locked position to select parking brakes.This action applies non-regulated pressure to the disc brakes. With the INS on, the parking brake set,and both throttles above about 80% rpm, the PARK BRK caution and MASTER CAUTION come on. Torelease the parking brake, rotate the emergency/ parking brake handle 45° counterclockwise from theextended position. This releases the lock and allows the handle to return to the horizontal stowedposition.DCS [F/A-18C]46 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWBrake Accumulator Pressure GaugeBrake accumulator pressure is shown on a pressure gauge on the lower left corner of the maininstrument panel and is redlined to indicate pressure below 2,000 psi. 3,000 psi is a normal level.Arrestor Hook Bypass SwitchWith this switch set to the CARRIER position, the AoA Indexer Lights will light solid when the arrestorhook and landing gear are down and locked. It will however flash if the arrestor hook is up. When setto FIELD, the AoA Indexer Lights will stay solid when the arrestor hook is not down. [F/A-18C] DCS 47Left ConsoleFigure 20. Left ConsoleGround Power PanelIf wishing to not use the battery to start the aircraft, or run electrical systems without starting theaircraft, the ground power panel can be used once electrical power is requested from the ground crew.Once EXT PWR (External Power) is selected from the panel, four groups can be selected with eachhaving sub A and B groups of instruments and systems being powered by the group.Fire Test SwitchThe fire/bleed air leakage detection sensors and associated circuits are tested by the fire and bleed airtest switch. Operation of the fire and bleed air test switch requires power on the essential 24/28-voltdc bus. The fire and bleed air switch is on the fire test panel on the left console. When actuated toTEST A or TEST B, the fire warning, bleed air leak detection and voice alert warning circuitry for thedesignated loop is tested.Switch actuation turns on the L BLEED and R BLEED warning lights and the L BLD OFF and R BLDOFF caution displaysExterior Lights Panel Ground Power PanelAPU and Engine Crank PanelOxygen System PanelVolume PanelFlight Control System (FCS) PanelFire Test SwitchDCS [F/A-18C]48 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWThe L(R) BLEED warning lights go out after the switch is released to NORM.• TEST A Turns on the three red fire warning/extinguisher lights, activates the voice alert("Engine Fire Left, Engine Fire Left", "Engine Fire Right, Engine Fire Right", "APU Fire, APUFire", Bleed Air Left, Bleed Air Left", Bleed Air Right, Bleed Air Right", turns on the two bleedair warning lights and two caution displays, indicating that Loop A fire detection sensors andcircuitry are operational.• TEST B Turns on the three red fire warning/extinguisher lights, activates the voice alert("Engine Fire Left, Engine Fire Left", "Engine Fire Right, Engine Fire Right", "APU Fire, APUFire", Bleed Air Left, Bleed Air Left", Bleed Air Right, Bleed Air Right", turns on the two bleedair warning lights and two caution displays, indicating that Loop A fire detection sensors andcircuitry are operational.This is a spring-loaded switch, and if released will return to center and the last audio message willfinish.Exterior Lighting PanelThree lighting controls comprise this panel:• Position Lights. The position lights include a white light just below the tip of the rightvertical tail fin, three green lights on the right side of the aircraft, and three red lights on theleft side of the aircraft. The position lights are controlled by the POSITION lights knob. Theexterior lights master switch must be ON for the position lights knob to operate.• Formation Lights. Eight formation lights are provided. Two lights are on each wing tip andshow above and below a wing tip missile when installed, two lights are on the outboard ofthe vertical tail fins, two lights are on the aft fuselage below the vertical tail fins, and twolights are on either side of the forward fuselage just forward of the LEX. The formation lightsare controlled by the FORMATION lights control knob on the exterior lights panel whichprovides variable lighting between positions OFF and BRT. The exterior lights master switchmust be ON for the formation lights knob to operate.• Strobe Lights. Two red anti-collision strobe lights, one on each outboard vertical tail fin,are provided. The strobe lights are controlled by the STROBE lights switch on the exteriorlights panel. The exterior lights master switch must be ON for the strobe lights switch to beoperative.o OFF Lights are off.o BRT Lights illuminate at full intensity.o DIM Lights illuminate at reduced intensity.APU and Engine Crank PanelThe APU switch is a two-position switch with positions of ON and OFF. OFF Provides a manual shutdownfor the APU. ON Starts the start cycle of the APU. Switch is electrically held in the ON position andautomatically returns to OFF 1 minute after the second generator comes on the line.[F/A-18C] DCS 49The APU is a small aircraft mounted gas turbine engine used to generate a source of air to power theair turbine starter(s). It is situated on the underside of the fuselage between the engines, with bothintake and exhaust facing downwards. A hydraulic motor powered by the APU accumulator, normallycharged by HYD 2B, is used to start the APU. A hand pump may be used to charge the accumulator.The aircraft battery provides electrical power for the APU ignition and start control circuits. The APUuses aircraft fuel.Operation of the APU is automatic after the APU switch, on the left console, is placed to ON. The APUmay be shut down at any time by placing the APU switch to OFF. After the APU has completed its startcycle a green READY light comes on. After the second generator is online, the APU runs approximately1 minute then the APU switch returns to OFF.Either engine may be started first; however, starting the right engine first provides normal hydraulicpressure to the brakes. After the APU READY light is on, place the electrically held engine crank switchto R. This opens the right air turbine starter control valve(ATSCV) and APU air powers the ATS. The ATS in turn cranks the right engine by way of the AMADgearbox and power transmission shaft. After the right generator comes online the engine crank switchautomatically returns to OFF. The left engine is started the same way as the right. One minute afterthe second generator comes online the APU shuts down.Flight Control System (FCS) PanelMovement of the rudder trim knob on the FCS control panel electrically biases the flight controlcomputers. The rudder pedals do not move.The T/O trim button is in the center of the rudder trim knob on the FCS panel. With WOW, holding thebutton pressed drives the roll and yaw trim to the neutral position, stabilator 12° nose up (10.5.1 PROMAND UP), and zeros the MECH stick position. When the roll and yaw control surfaces are trimmed toneutral and the stabilator to 4°/12° nose up, the TRIM advisory is displayed on the DDI until the buttonis released. In flight and CAS, pressing the T/O trim button only neutralizes the MECH stick position.Volume PanelThe volume controls (TCN, WPN, and RWR) on the volume control panel provides volume controls.• TCN. TACAN audio code volume.• RWR. Radar Warning Receiver audio output volume.• WPN. Weapon audio output volume (i.e, AIM-9 seeker)Oxygen System PanelThe Oxygen System panel includes control of the Onboard Oxygen Generation Systems (OBOGS).Controls include an ON/OFF switch and flow dial. Along the left wall are the circuit breakers for FCSchannels 1 and 2, as well as for the speed brake and launch bar. The large red button is thecountermeasures dispenser button.DCS [F/A-18C]50 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWRight Vertical PanelFigure 21. Right Vertical PanelStandby Magnetic CompassA conventional aircraft magnetic compass is mounted on the right windshield arch.Arresting Hook Handle and LightTo extend the arresting hook, place the arresting hook handle down. The HOOK light comes on whenthe hook is in transit and goes out when the hook reaches the selected position. The light remains onif the hook is in contact with the deck and is prevented from reaching the hook down proximity switch.The HOOK light remains on any time the hook position does not agree with the handle position. Lowerand raise with [Left Control + H].Arresting Hook Handle andLightRADAR AltimeterHydraulic Pressure IndicatorWing Fold HandleAvionics Cool Switch[F/A-18C] DCS 51Wing Fold HandleNormal folding and spreading the wings is accomplished through operation of the wing fold handle. Tofold the wings, pull out and rotate counterclockwise to FOLD. The MASTER CAUTION light comes on.To spread the wings, rotate the wing fold handle clockwise to SPREAD. To lock the wings after theyhave fully spread, push the handle in. The wings can be stopped and held in any intermediate positionby placing the wing fold handle to HOLD.RADAR AltimeterThe radar altimeter set indicates clearance over land or water from 0 to 5,000 feet. Operation is basedon precise measurement of time required for an electromagnetic energy pulse to travel from the aircraftto the ground terrain and return. Voice alert and/or warning tone and visual warnings are activatedwhen the aircraft is at or below a selectable low altitude limit. The set consists of a receiver-transmitter,individual transmitting and receiving antennas, and a height indicator. The receiver-transmitterproduces the energy pulses, transmits the energy to the ground, receives the reflected signal andprocesses this data for display as altitude by the head-up display unit (HUD) and the height indicator.The height indicator, on the instrument panel, consists of a calibrated scale from 0 to 5,000 feet, apush-to-test switch, a low altitude index pointer, an altitude pointer, an OFF flag, a low altitude warninglight, and a BIT light.Hydraulic Pressure IndicatorThe left, or system 1, provides power to the primary flight control surface actuators exclusively. Theright, or system 2, also provides power to the primary flight control actuators and additionally suppliespower to the speed brake and non-flight control actuators.Right Warning / Caution Advisory LightsAll lights on this panel are steady state, yellow lights.• APU ACC. Indicates that the APU accumulator pressure necessary for the starting the engineis inadequate.• FUEL LO. Indicates the fuel quantity remaining is below 800 pounds in either of the twofeed tanks. FUEL LO will remain on for at least one minute for each fuel low occurrence toavoid repetitive occurrences due to fuel sloshing.• L GEN. Indicates that the left generator output has failed or is turned off.• R GEN. Indicates that the right generator output has failed or is turned off.• BATT SW. Battery switch is set to ON.• FCS HOT. The flight control computer and transformer/rectifier are undercooled. This is dueto insufficient avionics cooling in the right-hand equipment bay. In such a situation, theEMERG position on the AV Cool switch should be selected.• FCES. A function has been lost in one or more axis of the Flight Control Electronics Systems.Loss of one of the eleven flight control functions.DCS [F/A-18C]52 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW• GEN TIE. GEN TIE switch set to RESET.• CK SEAT. Ejection seat has not been armed. [F/A-18C] DCS 53Right ConsoleFigure 22. Right ConsoleElectrical PanelThe electrical (ELEC) panel has controls for both generators, the battery and its voltage meter.• Left Generator Switch. Used to enable or disable the left generator. This switch has twopositions. NORM to enable normal operation and OFF to disable the generator.• Right Generator Switch. Used to enable or disable the right generator. This switch hastwo positions. NORM to enable normal operation and OFF to disable the generator.• Batteries Voltmeter. The voltmeter, which combines a U battery voltmeter and E batteryvoltmeter in one indicator, is on the electrical power panel. With the battery switch OFF, thevoltmeters are inoperative, and the indicator needles indicate 16 volts. With the batteryswitch ON, both voltmeters are operative; with the switch in ORIDE, only the E voltmeter isoperative.• Battery Switch. The battery switch controls operation of the two onboard batteries andhas three positions:o OFF. Batteries can be charged, but battery contactors will not energize to connecta battery to the essential bus in response to low voltage conditions.Electrical PanelEnvironmental Systems ControlPanelInterior Lighting Panel Sensors PanelDCS [F/A-18C]54 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWo ON. Enables control circuitry of both battery contactors, so the U battery contactorwill automatically close in response to a low voltage condition on the left 28-voltdc bus, and the E battery contactor will subsequently close in response to a lowvoltage condition from the U battery output and left 28 volt dc bus.o ORIDE. Energizes E battery contactor regardless of charge status of U battery,providing voltage on left 28-volt dc bus is absent or low. Position can be used toconnect E battery to the essential buses in the event U battery contactor fails toenergize with switch in the ON position.Environmental Control System PanelThe ECS panel controls that will be applicable to the Hornet Early Access include:• Bleed Air Select Switch. This switch controls the bleed air source. Bleed air isautomatically shut off if a leak is detected.o BOTH. Bleed airflow is provided to the ECS by both engines.o R OFF. Bleed airflow is provided to the ECS by only the left engine.o L OFF. Bleed airflow is provided to the ECS by only the right engine.o OFF. All bleed airflow from the engines is shut off. This includes ECS cooling,cabin pressurization, and warm air. Ram air is automatically used instead.o AUG. Allows the APU to augment bleed air pressurization of the cabin when theaircraft has weight on wheels and engine operating at less than intermediatesettings.• Engine Anti-Ice Switch. This switch controls anti-ice heating of the engine inlets.o ON. Allows hot bleed air to circulate through the engine inlet and enginecomponents.o OFF. Turns off engine anti-ice.o TEST. Triggers ice caution message.• Pitot Heater Switch. There are two pitot-static tubes mounted under the nose on eachside forward of the nosewheel well. Each tube contains one pitot source and two staticsources. The pitot heater switch on the ECS panel has positions ON and AUTO.o AUTO. Heaters are on when airborne.o ON. Heaters are on when ac power available.Interior Lighting PanelThe interior light panel controls all illumination options and settings within the cockpit.• Console Lighting Knob. Integral and light panel lighting for the left and right consoles,the hydraulic pressure indicator, and both cockpit circuit breaker panels are controlled by theCONSOLES knob which provides variable lighting between positions OFF and BRT. With theMODE knob in the NVG position, the CONSOLES knob provides variable NVG floodlightingbetween OFF and BRT for the consoles.• Instrument Lighting Knob. Integral and light panel lighting for the instrument panel, UFCbackground, right and left vertical panels (except for the hydraulic pressure indicator) and [F/A-18C] DCS 55standby magnetic compass are controlled by the INST PNL knob which provides variablelighting between positions OFF and BRT. The strobe shoot light does not illuminate when theinstrument lights are on. The INST PNL knob provides variable lighting between OFF andBRT, with the MODE switch in either NORM or NVG.• Flood Lighting Knob. Eight white floodlights are provided for secondary lighting. Threeconsole floodlights are above each console, and an instrument panel floodlight is located toeither side of the instrument panel. The FLOOD knob is inoperative with the MODE switch inthe NVG position.• Chart Lighting Knob. A chart light is installed on the canopy arch. An NVG compatiblechart light is controlled by the CHART knob and rotates in two axes with variable lightingbetween OFF and BRT. The chart light operates independent of the MODE switch position.• Lights Test Switch. A lights test switch, labeled LT TEST, is provided to test thewarning/caution/advisory lights in addition to the AOA indexer lights and the integratedfuel/engine indicator LCD displays.• Warning and Caution Lights Knob. A knob labeled WARN/CAUT is provided on theinterior lights control panel to vary the brightness of the warning/caution/advisory lightswithin the low intensity range. The warning/caution/advisory lights can be switched to thelow intensity range by placing the warning/caution lights knob momentarily to RESET, if theINST PNL knob is out of the OFF position, and either the FLOOD knob is out of OFF but lessthan 70% of BRT or the flood switch is in CHART.The warning/caution lights come on at a reduced brightness in the NITE and NVG mode.Once in the low intensity range, the warning/caution/advisory lights can be brought back tohigh intensity by turning the MODE switch to the DAY position. With power interruption andthe MODE switch in NVG, the lighting system remains in the NVG mode when power isrestored. With power interruption and the MODE switch in DAY or NITE, the lighting systemdefaults to the DAY mode when power is restored.• Mode Switch. The MODE switch has positions of NVG, NITE, and DAY. The DAY positionpermits the maximum brightness range for the warning, caution, and advisory lights and themain and console panel lighting. The NITE position provides reduced brightness for thewarning, caution, and advisory lights, and normal intensity for the main and console lighting.The NVG position provides reduced brightness for the warning, caution, and advisory lights,disables the integral console lighting, and enables NVG compatible floodlights to illuminatethe consoles. The IFEI brightness knob is only functional in NITE and NVG modes.Sensors PanelAt this Early Access stage, functionality of the sensor panels includes the RADAR knob and the INSknob. For the INS knob, place the knob in NAV for navigation functions.• INS Knob. This eight-position rotary knob controls the inertial navigation system. For thisEarly Access release, the following positions operate:o OFF. Removes power from the INS.o GND. Places the INS in ground alignment.o NAV. Places the INS in navigation mode.DCS [F/A-18C]56 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW• RADAR Knob. Four position rotary knob controls all operating power applied to theRADAR set.o OFF. Removes all RADAR set power.o STBY. Activates all components except for high voltage. Allows RADAR set towarm-up before application of high voltage, or, removes high voltage butmaintains RADAR for immediate application of high voltage.o OPR. Commands RADAR to full operation if all safety interlocks have beensatisfied and initial warm-up time is complete.• FLIR Switch. Three position toggle switch that controls electrical power to the ATFLIR pod.o OFF. Removes all electrical power from the targeting pod.o STBY. Turns on standby electrical power, enables detector cool down.o ON. Turns power on for FLIR.• Laser Target Designator/Ranger (LTD/R) Switch. Two position lever locked switchthat must be lifted before it can be moved to the magnetically held position. The LTD/Rswitch enables arming of the laser when all other interlocks are met.o SAFE. Inhibits laser arming.o ARM. Enables laser arming. Magnetically held in ARM position when all interlocksare met.• Laser Spot Tracker/Navigation FLIR (LST/NFLIR) Switch. Two position toggleswitch that enables or disables LST/NFLR.o OFF. Disables primary power to the interconnecting box.o ON. with the LST/NFLR switch in the ON position, the primary power relay isenergized. The 28vdc power is supplied to the 5vdc regulators and is filtered.Along the right wall are the canopy control switch, the FCS BIT switch, and circuit breakers for thearrestor hook, landing gear and FCS channels 3 and 4.Internal Canopy SwitchThe internal canopy switch has three positions: OPEN, CLOSE and HOLD.• OPEN. Raises canopy to maximum position. If selected when canopy is locked, the canopyunlocks, then moves 1.5 inches aft before rising. With WOW, the OPEN position is solenoidheld until the maximum up position is reached, after which it is spring loaded to the HOLDposition. The solenoid can be overridden at any time by placing the switch to HOLD. Withweight off wheels, the switch must be held in the OPEN position to open the canopy.Objects/Grimes light placed in the area near the canopy switch could inadvertently shiftcausing actuation of the canopy switch airborne resulting in loss of canopy.• HOLD. Stops the canopy at any point during the open or close cycle.[F/A-18C] DCS 57• CLOSE. Lowers canopy. If held after canopy reaches canopy sill, canopy moves forward1.5 inches and then locks. Locked condition indicated by MASTER CAUTION light andCANOPY display going out. CLOSE position is spring loaded to the HOLD position.DCS [F/A-18C]58 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEWControl StickThe stick contains the pitch and roll trim switch, sensor control switch, Air-to-Ground bomb releasebutton, gun/forward-firing weapons trigger, Air-to-Air weapon select switch, un-designate/nose wheelsteering button. An autopilot/nose wheel steering disengage switch (paddle switch) is mounted belowthe stick grip. Stick position sensors transmit an electrical signal proportional to stick displacement fromneutral to the flight control computers.Several of the switches have multiple functions that depend on a selected mode. We will discuss thosein the later, relevant sections of this Quick Start manual.Figure 23. Control StickWeapon release button [Right Alt + Spacebar]. Press and hold to launch air-to-groundweapons, including bombs, rockets, and air-to-surfaces missiles.Trigger switch [Spacebar]. Press to fire the gun and air-to-air missiles.Undesignated nosewheel steering button [S]. This button has different functions depending onthe state of the aircraft:• Nose wheel Steering. With weight on wheels and the flight control computers operating,momentarily pressing the nose-wheel steering button activates and engages nose-wheelsteering and NWS is displayed on the HUD.• Un-designate. When not in a nose-wheel steering state (weight off wheels), this button isused to un-designate a previously designated target or location. This commands radar returnto search and un-designates targets.AIR/GROUND weapon releasebuttonTrigger switchUndesignated nosewheelsteering buttonNosewheel steering disengage.Auto-pilot disengage.G-limiter override switch.(paddle switch)Pitch and roll trim switchSensor control switch (4 position)Recce event markWeapon select switch[F/A-18C] DCS 59Nosewheel steering disengage [A]. This paddle switch has multiple functions depending on thestate of the aircraft. Functions include:• Nose wheel Steering. Disengages commanded nose wheel steering. If the high mode isdesired during taxi, press and hold the nosewheel steering button. If the wings are foldedand NWS is engaged, high gain mode is entered by pressing and releasing the NWS button.If the nosewheel steering system fails, NWS and FCS are displayed on the DDI as cautions,the MASTER CAUTION light comes on, and the NWS or NWS HI display is removed from theHUD. When failed, the nosewheel steering system reverts to a free swiveling mode.• Autopilot Disengage. Disengage the commanded autopilot mode and return to manuallycontrolled flight.• G Limiter Override. The G limiter may be overridden by momentarily pressing the paddleswitch with the control stick near full aft. Command limit G is then increased by 33%. A GLIM OVRD caution is displayed and the MASTER CAUTION light and tone come on. Overrideis disengaged when the control stick is returned to near neutral.Pitch and roll trim switch. Normally, movement of the pitch [Right + .] and [Right Control + ;]roll [Right Control +,] and [Right Control + /] trim switch electrically biases the flight controls andthe stick does not move (unlike the A-10C and Black Shark). Little if any pitch trim is required in theAUTO flap mode due to the automatic trimming functions within the flight control computers. Only inlanding configuration will manual pitch trim be required. If there is asymmetric loading, roll trim will berequired. In MECH, pitch trim moves the control stick fore and aft, changing the stick neutral point.There is no mechanical lateral trim.Trim changes the tracked G loading up to 25 degrees AoA. It is normally 1 G. Disengaging the autopilotin a level 2 G, 60-degree bank angle turn will leave the stick trimmed for 2 Gs. This then requiressignificant stick force to hold the nose down while in level flight. Re-engaging either Altitude Hold orAttitude Hold with wings level should reset the trim back to 1 G. To better support game play, it issuggested that the aircraft return to 1 G when AP is disengaged under all conditions.If flaps are down, pitch trim functions like other trim switches, holding the trim switch results incontinuous linear changes until the switch is released. Trim input with flaps down sets the flight controlcomputers to target an angle of attack. With flaps up, trim inputs in excess of 1 second are ignored.Trim inputs with flaps up results in changes to tracked G.Recce event mark [R]. In the early access, this can be used to blank the helmet mounted displaywhen pressed.Weapon select switch. Four position switch which selects A/A weapon in A/A aircraft master mode.Switch functions are discrete inputs.• Forward [Left Shift + W]: Activates AIM-7, displays the priority missile. Commands aradar antenna four bar elevation, 140° azimuth scan, 40-mile range selection, andinterleaved prf.DCS [F/A-18C]60 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW• Center Push [Left Shift+ S]: Activates AIM-9 and displays the priority missile.Commands a radar antenna four bar elevation, 90° azimuth scan, 10-mile range selectionfor AIM-9P and AIM-9M / 20-mile range for AIM-9X, and interleaved prf.• Aft [Left Shift+ X]: Activates gun and displays gun. Commands GACQ to the radarsystem, a range of 5nmi, radar antenna azimuth scan of five bars, with 20° elevation scan(vertical scan). Configures sensor control switch to the ACM condition.• Right [Left Shift+ D]: Activates AIM-120 and displays priority missile. Commands a radarantenna four bar elevation, 140° azimuth scan, 80 mile range selection for AIM-120B / 160mile range election for AIM-120C, and interleaved prf.Note: If a target is tracked as the L&S, the weapon select switch should only change the weaponand not affect radar operation based on weapon selection.Sensor control switch (4 position). This is a four position, momentary, centering switch. Switchfunctions are discrete inputs.• Forward [Right Alt+ ;]: When in A/G mode, this assigns throttle designator control (TDC)priority to Head-Up Display (HUD). When in NAV mode, this enters the HUD into the ACMsub-mode and places the radar in boresight. When in A/A mode, this also places the HUD inthe ACM sub-mode and radar in boresight. In all modes, a fast double press (less than onesecond two presses, will place the aircraft in EMCOM, and a second double press will take itout of EMCON.• Aft [Right Alt+ .]: When in A/G mode, this assigns TDC priority to Advanced MultipurposeColor Display (AMPCD). When in A/A mode, this assigns the TDC to the AMPCD SA page. Ifin an A/A ACM sub-mode, this puts radar in vertical acquisition (VACQ). If in NAV mode, thistoggles the AMPCD between the HSI, SLEW, and SA pages in that order.• Left [Left Alt + ,]: Assigns TDC priority to the LDDI. If TDC priority is already assigned tothe LDDI and LDDI is radar display, commands radar to track mode STT when TDC is overa radar return. If radar is tracking, commands break lock (not un-designate). In A/A ACMsub-mode, commands wide acquisition (WACQ) to radar system. If TGP FLIR is displayed onthe LDDI, it will command a track in either A/A or A/G.• Right [Right Alt+ /]: Assigns TDC priority to the RDDI. If TDC priority is already assignedto the RDDI and RDDI is radar display, commands radar to track mode STT when TDC isover a radar return. If TGP FLIR is displayed on the LDDI, it will command a track in eitherA/A or A/G.Note: All ACM modes will automatically lock the target.ThrottlesThe throttle grips contain switches that provide various systems control without moving the handfrom the throttles. As with the control stick, the HOTAS functions of the throttles vary in functionalitydepending on the state and operational modes of the aircraft. These are discussed in the appropriatesections of this document.[F/A-18C] DCS 61Figure 24. ThrottlesDispense Switch, AFT – OFF – FWD. This three-way switch allows manual and semi-automaticuse of the ALE-47 countermeasure system.• Forward [E]. Start EW countermeasure program. Each press of the switch will initiate theprogram set on the EW page.• Center. No function.• Aft [D]. Dispense single chaff / flare in manual mode.Communications, COMM1 – COMM2. This is a four-position switch that controls transmissionover the four radios. Please see communications chapter.Speedbrake EXTEND–OFF– RETRACT. The speedbrake is mounted between the vertical stabilizers.It is controlled by a throttle mounted switch. Airborne, when in the AUTO FLAPS UP mode, thespeedbrake automatically retracts above 6.0 g or above 28° AOA and, when not in the auto flaps upmode, below 250 knots. The speedbrake will automatically retract if flaps are extended unless thespeedbrake switch is held aft. The speedbrake extends with the flaps HALF or FULL so long as theswitch is held in EXTEND. The speedbrake can be commanded to extend to any intermediate positionbut will retract fully with a momentary forward press of the speedbrake switch. The speedbrakeoperates normally on the ground.With flaps extended and weight on wheels (after landing or during an abort for example), the speedbrake remains extended without holding the speed brake switch aft.Dispense SwitchAFT – OFF - FWDCommunicationsCOMM1 – COMM2MIDS A – MIDS BSpeed brakeEXTEND – OFF - RETRACTCAGE/UNCAGE buttonThrottle designatorcontrollerAntenna elevation controlRAID/FLIR FOV selectbuttonATC Engage/DisengageExterior lightsDCS [F/A-18C]62 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW• Aft [Left Shift + B] detent Extends the speed brake as long as the switch is held aft.Spring-loaded to center detent.• Forward [Left Control + B]detent Retracts the speed brake or maintains the speedbrake retracted and prevents creep.• Center [B] speedbrake will creep closed if open when speed is greater than 400 kts.CAGE/UNCAGE button [C]. This switch has multiple functions that depend on the active system orweapon.• NAV Mode. Used to cage or uncage the velocity vector on the HUD.• A/A Mode, AIM-9. Controls sidewinder seeker position. AIM-9 seeker head is boresighteduntil L&S designation, then it is slaved to the L&S. Pressing the cage button with an L&S,toggles the seeker head between the L&S and boresight. Pressing and holding the cagebutton with the AIM-9 seeker head in boresight, then maneuvering the aircraft to point at atarget heat source, achieving AIM-9 tone rise, then releasing the cage button will resultin AIM-9 seeker head tracking the heat source to the gimbals of the missile.• A/A Mode, AIM-7. In A/A mode with Sparrow missile selected, commands radar into STTon the L & S target.• A/G Mode, Maverick. Controls seeker head lock-on, cage and un-cage function.Throttle Designator Controller (TDC). Upon setting TDC to one of the displays, the TDC acts asa slew control to move the cursor / sensor. Up [;], down [.], left [,], right [/], and depress [Enter].• Not pressed, with left or right force applied: Positions acquisition symbol left or right at rateproportional to pressure applied to control.• Not pressed with up or down force applied: Positions acquisition symbol up or down at rateproportional to pressure applied to control.• Pressed: Starts acquisition phase. Positions acquisition symbol or designator cursorsdepending on direction of force applied to control.• Released (cursor in tactical area of display): Commands radar lock-on, target designation,or active processing depending on mode of operation.Antenna elevation control. The AN/APG-73 radar can have its antenna dish rotated up and downin order to alter the radar elevation scan. This rotary allows the pilot to position the antennaelevation scan. Up [=] and down [-].Exterior lights switch [L]. The exterior lights master switch, on the outboard left throttle grip,provides a master control for the following exterior lights: position lights, formation lights, strobe lights,arresting hook floodlight and refueling probe light.• OFF (AFT) Power for lights controlled by switch is cut off.• ON (FWD) Power is available for lights controlled by switch.RAID/FLIR FOV select button [I]. Depending on the controlled sensor or weapon, but button hasmultiple functions:[F/A-18C] DCS 63• Selects the RAID mode when the radar set operating mode is Track While Scan (TWS) orSingle Target Track (STT).• When HARM is selected cycles HARM targets from center outwards.• When TGP FLIR is selected, this will toggle between electro optical and FLIR (white hot)cameras.• When in Maverick mode, will toggle ground stabilize.ATC Engage/Disengage [T]. The ATC approach mode is engaged by pressing and releasing the ATCbutton on the left throttle with the flap switch in HALF or FULL and the trailing edge flaps extended atleast 27°. When ATC is engaged in the approach mode, the flight control computer modulates enginethrust to maintain on-speed AOA. The computer uses inputs of AOA, normal load factor, stabilatorposition, pitch rate, and angle of bank to generate command signals. These signals drive the enginemounted throttle control units which in turn command the engine fuel controls. The computer usesAOA as the primary input to generate command signals. However, normal load factor providesincreased stability, stabilator position provides increased or decreased thrust for pilot induced pitchchanges, pitch rate provides lead during pitch maneuvers, and bank angle provides additional thrustduring banking maneuvers. Normal disengagement is accomplished by pressing the ATC button orapplying and holding force to either throttle. Automatic disengagement occurs for the followingreasons:• Flap AUTO up• AOA sensor failure• Two or more failures of either trailing edge flap• Trailing edge flap deflection less than 27°• ATC button fails• FCES channel 2 or 4 fails• WOW• FCS reversion to MECH or to DEL in any axis• Left and right throttle angles differ by more than 10° for more than 1 second• Bank angle exceeds 70°• Any internal system failure• Selection of gain ORIDEATC Cruise Mode. The ATC cruise mode is engaged by pressing and releasing the ATC button on theleft throttle with the flap switch in AUTO. When ATC is engaged in the cruise mode, the existingairspeed is used by the flight control computer to modulate engine thrust to maintain this existingairspeed. The existing airspeed is the airspeed being sent from the ADC to the flight controlcomputers via the mission computers. An ADC failure inhibits the ATC cruise mode of operation. TheFCC uses true airspeed from ADC via the mission computers at the time of engagement to generate acommand signal. This signal is then used as a reference to generate an error signal that drives theengine mounted throttle control units. Normal disengagement is accomplished by pressing the ATCbutton or applying and holding force to either throttle. Automatic disengagement occurs for thefollowing reasons:• Flaps HALF or FULL• ATC button failsDCS [F/A-18C]64 F/A-18C HORNET COCKPIT OVERVIEW• FCES channel 2 or 4 fails• FCS reversion to MECH or to DEL in any axis• Left and right throttle angles differ by more than 10° for more than 1 second• ADC true airspeed failure• ADC degrade• Any internal system failureAudio TonesThe Hornet has a variant of audio tones that consist of the following:Departure Warning Tone. With the FCC in the auto flap up mode, the audio departure warning toneis initiated at 25°/second yaw rate. The beep frequency increases with yaw rate up to 45°/second yawrate. Above 45°/second yaw rate, the frequency remains constant. Above 35° AOA and below -7° AOA,the tone comes on at a constant frequency and yaw rate warning is no longer available.With flap switch in FULL, the departure warning tone is initiated at 12° AOA and becomes constant at32° AOA; with flap switch in HALF, the tone starts at 15° and becomes constant at 35°.With air-to-ground/tanks store codes loaded on the wing pylons and the rack hooks closed, a steadytone is heard at or above 25° AOA except for aircraft 162394 AND UP, with tanks on stations 3 and 7and no stores on stations 2, 5, or 8, where a steady tone is heard at or above 33° AOA. The tonecomes on at +35°/-7° if all stores indicate HUNG. If there are any additional stores on board that arenot HUNG, the AOA tone will still come on at +25°/-7° AOA.The departure warning tone does not operate on the ground.Master Caution Tone. Whenever the master caution is triggered, the master caution tone willsound. It has a "deele dee" sound.Radar Warning Receiver Tones. There are three tones associated with the RWR:• RWR Status Change. This descending three tone is heard when an RWR contact changesstatus (i.e., search mode to lock mode).• New RWR spike detected. This single, short tone is heard when a new RWR signal isdetected.• Launch tone. When a radar guided missile launch is detected, this repeating, multi-pitchtone is heard as long as the threat is detected.FCS Voice Alerts. Any FCS caution except CHECK TRIM, FCS, NWS, FC AIR DAT, G-LIM OVRD, or RLIM OFF is accompanied by a "flight controls, "flight controls" voice alert. An engine fire would be resultin "Engine Fire Left" and/or "Engine Fire Right". An APU fire would result in "APU Fire". A bleed airfailure will result in either a "Bleed Air Left" and/or "Bleed Air Right".• "flight controls, flight controls"• "Engine fire left, engine fire left"[F/A-18C] DCS 65• "Engine fire right, engine fire right"• "APU fire, APU fire"• "Bleed air left, bleed air left"• "Bleed air right, bleed air right"• "Flight computer hot"• "Fuel low"• "Bingo"• "Altitude"All voice alerts are repeated twice (i.e. "Engine Fire Left, Engine Fire Left")Primary Radar Low Altitude Warning. If the landing gear is up and locked and the radar altitudeis less than the Low Altitude Limit index, the primary low altitude warning tone/voice alert is heard inthe pilot's headset. A "Whoop, Whoop" warning tone is heard. The voice alert or warning tone isactivated at ground power-up to familiarize the pilot with the warning. When first activated in flight,the warning is continuously repeated until reset or disabled. The warning is reset by setting the lowaltitude index to an altitude below the present altitude or by climbing to an altitude above the lowaltitude index setting. The warning can be disabled by pressing the RALT button on the UFC or bycommanding the UFC to another mode. Once disabled it cannot be triggered until after being reset asdescribed above.With an MC1 failure, the voice alert/warning tone is not sounded when the aircraft descends belowthe altitude set by the low altitude index pointer.With landing gear down, the radar altimeter warning sounds once when the aircraft descendsthrough the set altitude.DCS [F/A-18C]66 DDI and AMPCD PagesDDI and AMPCD PagesIn addition to the physical controls of the Hornet cockpit, much of your interaction will be through themultitude of pages on the left and right Digital Display Indicators (DDI) and the central AdvancedMultipurpose Color Display (AMPCD). The AMPCD is commonly referred to as just the MPCD.Before we discuss common Hornet procedures, let's review some of the more important DDI and MPCDpages you'll use. Additional DDI pages will become functional during the Early Access period. Thereare two primary pages in which all other pages are selected from: The Support (SUPT) page and theTactical (TAC) page. You can toggle between these pages, or return to them, by pressing thepushbutton marked MENU. When airborne, the MENU pushbutton converts to a timer, but still acts asa MENU button.Support (SUPT) PagesFigure 25. Support (SUPT) PagesInstant Action Mission Practice: Hornet Ready on the RampHorizontal Situation Indicator(HSI) PageChecklist PageEngine PageFlight Control Systems (FCS)PageElectronic Attitude DisplayIndicator PageFuel pageBuilt In Test (BIT) PageFlight Performance AdvisorySystem[F/A-18C] DCS 67Built In Test (BIT) Page. The Hornet consists of a numerous sub system, each with has its ownbuilt in test system. This page allows the pilot to test these systems and view their status.Figure 26. BIT PageCheck List (CHKLST) Page. In addition to providing checklists for landing and takeoff, this pagealso displays aircraft weight and stabilator position.• 24 NU to 10 ND. Takeoff trim is set to 12° NU STAB POS.• Maximum vertical g - Maximum vertical acceleration experienced during the most recentlanding, rounded to the nearest .01 g.• Aircraft weight - The aircraft gross weight rounded to the nearest pound.DCS [F/A-18C]68 DDI and AMPCD PagesFigure 27. Checklist PageEngine (ENG) Page. The Engine page provides important engine performance data for both engines,which often duplicates engine data on the IFEI such as engine RPM, engine temperature, fuel flow,and oil pressure. Most often though, you will be using the IFEI to check engine performance.• INLET TEMP - Engine inlet temperature in °C.• N1 RPM - Fan speed in % rpm.• N2 RPM Compressor speed in % rpm.• EGT - Exhaust gas temperature in °C.• FF - Fuel flow in pounds per hour.• NOZ POS - Nozzle position in %.• OIL PRESS - Oil pressure in psi.• THRUST - Thrust in %.• VIB - Engine vibration in inches per second.• FUEL TEMP - Engine inlet fuel temperature in °C.• EPR - Engine pressure ratio (ratio of exhaust pressure to ambient inlet pressure). EPR is aratio of exhaust pressure to ambient total inlet pressure. On all aircraft, EPR is valid onlyduring ground static conditions.• CDP - Compressor discharge pressure in psia.• TDP - Turbine discharge pressure in psia.Landing Checklist Takeoff Checklist[F/A-18C] DCS 69Figure 28. Engine PageFlight Control System (FCS) Page. The FCS page displays monitoring data of the flight controlsurfaces like the leading and trailing edge flaps, ailerons, rudders, and stabilator. It will also note anyFCS errors noted in the four channels as "Xs". This page also displays the G limit based on aircraftgross weight.The FCS status display may be selected on a DDI. At top center, the display presents left and rightleading-edge flap (LEF), trailing edge flap (TEF), aileron (AIL), rudder (RUD), and stabilator (STAB)positions in degrees with arrows which indicate the direction from neutral. For example: the controlpositions shown in the figure are: left LEF 1° leading edge down, right LEF 1° leading edge down, leftTEF 5° trailing edge down, right TEF 5° trailing edge up, left AIL 15° trailing edge down, right AIL 15°trailing edge up, both RUD 0°, left STAB 3° trailing edge down, right STAB 4° trailing edge up. Thetolerance for all control position indications is •}1°. The numbers and arrows change as control surfacedeflections change. At 0° (neutral), the arrows may point in either direction. A blank is displayed wherethe number is unreliable.An X through the LEF, TEF, AIL, or RUD number, also referred to as a bold X, indicates that controlsurface is no longer being commanded.On either side of the position indicators are boxes which represent the FCS channels. On the left side,reading left to right, the boxes represent channels 1 and 4 for the LEF, AIL, and RUD and 1 2 3 4 forthe TEF and STAB. An X in one of these boxes indicates that the FCS is no longer using that channelto command the actuator due to a failure. On the right side, reading left to right, the boxes representchannels 2 and 3 for the LEF, AIL, and RUD and 1 2 3 4 for the TEF and STAB. On the lower right sideof the DDI are boxes which display the status, by channel, of the CAS pitch (P), roll (R), and yaw (Y);the stick position sensors (STICK), the rudder pedal force sensors (PEDAL); the angle of attack sensing DCS [F/A-18C]70 DDI and AMPCD Pages(AOA); the backup air data sensor assembly (BADSA); and the processor (PROC); and the normalaccelerometer (N ACC) and lateral accelerometer (L ACC). An X opposite one of these componentsindicates a failure in the channel with the X. An X opposite degraded (DEGD) indicates a switch failureor, for the TEF and STAB, a single shutoff valve failure. Flight controls are not affected but the FCSshould be reset.Except for the LEFs, the control surface position may fail to match the commanded position withoutindication to the aircrew.An X in both CH1 and CH3 of PROC row indicates INS data is not being provided to the FCCs for sideslipand AOA estimation calculations. There is no significant degradation to flying qualities, departureresistance or roll performance with these failure indications. (Above approximately 30° AOA in FlapsAUTO, the FCCs use INS data for sideslip and sideslip−rate feedback to provide roll coordination anddeparture resistance. If INS data is not available, sideslip control, departure resistance and rollperformance may be slightly degraded). The PROC Xs in CH 1/3 may be caused by: an INS failure,accompanied by an INS ATT caution; by placing the ATT switch to STBY; or by an FCC−detected failure.Figure 29. Flight Control System (FCS) PageFuel (FUEL) Page. total internal fuel, total internal and external fuel, and currently selected BINGOfuel. A moving caret is shown on the right side of each tank to indicate the ratio of fuel available totank fuel capacity. The loss of valid fuel quantity information for a given tank is indicated by display of0 pounds fuel.The FUEL display, which is menu selectable, is available in-flight and on the ground. Displayed is thefuel available in each tank, total internal fuel, total internal and external fuel, and currently selected [F/A-18C] DCS 71BINGO fuel. A moving caret is shown on the right side of each tank to indicate the ratio of fuel availableto tank fuel capacity. The loss of valid fuel quantity information for a given tank is indicated by displayof 0 pounds fuel and INV (invalid). Loss of valid information is as follows:• All probes in a tank declared invalid by the SDC (except left or right feed tanks).• Tank 1 aft probe invalid while forward probe reads zero fuel.• Tank 4 forward and center probes invalid while aft probe reads zero.An estimated (EST) fuel quantity is determined by the SDC and displayed as follows:• Use only the valid fuel probes in a multi-probe tank to estimate fuel available.• Fuel probe invalid in left or right feed tank:(1) Display 0 pounds if FUEL LO is present.(2) Display 800 pounds if FUEL LO is not present.The internal fuel and total fuel displays the sum of valid and/or estimated tank quantities. Each is cuedas EST or INV as determined by the appropriate tank information with INV displayed if INV and ESTboth apply.Figure 30. Fuel PageElectronic Attitude Director Indicator (EADI) Page. The electronic attitude display indicator isavailable for display on the left or right DDI as an alternative to the attitude display on the HUD. Asmall circle is displayed on the ball to represent the zenith and a circle with an inscribed cross isdisplayed to represent the nadir. The pitch ladder is displayed in 10° increments. A turn indicator whichdisplays FCS yaw rate is provided below the ball. A standard rate turn (3° per second) is indicatedTotal Fuel Lbs.Internal Fuel Lbs.Left Wing Tank Fuel Lbs.Fuselage Tanks Fuel Lbs.Fuel BITBingo Fuel Level in Lbs.Right Wing Tank Fuel Lbs.DCS [F/A-18C]72 DDI and AMPCD Pageswhen the lower box is displaced so that it is under one of the end boxes. The EADI display is selectedby pressing the ADI pushbutton on the MENU.Selecting the INS or STBY options at the bottom of the display determines the source of attitudeinformation used to generate the display. Upon power-up with WOW, the EADI attitude initializes toSTBY (STBY boxed), thus using the standby attitude reference indicator for attitude source information.With STBY boxed the EADI display should be compared to the visual display on thestandby altitude reference indicator. If the pitch and roll attitude display does not correlate on the twoinstruments, the standby indicator is most likely defective, requiring maintenance. Selecting the INSoption (INS boxed) uses attitude information provided by the INS. Selection of the INS or STBY on theEADI does not change the source of attitude data for the HUD.Airspeed and altitude are displayed in a box at the top left and altitude source is displayed to the rightof the altitude box and the vertical velocity is displayed above the altitude box. When ILS is selectedthe deviation needles are displayed in reference to the waterline symbol. The ILS needles are in yellowwhen COLOR is selected on the Attack display.Figure 31. Electronic Attitude Director (EADI) IndicatorRudder DeflectionAltitude and VerticalVelocityAirspeedPitch and Roll Indicator[F/A-18C] DCS 73Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) Page. Mostly displayed on the MPCD, the HSI provides a topdown navigation display with your aircraft in the center. The HSI will be discussed later in the navigationportion of this guide.When displayed on the MPCD, a moving map can also be projected.Figure 32. Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) PageFlight Performance Advisory System (FPAS) Page. The FPAS advises the pilot of the altitude andairspeed corresponding to maximum inflight fuel efficiency based on current operating conditions. Therange and airspeed data provided by FPAS appears on the FPAS DDI page from the SUPT menu. Thepage is divided into five data areas and two select options.• Current Range• Current Endurance• Optimal Range• Optimal Endurance• TACAN and Waypoint Navigation To• Optimal Climb• Home FuelLet's talk about each of these in reference to the image below.Current Range Data. This informs you of the current range of the aircraft until only 2,000 lbs. of fuelremains. This is based on the current altitude and Mach. In the example below, this is 329 nm. Whentotal fuel is less than 2,500 lbs., the TO 2000 LB changes to TO 0 LB and the data is in reference to DCS [F/A-18C]74 DDI and AMPCD Pageszero fuel remaining. If true airspeed is above Mach .9, the range data is removed because they systemis unable to calculate valid data.Below is the data for BEST MACH and this lists the best Mach to fly to extend range at the currentaltitude. In the example below, this is .54 Mach.The bottom line of CURRENT RANGE lists the calculated range if the aircraft is flown at the optimalMach at the current altitude. In the example below, this is shown as 586 nm.Current Endurance Data. The top line of the ENDURANCE indicates the time in hours:minutes theaircraft can fly at the current Mach and altitude. This is shown as 27 minutes in the image below. Iftotal fuel is less than 2,500 lbs., the TO 2000 LB changes to TO 0 LB. If ground speed is above .9 Mach,the time is displayed as LIM (limit).Below is the optimal Mach to fly to maximize flight endurance time at the current altitude. This isdisplayed as .41 Mach in the example below.The bottom line indicates the flight endurance time if the aircraft is flown at best Mach at the currentaltitude. This is shown as 1 hour and 54 minutes.Figure 33. Flight Performance Advisory System (FPAS) PageNavigation To Data. Below the Current data is listed the time to reach, fuel remaining in lbs., andfuel burn rate as lbs. per nautical mile of a selected TACAN station or waypoint. From the HSI, boxCurrent Range DataNavigation To DataOptimal Range DataOptimal Climb SelectionCurrent Endurance DataOptimal Endurance DataHome Fuel Selection[F/A-18C] DCS 75TCN or WYPT with a valid navigation point and the time, fuel remaining, and burn rate is automaticallycalculated for you.Optimal Range Data. The Optimal Range shows the altitude and Mach at which to fly to achievemaximum range to 2,000 or 0 lbs. of fuel remaining. In the example above, this is shown as 37,900feet, at Mach .84, with a range of 1,012 nm with 2,000 lbs. of fuel remaining.Optimal Endurance Data. This shows the altitude and Mach to fly to achieve the maximum flightendurance time in hours:minutes to 2,000 or 0 lbs. of fuel remaining. In the example above, this isshown as flying at 33,001 feet, at Mach .71, for a maximum endurance time of 2 hours and 5 minutes.Optimal Climb Selection. When the CLIMB option is boxed at pushbutton 20, the optimal climbairspeed is displayed above the airspeed box on the HUD.Figure 34. Optimal Climb SelectionHome Fuel Selection. Using the up and down arrows on pushbuttons 16 and 17, you maydesignate any waypoint as the HOME location. Generally, you would want to set this as your landingwaypoint. When it is calculated that 2,000 lbs. of fuel would remain upon reaching the location, theMaster Caution will activate, and the HOME FUEL caution is displayed on the DDI.Optimal Climb AirspeedDCS [F/A-18C]76 DDI and AMPCD PagesTactical (TAC)Figure 35. Tactical (TAC) PagesElectronic Warfare (EW) Page. The EW page combines the display of detected radar emitters,control of Electronic Countermeasures (ECM), and control of expendable countermeasure that includeschaff, flares, and ECM decoys.Stores Management System(SMS) PageHead Up Display (HUD) PageAttack RADAR (RDR) PageElectronic Warfare (EW)page[F/A-18C] DCS 77Figure 36. EW PageStores Management System (SMS) Page. The SMS page allows you to view all loaded stores anddetermine their delivery properties. We will discuss this page in detail in the weapon procedure sectionsof this guide.Figure 37. Stores Management System (SMS) PageHead Up Display (HUD) Page. The HUD page duplicates what is displayed on the HUD glass at thetop of the instrument panel. This is most often used when the HUD fails or is unreadable due to lighting.It can also be useful when "head down" and unable to easily check the HUD.DCS [F/A-18C]78 DDI and AMPCD PagesFigure 38. Head Up Display (HUD) PageAttack RADAR (RDR) Page. For this initial version of the Hornet Early Access, this page willdisplay air-to-air RADAR. Please see the RADAR section of this guide for details.Figure 39. Attack RADAR Page[F/A-18C] DCS 79HEAD UP DISPLAYThe Head Up Display, or HUD, is one of your most important instruments and provides valuableinformation as to your aircraft flight performance and weapon / sensor information. In later sectionsof this guide we will discuss aspects of the HUD that are specific to certain weapons and sensors, butthe HUD does have a common set of information that is almost always displayed.The HUD as pictured below is independent of aircraft Master Mode except for the bank angle scale,vertical velocity, and heading scale.Figure 40. Basic HUD InformationHeading. This 30-degree, moving heading scale displays the aircraft's magnetic or true heading(set in HSI/DATA). The aircraft's heading is indicated as the caret in the center of the scale. Whentrue heading is selected, a "T" is placed below the heading caret.Airspeed. Calibrated airspeed as determined by the Air Data Computer (ADC).Vertical Velocity. Positive or negative aircraft altitude change in feet per minute.Instant Action Mission Practice: Hornet Ready on the RampHeadingAirspeedAngle of AttackMach NumberAircraft GsPeak Aircraft GVelocity VectorVertical VelocityAltitudeFlight Path/Pitch LadderBank Angle ScaleDCS [F/A-18C]80 HEAD UP DISPLAYAltitude. Barometric or RADAR altitude in feet as set by the ALT switch on the HUD control panel.When RADAR altitude is selected, an "R" is displayed next to the altitude box. If however theRADAR altitude is invalid, a flashing "B" is displayed to indicate that barometric altitude is beingused instead.Angle of Attack. True angle of attack in degrees of the aircraft.Mach Number. Aircraft speed as Mach airspeed.Aircraft Gs. Normal acceleration value of the aircraft.Peak Aircraft G. Maximum achieved G over 4 G's.Velocity Vector. Represents the point toward which the aircraft is flying along the aircraft'sactual flight path. When not displaying accurate information, the symbol will flash. The VelocityVector can be caged and uncaged to the center of the HUD with the cage/uncage button on thethrottle.Flight Path/Pitch Ladder. The vertical flight path angle of the aircraft as indicated by theposition of the Velocity Vector on the Flight Path/Pitch Ladder. The aircraft's pitch angle isindicated as the aircraft waterline on the Flight Path/Pitch Ladder.Bank Angle Scale. With marks at 5, 15, 30 and 45 degrees, rolling the aircraft to place thecenter caret in relation to these marks provides a bank angle reference.Barometric Setting. The barometric altitude is displayed below the altitude box for five secondswhen the barometric altitude is changed on the standby altimeter. It will also display if the aircraftis below 10,000 feet and at an airspeed less than 300 knots if previously above both values.Ghost Velocity Vector. When the Velocity Vector is caged using the cage/uncage button on thethrottle, the Ghost Velocity Vector is displayed and shows the true velocity vector of the aircraft.When caged, the pitch ladder and velocity vector will stay caged to the center of the HUD.As such, if you find the velocity vector and pitch ladder off-center on the HUD, it is due to yaw orwind. To center these, press the cage/uncage button on the throttle until caged and the GhostVelocity Vector shows "true" velocity vector.[F/A-18C] DCS 81PROCEDURESIn the following sections, we will provide "How To" checklists for the primary procedures you'll needto understand to get started in the Hornet.Cold StartThere are two methods you can use to start a cold and dark Hornet. The first, and easiest, is the AutoStart. By pressing [Left Win + Home], the aircraft will be started automatically for you. To cease theAuto-Start, you can press [Left Win + End].Being a DCS title though, the Hornet really shines when you take advantage of the detailed systemsmodeling, like manually starting the aircraft. As an Early Access Guide, we will skip the pre-flight checklist and go straight to starting up the aircraft to the point of being ready to taxi.1. Set the BATTERY switch to ON and confirm both Left and Right Generators are ON.[RIGHT CONSOLE]2. Move and hold the fire detection switch to FIRE TEST A and wait for all the audiocaution messages to play. Once complete, wait 10 seconds and then do the samefor FIRE TEST B. Between running FIRE TEST A and FIRE TEST B, you can resetthe battery switch to rewind the fire test tape. [LEFT CONSOLE]Instant Action Mission Practice: Hornet Cold and Dark and Carrier Cold and Dark21DCS [F/A-18C]82 PROCEDURES3. APU switch to ON and wait for green APU READY light. |LEFT CONSOLE|4. Move the ENG CRANK switch to the right to start the right engine. |LEFT CONSOLE|5. Move the right throttle from OFF to IDLE when the right engine is above 25% rpm(as shown on IFEI). [Right Shift + Home]6. Once right engine RPM is over 60%, rotate the BLEED AIR knob 360 degreesclockwise, from NORM to NORM. |RIGHT CONSOLE|7. Test the CAUTION, WARNING and ADVISORY lights test. |RIGHT CONSOLE|8. Turn on the power to both DDIs, MPCD and HUD. Select the FCS page on the leftDDI and the BIT page on the right DDI. |INSTRUMENT PANEL|9. Set COMM 1 and COMM 2 radios as required for the mission.345888876[F/A-18C] DCS 8310. Move the ENG CRANK switch to the left after confirming that the right engine has anrpm between 63 and 70%, a TEMP between 190 and 590 degrees, Fuel Flow between420 and 900 PPH, a nozzle position between 73 and 84%, and an OIL pressurebetween 45 and 110 psi. |LEFT CONSOLE|11. Move the left throttle from OFF to IDLE when left engine has reached at least 25%rpm by pressing [Right Alt+ Home]. |THROTTLES|9 91011DCS [F/A-18C]84 PROCEDURES12. Once the left engine has an RPM greater than 60%, rotate the INS knob to GND(ground) or CV (carrier), depending on your parking location. |RIGHT CONSOLE|13. Set the RADAR knob to OPR (operate). |RIGHT CONSOLE|14. Set the OBOGS control switch and FLOW switch to ON. |LEFT CONSOLE|141213[F/A-18C] DCS 8515. Press the FCS RESET button and monitor FCS DDI page. |LEFT CONSOLE|16. Set the Flap switch to AUTO. |LEFT QUARTER PANEL|17. Press Takeoff Trim button. |LEFT CONSOLE|18. While holding up the FCS BIT switch [Y] on the right wall, press the FCS OSB onthe BIT / FCS page at the same time.151617DCS [F/A-18C]86 PROCEDURES19. Four down test. Cycle / test the refueling probe, speed brake, launch bar, arrestorhook, pitot heat, and set flaps to HALF. |LEFT CONSOLE, THROTTLES, LEFTQUARTER PANEL, RIGHT QUARTER PANEL, and RIGHT CONSOLE|20. Left mouse click on the hand brake to release it.21. Set your BINGO fuel level (minimum fuel to return home) by pressing the up anddown arrows on the IFEI. |LEFT INSTRUMENT PANEL|1819 1920191919[F/A-18C] DCS 8722. Set the Standby Barometric Altimeter to airfield elevation. |RIGHT INSTRUMENTPANEL|23. Set the RADAR Altimeter to 200 feet for an airfield takeoff or 40 feet from thecarrier. |RIGHT QUARTER PANEL|24. Uncage the standby Attitude Indicator. |RIGHT INSTRUMENT PANEL|25. Set the Attitude Source to AUTO. |CENTER INSTRUMENT PANEL|Airfield Taxi1. Whether you have completed a cold start or are starting the mission in a "hot" aircraft,your next step will be to taxi to the runway. Slowly advance the throttles [PAGE UP]and use the rudder pedals to steer left [Z] and right [X]. Reduce throttle by pressing[PAGE DOWN]. Holding down the Noses Wheel Steering (NWS) button, you canenable NWS HI mode enabled tighter taxi turns. Press [W] to apply wheel brakes.2. Set the left DDI to the checklist page and the right DDI to the FCS page.3. At the hold short before entering the active runway:2122232425DCS [F/A-18C]88 PROCEDURES4. Arm the ejection seat. |RIGHT CONSOLE|5. Close the canopy if you have not already done so. [Left Control + C]6. Set the left DDI to the HUD page. |LEFT INSTRUMENT PANEL|Airfield Takeoff1. Align the aircraft down the center of the runway and roll forward to align thenosewheel down the runway.2. Set left DDI to the HUD page.3. Advance to throttles to afterburner.4. Use nosewheel steering to maintain a straight track down the runway.Instant Action Mission Practice: Hornet Takeoff4 5[F/A-18C] DCS 895. At nosewheel rotation speed, hold the control stick back until 6 to 8 degrees nosehigh attitude (water line above the horizon line on the HUD)6. Raise the landing gear and set the FLAP switch to AUTO once positive climb isestablished.7. Switch the right DDI to air-to-air RADAR.Airfield VFR LandingBeing aircraft carrier capable aircraft, the Hornet can land on both "the boat" and airfields. Both landingpatterns are quite similar. For this guide though, we will just review the procedure for landing at anairfield under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions.Mission Practice: Hornet Airfield VFR Landing766DCS [F/A-18C]90 PROCEDURESFigure 41. Airfield Landing PatternCall up the air-to-air RADAR page on your right DDI and HUD repeater on your left DDI.ENTERArmament switch OFFBreakSPEEDBRAKE (as required)LANDING GEAR DOWN, FLAPS FULL250 knotsSPEEDBRAKE RETRACTON SPEED AOALANDING CHECK LISTWAVEOFFMil Power (Max if required)Retract gear and flaps onlyafter safe climb is establishedTOUCHDOWNThrottles idleFINAL APPROACHMaintain on speed AOABASE LEGMaintain on speed AOA[F/A-18C] DCS 91Enter Navigation master mode and set the Master Arm Switch to SAFE on the |LEFT INSTRUMENTPANEL| and approach at 350 knots and 800 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) along the heading of thelanding runway and offset yourself slightly away from your first turn into the pattern.Five to ten seconds after your wingtip passes the end of the runway (the greater the time, the moretime you must establish your on-speed AoA on the downwind leg), turn into the downwind leg of thelanding pattern. Generally, pull 1% of your airspeed in G. For example: 350 knots would equal 3.5 G.Roll out on a reciprocal landing heading and an altitude of 600 feet AGL.Your lateral offset from the runway should be about 1.2 miles.Once your airspeed is below 250 knots, lower your landing gear and place your flaps in the FULLdown position. |LEFT QUARTER PANEL|Master Mode ButtonsMaster Arm SwitchDCS [F/A-18C]92 PROCEDURESAllow your airspeed to decay until you reach your on-speed angle of attack as indicated left of the HUDon the Angle of Attack Indexer. This will equate to 8.1 degrees of angle of attack which will appear asthe yellow circle on the AoA Indexer. On the HUD, the Velocity Vector should be centered in the AoA"E" Bracket. Establish your on-speed AoA at 600 feet AGL.You will need to trim the aircraft to 8.1 degrees to be hands-free.AoA BracketAoA Indexer LightsVelocity VectorLanding Gear HandleFlap Switch[F/A-18C] DCS 93Turn into the landing base leg when your wing tip aligns with the runway threshold while maintainingon-speed AoA. Your bank angle should be 30 degrees and the HUD velocity vector should be just belowthe HUD horizon line. You will need to slightly increase throttle to maintain this AoA. Continue the onspeed descending turn until you are aligned with runway landing heading (a good idea is to set yourcourse line to the landing airfield along the landing runway heading).Maintain on-speed AoA with the HUD velocity vector placed 500 feet past the runway threshold. Useyour throttle to maintain a 3-degree flight path.At touchdown, reduce the throttles to idle and use small rudder corrections to stay aligned down therunway roll-out. DCS [F/A-18C]94 PROCEDURESAircraft Carrier TaxiAfter completing start up on the carrier, your next task will be to taxi to the catapult for takeoff. Theprimary difference between an airfield start up and an aircraft carrier startup will be placing the INSswitch in the NORM CVN position for alignment.Set the left DDI to the checklist page and the right DDI to the FCS page.Your complete checklist prior to taxi includes:1. Arm the ejection seat2. Check that nosewheel steering is on3. No warning lights4. Hook is up5. Flaps are set to HALF6. Trim set to total aircraft weight7. Wings match wing fold handle8. Oxygen on/9. Brake offMission Practice: Carrier Cold and Dark116476[F/A-18C] DCS 9510. Launch bar up11. Anti-skid off12. Master Arm off13. From the MPCD, select WTPT and cycle the waypoint to 1.14. Countermeasures off15. Radar altimeter to 40 feet16. Canopy closed17. Master external light switch aftTaxi to the directed catapult using small power inputs while using nosewheel steering in high gain [S].Once behind the Jet Blast Defector (JBD) of the catapult you will launch from, spread the wings usingthe wing fold handle on the right vertical panel. To do so, right mouse button click on the handle untilat the SPREAD setting. Then, with the mouse cursor over the handle, rotate forward on the mousewheel.Slowly advance the throttles [Page Up] and use the rudder pedals to steer left [Z] and right [X].Reduce throttle by pressing [Page Down]. Holding down the Noses Wheel Steering (NWS) button,you can enable NWS HI mode [S] enabled tighter taxi turns. Press [W] to apply wheel brakes.671234591011121315DCS [F/A-18C]96 PROCEDURESSlowly move forward of the JBD and align your nosewheel along the catapult track. You can best alignyourself by using either the [F2] external view or taxi to place the shuttle directly left or right of yourshoulder when launching from catapult 1 or 2. Once the nosewheel is directly behind the catapultshuttle, lower the launch bar. Next, press [U] and this will auto-connect the launch bar to the catapultshuttle.Once hooked up, takeoff stab position with the trim hat based on total aircraft weight. This weightcan be seen on the CHECKLIST page. Using the TRIM HAT, set your stabs to takeoff trim based on:• Below 44,000 gross weight = stab trim 16 degrees (MIL or burners)• 45,000 to 48,000 gross weight = stab trim 17 degrees (MIL or burners)• 49,000 and above = stab trim 19 degrees (Burners required)Wing Fold HandleLaunch Bar SwitchCatapult ShuttleJet Blast DeflectorLaunch Bar[F/A-18C] DCS 97With stabs set to total takeoff weight, you will be ready for launch.Aircraft Carrier Launch1. Set throttles to military power and wipe the controls by moving control stick in a full circleand then push full forward and back. Then, push both full left and right rudder.2. Increase throttle to 100% afterburner and move hand off stick.3. The catapult will then launch you and place you at flyaway trim.4. After positive climb rate has been established, raise the landing gear [G] and set flaps toAUTO [F].5. If launching from catapult 1 or 2 (bow catapults), perform a clearing turn to the right andthen proceed parallel along the carrier BRC for 7 miles at no more than 500 feet / 350 knots.If launching from catapult 3 or 4 (waist catapults), perform the clearing turn to the left.Mission Practice: Carrier TakeoffTotal WeightStab SettingDCS [F/A-18C]98 PROCEDURES6. Set right DDI to the A/A attack radar display.Case 1 Carrier RecoveryLanding on aircraft carrier in Case I conditions is much like an airfield in VFR conditions. A Case Icondition is defined as visibility of at least 5 miles and clouds no lower than 5,000 feet. In other words,good weather, day light conditions.Call up the air-to-air RADAR page on your right DDI and HUD repeater on your left DDI.Enter Navigation master mode and set the Master Arm Switch to SAFE on the |LEFT INSTRUMENTPANEL|. Lower the arrestor hook by pressing [H] and set HUD altitude to radar.Instant Action Mission Practice: Case I Carrier Landing[F/A-18C] DCS 99Entry into the Case I pattern would either be done from a port holding pattern (5 nm diameter circleat 1.5 to 5 thousand feet over the carrier) or a direct approach into the upwind leg. In this guide, wewill discuss a direct approach.Note: For a Case 1 recovery, neither TACAN or ICLS are required. Those will be discussed in Case IIand III recoveries.Approach the carrier from astern at 800 feet and 350 KIAS. Pass starboard of the carrier, and just closeenough that you can look down to the left and visually spot the carrier deck to make sure the deck isnot foul.At no more than 1.5 nm after passing the bow of the carrier, initiate a level turn to the left.Master Mode ButtonsMaster Arm SwitchDCS [F/A-18C]100 PROCEDURESGenerally, pull 1% of your airspeed in G. For example: 350 knots would equal 3.5 G. Roll out on areciprocal landing heading and an altitude of 600 feet AGL. If your entry speed is above 350 KIAS, youmay wish to extend the airbrake until your airspeed decays to 250 KIAS. Once below 150 KIAS, lowerthe landing gear [G] and extend flaps to FULL [Left Ctrl + F].Your lateral course distance from the carrier in the downwind leg should be 1.3 to 1.4 nm. See theTACAN section of the Navigation chapter.Landing Gear HandleFlap Switch[F/A-18C] DCS 101With an established altitude of 600 feet, keep letting airspeed fall until around 145 KIAS and carefullyincrease throttle such that you capture the on-speed AoA as indicated by the E-Bracket on the HUDand the Angle of Attack Indexer lights to the left of the HUD frame.Maintain on-speed AoA and 600 feet until the round-down on the stern of the carrier is visible andforms a straight line.Course DistanceE-BracketAoA Indexer LightsDCS [F/A-18C]102 PROCEDURESIn the first 90 degrees of the second turn, maintain on-speed AoA and use throttle to adjust yourdecent rate between 100 and 200 feet per minute with a roll angel of 27 to 30 degrees. A good wayto visualize this is to place the velocity vector just below the horizon line on the HUD such that just thevertical post and right "wing" touch the horizon line.During this portion of the turn, don't peak at the carrier, instead fly by the instruments.As you pass the second 90 degrees of the second turn, allow your vertical velocity to increase to 500feet per minute and visually acquire the carrier and IFLOS.Upon rolling out on final approach to the carrier, all direction is now dictated by the Improved FresnelLens Optical System (IFLOS).An optical landing system (OLS) provides the pilot with glidepath information during the final phase ofthe approach. The first OLS utilized a gyroscopically-controlled concave mirror. This mirror wasvertically mounted between two horizontal sets of green datum lights. An orange source light wasshown in the mirror and would appear as a yellowish-orange "ball" to the pilot.The position of the ball relative to the datum lights would indicate the relative position of the aircraftto the desired glidepath. If the ball was above the datum lights (a high ball), the aircraft was abovethe glidepath; conversely, a low ball indicated the aircraft was below glidepath. When the ball and thedatum lights were aligned horizontally, the aircraft was on glidepath.[F/A-18C] DCS 103The IFLOLS consists of a lens assembly, "cut" lights, waveoff lights, and datum lights. The IFLOLS hasthree modes of stabilization: Line, Inertial, and Point. Line Stabilization compensates for the ship's pitchand roll. Inertial Stabilization operates the same as Line Stabilization, but also compensates for the upand down motion (heave) of the flight deck. Both of these modes stabilize the glideslope to infinity.The point stabilization mode fixes the glideslope around a point 2500 feet aft of the lens. The systemis normally set for a 3.5° glideslope targeting the 3-wire. The IFLOLS comes in both the shore-basedand ship-based variants.• Lens Assembly. The lens assembly is a box that contains 12 vertical cells through whichfiber optic light is projected. The upper cells are amber in color while the bottom two arered. The aircraft's position on the glidepath determines which cell is visible to the pilot. Thevisible cell, compared to the horizontal green datum lights, indicate the aircraft positionrelative to the glideslope (i.e., above, on, or below the optimum glideslope). If a red lens isvisible, the aircraft is dangerously low.• Cut Lights. Mounted horizontally and centered above the lens box are four green cut lights.The cut lights are used by the LSO to communicate with the aircraft during Zip Lip orEmissions Controlled (EMCON) operations. As the aircraft approaches the groove, the LSOwill momentarily illuminate the cut lights to indicate a "Roger ball" call. Subsequentillumination of the cut lights indicates a call to add power. Zip Lip is normally used duringday Case I fleet operations to minimize radio transmissions. EMCON is a condition where allelectronic emissions are minimized.• Waveoff Lights. Waveoff lights are mounted vertically on each side of the lens box. Thesered lights are controlled by the LSO. When they are illuminated, the aircraft must immediatelyexecute a waveoff. The LSO will initiate a waveoff any time the deck is foul (people orequipment in the landing area) or an aircraft is not within safe approach parameters. "Bingo"is signaled by alternating waveoff and cut lights.• Datum Lights. Green datum lights are mounted horizontally to the lens assembly with tenlights on each side. The position of the ball in reference to the datum lights provides the pilotwith glideslope information. If the ball is illuminated above or below the datums, the aircraftis high or low respectivelyUpon the main gears making contact with the landing area, immediately move the throttles to fullpower in case the arrestor hook misses the wires. This will allow the aircraft enough power to getairborne again.If the "trap" is successful, retard the throttles to idle, raise the arrestor hook [H], set flaps to AUTO[F] and taxi out of the landing area.DCS [F/A-18C]104 HORNET COMMUNICATION SYSTEMHORNET COMMUNICATION SYSTEMThe DCS: F/A-18C Hornet is equipped with two ARC-210 (RT-1556) radios. These act as COMM 1 andCOMM 2 and operate as both VHF and UHF radios for air-to-air and air-to-ground voicecommunications, in addition to Automatic Direction Finding (ADF).Up two 20 channels in the 30 to 400 MHz band can be set as pre-assigned frequencies for each radio.Guard frequency operates at 243.00 AM. Preset frequencies are set in the Mission Editor but can bemanually edited while in flight.To radio transmit on COMM 1 or COMM 2, the radio switch on the throttles must be pressed to theselected radio (1 or 2).Instant Action Mission Practice: Hornet Ready on the RampHow to Use the Radios1. Select desired radio preset frequency by rotating either the COMM 1 or COMM 2 knob.The frequency preset will be displayed on the Scratchpad.2. Press COMM 1 or COMM 2 on the radio switch on the throttles based on radio thefrequency is tuned to.3. Use the Radio Menu to issue your radio message.[F/A-18C] DCS 105UFC Radio FunctionsPrimary control of the radios is done with the Upfront Control (UFC) include:Figure 42. UFC Radio FunctionsCOMM 1 and COMM 2 Volume Control. Rotate these two knobs to control radio volume of thetwo radios.COMM 1 and COMM 2 Channel Selector Knobs. When either knob is pulled, the active frequencyis displayed on the Scratchpad Window. When rotated, they cycle through each of their 20 presetchannels. Additionally, manual frequency selection mode (M), guard channel (G) at 121.5 MHz for VHFand 243.0 for UHF, cue channel (C), and maritime (S) are available.When Manual (M) is selected, the UFC keypad can be used to enter a frequency without having tooverwrite an existing preset.COMM 1 and COMM 2 Channel Display Windows. These two windows display the selected presetchannel (1-20) and the G, M, C and S channels.ADF Function Switch. This switch enables ADF steering on a selected radio beacon. When ADF 1 isselected, ADF steering is based on the COMM 1 radio setting. When set to ADF 2, ADF steering isregarding the COMM 2 frequency. The OFF setting disables ADF steering.ADF steering is indicated on the Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) as a small circle. See Navigationsection of this guide.Pilot Cueing BrightnessKnobOption DisplayWindowCOMM 2VolumeСontrolCOMM 2ChannelDisplayWindowCOMM 2ChannelSelector KnobOption SelectPushbuttonsScratchpadWindowADF FunctionSelect SwitchPushbuttonKeyboardCOMM 1Volume ControlCOMM 1ChannelDisplayWindowCOMM 1ChannelSelector KnobDCS [F/A-18C]106 HORNET MASTER MODESScratchpad Window. The selected radio preset, or G, M, C, and S frequency are displayed on theScratchpad, by either pulling either COMM knob or rotating the knob. The Scratchpad is also used toenter a frequency using the Manual entry (M) mode.Option Display Windows. When a preset or G, M, C, S frequency is selected, options are displayedon the Option Display Windows in the center of the UFC. These include:• GRCV. When selected and colon is visible, Guard is enabled. Guard is disabled when thecolon is absent.• SQCH. With colon visible, radio squelch is enabled to reduce the level of radio noise.With no colon displayed, squelch is disabled.• CPHR. No function for this Early Access version.• AM. Colon indicates that AM modulation is selected.• FM. Colon indicates that FM modulation is selected.Option Select Pushbuttons. These buttons are used to select the options indicated in the OptionDisplay Windows.Brightness Control Knob. Rotating this knob controls the brightness of the UFC display.HORNET MASTER MODESThe Hornet has three master modes of operation: Navigation (NAV), Air-to-Air (A/A), and Air-to-Ground(A/G). The displays and avionics equipment operations are tailored as a function of the selected mastermode. A/A master mode is entered by either pressing the A/A master mode button or by selecting anA/A weapon with the Weapon Select Switch. When A/A is selected, the RADAR display is placed on theright DDI and the Stores Management System (SMS) display is placed on the left DDI. A/G mastermode is selected by pressing the A/G master mode button. When neither master button is enabled(neither button lit), the Hornet is in the NAV master mode.Before using the Hornet navigation system, enable the system by placing the INS knob on the SensorPanel to the NAV position. |RIGHT CONSOLE|HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Navigation systems of the Hornet includes an Inertial Navigation System (INS) waypoints, Tactical AirNavigation (TACAN), Automatic Direction Finding (ADF), and Instrumented Carrier Landing System(ICLS). Together, these systems provide accurate navigation day or night and in all weather conditions.The primary navigation indicator is the Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI) which is most oftendisplayed on the central MPCD. A moving map can also be enabled with full-color capability on theMPCD, but not available on either DDI. The UFC is used for navigation data entry.[F/A-18C] DCS 107The primary methods of navigation are the TACAN mode which provides steering to navigation beaconsand Waypoint based navigation points created in the Mission Editor or while in the cockpit. Both modesprovide DATA pages for each TACAN station or waypoint, bearing and range to the location, time toreach the location, and various steering aids.Mission Practice: Hornet VFR NavigationHow to Navigate Using Waypoints1. Select HSI from the SUPT DDI page2. Select the WYPT Option Select Button3. Use the Up and Down arrows to select waypoint as indicated between the arrows4. Fly to the waypoint based on HSI and HUD command steering indicatorsDCS [F/A-18C]108 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Regardless of navigation method, the HSI has the following options and indicators. Option buttons forthe main HSI include:Figure 43. HSI Option Buttons1. POS/XXX Option. The POS Option button determines the position keeping source. Pressingthis Option Button displays the four options along the top of the DDI with an HSI optionbutton to return to the main HSI page without making a change. The selected source isdisplayed as POS / (selected source).Figure 44. Position Keeping Source Selection2. UPDT Option. No function in this Early Access version.3. SCL Option. This options allows selection of the range scale of the HSI. Successive pressesof this button select and then wrap ranges of 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 miles. The selectedscale is indicated right of the SCL legend.15423181615141369101117 7812[F/A-18C] DCS 1094. MK Option. Pressing the MK option button saves a mark point at the location of the aircraftwhen the button was pressed. Up to nine mark points can be created. After the ninth, thefirst mark point will be over-written and so forth. Not implemented at Early Access release.(Coming later in early access)5. DATA Option. With either TCN or WYPT selected as the navigation method, pressing theDATA button will display a sublevel with additional information about the aircraft, selectedTACAN and selected Waypoint. See DATA section below.6. WYPT Option. When selected and box, steering information is presented regarding theselected waypoint. See Waypoint Navigation.7. Waypoint / Mark Point Selection. The number between the two arrows is the selectedwaypoint, and the up arrow selects the next waypoint in the waypoint sequence and thedown arrow selects the previous waypoint. At the end of the waypoint sequence, mark pointsare available in sequence.8. WPDSG Option. Pressing the WPDSG designates the current navigation point as a targetwaypoint (TGT). When a waypoint is designated as a target, the WPDSG legend is removedand the WYPT legend changes to TGT. HUD symbology also reflects the change to be atarget location.9. SEQ # Option. When selected and boxed, all waypoints of the sequence are displayed onthe HSI and dashed lines connect them in sequence. The dashed lines are removed whenthe map is slewed. Successive presses of this button cycle through the sequences. TheHornet can store three sequences.10. AUTO Option. When selected and boxed, automatic sequence steering to the next waypointis enabled. WYPT must be selected as the navigation method.11. TIMEUFC Option. Selecting this option allows time selection options from the UFC. Theseinclude SET, ET (elapsed time) and CD (count down). Upon selecting (boxing) this optionbutton, the UFC lists the time options to display on the HSI and HUD.DCS [F/A-18C]110 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Figure 45. TIMEUFC Options on UFCSET. Displays the date.ET. Starts incrementing time in minutes and seconds up to 59:59. Press the UFCENT button to start the counter and successive presses of the ENT button willpause and start the counter.CD. The countdown timer starts to decrement time in minutes and seconds,starting from 06:00. Upon selection of the CD option, pressing the ENT buttonstarts the timer and successive presses of the ENT button pauses and start thecounter.ZTOD. When selected, the Zulu time of day is displayed.LTOD. When selected, the local time of day is displayed.Note that ET and CD are mutually exclusive and ZTOD and LTOD are mutuallyexclusive.12. MENU Option. Displays the TAC menu page.13. SENSORS Option. When enabled, aerial targets detected by the RADAR in range andazimuth are displayed on the HSI. (Coming later in early access)14. ACL Option. No function for this Early Access version.15. VEC Option. No function for this Early Access version.16. MODE Option. Pressing the MODE option button displays sublevel options along the leftside of the HSI. These include T UP (HSI is oriented to the flight track is always pointedtowards the top of the HSI display), N UP (true north is always at the top of the display),DCTR (de-center placed the aircraft symbol at the bottom of the display), MAP (enable ordisable moving map), and SLEW (slew map with TDC when TDC assigned to the display).17. ILS Option. No function for this Early Access version.18. TCN Option. TACAN is selected as the navigation method. See TACAN Navigation[F/A-18C] DCS 111Waypoint NavigationWaypoint navigation consists of a series of navigation points to create a navigation sequence. Thisallows point-to-point steering along the sequence using automatic (AUTO) sequencing. Any waypointcan also be designated as a target point (TGT) using the WPDSG option. Additionally, up to nine markpoints can be created that can also act as waypoints. Command heading, distance, and time to reachthe selected waypoint is provided on the HSI Waypoint Data Block and HUD.Waypoint steering is selected by pressing the WYPT option button on the right side of the HSI. Beloware increment and decrement arrows to select the steer-to waypoint as indicated between the arrows.In the top right of the HSI, the bearing to, distance to and time remaining to reach the selectedwaypoint are displayed in the Waypoint Data Block. Inside the compass rose, the waypoint bearingindicator and waypoint symbol provide heading steering information.Figure 46. HSI Waypoint SteeringAdditional waypoint steering is provided on the HUD.Waypoint Bearing PointerWaypoint Data BlockWaypoint SelectWaypoint SymbolDCS [F/A-18C]112 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Figure 47. Waypoint Steering on HUDWhile in waypoint navigation steering and a waypoint selected, the WPDSG (waypoint designate) optionbutton on the right side of the HSI can be pressed to change the selected waypoint to a target point.On the HUD, the target appears as a Target Designation diamond which can be slewed with the TDCwhen the TDC is assigned to the HUD.Command HeadingWaypoint DistanceWaypoint Name[F/A-18C] DCS 113Figure 48. Waypoint as Target on HUDTime On Target (TOT) NavigationOften in combat operations, it is vital to hit your target at a precise time in order to best coordinatewith other friendly forces. Based on a Time On Target, or TOT, using Zulu time, the Hornet can provideyou guidance to reach your target at the entered TOT.To do so, following these steps:1- Select Horizontal Situation Indicator (HIS) page from any display and then select the DATA/ WYPT page. Along the bottom portion of the DATA page are blank fields for the desiredtime on target Zulu time, the ground speed from the initial point to the target point, and thewaypoint that will serve as the target from which the TOT will be calculated.Command HeadingTarget SymbolDistance to TargetDCS [F/A-18C]114 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Figure 49. Time On Target Data Fields2- TOT Entry. First, we will enter the desired TOT. To do so, first press the WPSEQUFCpushbutton 1. This will then display GSPD (ground speed), TGT (target), and TOT (time ontarget) in the top three Option Select Windows. Upon pressing the TOT Option Select Button,the TOT indication on the Option Select Window will be colonized. Using the UFC Keypad,enter the hour:minute:second for the TOT based on Zulu time. The format is HH:MM:SS,and once you then press the ENT button on the UFC, the set TOT will then be displayed onthe DATA / WYPT page.Note that current Zulu time is generally displayed in the bottom left corner of the HUD.Time on Target Data[F/A-18C] DCS 115Figure 50. Time On Target Data Entry3- GSPD Entry. Next, we will enter the airspeed in calibrated knots that the aircraft will fly theleg between the Initial Point (waypoint before the target point) and the target point that willalso serve as the TOT point. Select GSPD from the UFC Option Select Window to colonize it,and then enter the desired airspeed using the UFC keypad. Upon then pressing the ENTbutton on the UFC, the GSPD value on the DATA / WYPT page will be filled in.Zulu TimeEntered TOTTOT Option SelectSet TOTDCS [F/A-18C]116 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Figure 51. Ground Speed Data Entry4- TGT Entry. The final step is to designate the waypoint that will act as the target point fromwhich the TOT will be calculated. Along the bottom of the DATA / WYPT page, the waypointsthat comprise the selected sequence are listed. As before, select TGT from the UFC OptionSelect Window to colonize it and then use the UFC keypad to enter the number of the desiredwaypoint and then press the UFC ENT button. This will then box (set) the selected waypointin the sequence.Figure 52. Target Data EntrySet GSPDGSPD Option SelectEntered GSPDEntered TGTSet TGTTGT Option Select[F/A-18C] DCS 117With all elements set for a TOT calculation, a caret will appear below the airspeed box on the HUD,with a vertical line centered below the box. This is your early / late indication. If the caret is left of theline, you are too slow and must speed up to meet the TOT. If however the caret is to the right of theline, you are too fast and must slow down to meet the TOT. Ideally, you want the caret centered onthe line to meet your TOT.Figure 53. Time On Target HUD IndicationModifying a WaypointIn the course of a mission, you may find the need to modify an existing waypoint, the most commonbeing an adjustment of the waypoint's elevation to match the ground elevation. To do so, select theHSI / DATA / WYPT page and note the chain of waypoints listed at the bottom of the page that comprisethe waypoints of the selected sequence. For example: 0-1-2-3-4-5-6By pressing pushbutton 5, the UFC Option Select Windows display POSN (position), ELEV (elevation),GRID, and O/S (off set). To select a waypoint to modify, use the up (pushbutton 12) and down(pushbutton 13) arrows.• POSN. By selecting Position, you may enter the Latitude and Longitude using the UFCkeypad.• ELEV. Once the Elevation option is selected, you can enter a new waypoint elevation ineither feet or meters.When complete, press the UFC ENT button.GRID and O/S will be available later in early access.Adding or Deleting a WaypointAt any time, waypoints can be added or deleted to a waypoint sequence. This is done from the HSI /DATA / WYPT page.On TOT LineEarly / Late Caret DCS [F/A-18C]118 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)• To add a waypoint: Press pushbutton 5, UFC, and then the INS Option Select Button onthe UFC. Use the keypad to enter the number of the waypoint to add and then press theUFC ENT button. The new waypoint will then be added to the end of the selected waypointsequence.• To delete a waypoint: Press pushbutton 5, UFC, and then the DEL Option Select Buttonon the UFC. Use the keypad to enter the number of the waypoint to delete and then pressthe UFC ENT button. The new waypoint will then be removed from the selected waypointsequence.Inserting a WaypointTo rearrange a sequence or add a new waypoint within a sequence, the insert function can be used.This is different than simply adding a waypoint which adds it to the end of a sequence. This can bedone from the HSI / DATA / WYPT page.From the WYPT page, select WPSEQUFC on pushbutton1. Then, select INS from the UFC Option SelectWindow.• Use the UFC keypad to enter the number of the waypoint in which you wish to insert a newwaypoint to the right of in the sequence, and then press UFC ENT.• Use the UFC keypad to enter the number of the waypoint you wish to insert to the right ofthe waypoint you just designed, and then press UFC ENT.The inserted waypoint will now appear in the active waypoint sequence to the right of the waypointyou designated.TACAN NavigationThe ARN-118 TACAN system provides relative bearing and/or slant range distance to a selected TACANstation (land, ship or aircraft). TACAN range depends on aircraft altitude Line Of Sight (LOS) to thestation, but can have a maximum range of 200 miles for an airborne station and 390 miles for a surfacestation. Each TACAN station has a three-letter identifier which is used to identify the beacon and isdisplayed on the HSI and HUD when using TCN steering.To use TACAN steering:1- Select TCN from the UFC2- Press X or Y of the desired channel from the UFC Option Select Window / Button3- Turn on the TACAN by pressing the ON/OFF button on the UFC4- Press CLR (Clear) on the UFC keypad to clear the scratchpad5- Using the UFC keypad, enter the desired TACAN channel and then press the ENT button onthe UFC6- Select TCN on the HSI display[F/A-18C] DCS 119Figure 54. TACAN UFC ModeTACAN modes from the UFC include:• T/R (Transmit / Receive). Computes bearing, and measures slant range from the selectedTACAN station.• RCV (Receive Only). Only bearing information from the selected TACAN station iscomputed.• A/A (Air-to-Air TACAN). Computes range for up to five airborne TACAN stations.• X. Selects the X channel option.• Y. Selects the Y channel option.With TACAN steering selected with a valid TACAN station channel, steering to the selected station isprovided on both the HSI and HUD as follows:DCS [F/A-18C]120 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Figure 55. TACAN Steering on HSITACAN Steering OptionButtonTACAN Station IdentifierTACAN Bearing and RangeTACAN Bearing Pointer(T)TACAN Location SymbolTACAN Steering SymbolTail[F/A-18C] DCS 121Figure 56. TACAN Steering on HUDTACAN Yard StickA very useful function of the air-to-air TACAN to find and keep formation with other aircraft is what'stermed the Yard Stick. Although the data link combined with the SA page largely eliminates the needfor this, Yard Stick can still prove useful if the data link is inoperative.It is important to remember that the TACAN Yardstick will only provide range information between youand the other aircraft.To enable the TACAN Yardstick:• Set TACAN to A/A mode on UFC• Set a TACAN channel 63 channels higher than the TACAN channel of the other aircraft, orhave the other aircraft set their TACAN 63 channels above yours. One aircraft should bebetween 1 and 63 X or Y and the other(s) 63 channels higher from that. Note: be careful toavoid TACAN channels already in use by airfields and aircraft carriers and channels 68 and69 due to data link conflict.Once set up, enable TCN navigation on the HSI and note that the heading needle will spin, due to thelack of bearing information. However, you will now have a distance indication. By altering your headingand noting the range increase or decrease, you can often determine the general heading of the otheraircraft.Slant Range and TACANStation IdentifierTACAN Command SteeringDCS [F/A-18C]122 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Also note that TACAN Yardstick can work between any aircraft with A/A TACAN, it does not need tobe only between Hornets.DATA Option SublevelUpon selecting the DATA option button from the top of the HSI page, the DATA sublevel page isdisplayed with further sublevels for A/C (aircraft), WYPT (waypoint), and TCN (TACAN). The HSIpushbutton returns the MPCD/DDI to the main HSI page.A/C (Aircraft) SublevelThe following items are functional in this Early Access version:Figure 57. Aircraft HSI DATA SublevelNote: BARO (barometric) and RADAR altitude warnings are set by pressing their pushbuttons and thenentering the desired altitude warning on the UFC for the ALT option select. Maximum value for RADARis 5,000 and 25,000 for BARO. Flying below the set value will trigger the ALTITUDE, ALTITUDE alert.True/Magnetic Heading Selection. Heading indications that appear in the HUD and HSIBaro Altitude OptionLAT/LONG, WindSpeed, WindDirection, andMagnetic VariationTrue or MagneticHeading SelectGPS Position ErrorsRADAR AltitudeOptionLat/Long Option[F/A-18C] DCS 123display can be referenced to either true north or magnetic north. The capability to select a true northheading is useful in extreme northern operations. With true north heading selected, the HSI display,A/A and A/G radar displays, and the HUD are all referenced to true north. The true north indication onthe HUD is a T displayed below the current heading. True north indications on the HSI display consistof TRUE being displayed below the current heading readout and a T being displayed below the lubberline. No indications of true north selection appear on the A/A or A/G radar display. Since aircraftmagnetic variation is used as the best available magnetic variation source, the heading reference shouldnot be changed when navigating a selected course. With true heading is selected, TACAN symbologyis also referenced to true north if the TACAN station is in the TACAN data table. If the TACAN stationis not in the TACAN data table, magnetic is used. There is no indication when magnetic heading isselected. When INS true heading becomes invalid, magnetic heading is used. To select the desiredreference heading, first select DATA in the HSI display. Then select the A/C option to access the A/Cdata sublevel display. Actuating the HDG XXX option toggles between the selection of HDG TRUE andHDG MAG.Barometric (BARO)/Radar Low Altitude Warning Programming. The BARO/RADAR altitudewarning can be set up to a maximum of 25,000 feet for BARO and 5,000 feet for RADAR. Setting theRADAR at a value greater than 5,000 feet results in 5,000 feet being used. Passing through theBARO/RADAR programmed altitude from above results in the ALTITUDE voice alert. Settingthe BARO/RADAR altitude warning to 0 feet disables this function. To set the BARO/RADAR low altitudewarning function, first select the DATA option on the top level HSI display. Then select the A/C optionto bring up the A/C data sublevel display. The BARO/RADAR altitude functions are located on the lowerleft corner of the display. Select BARO or RADAR to initialize the UFC for altitude entry. Then select theALT option on the UFC and enter the desired altitude through the UFC keypad. The entered altitudeappears on the A/C data sublevel display below BARO/RADAR as appropriate.LAT / LONG Option. Latitude and Longitude is entered as Degrees/Minutes/Thousandths of minutes(LATLN DCML), or Degrees/Minutes/Seconds (LATLN SEC). With PRECISE unboxed, LAT / LONG isentered either as Degrees/Minutes/ Hundredths of minutes (LATLN DCML) orDegrees/Minutes/Seconds (LATLN SEC). With PRECISE boxed, LAT / LONG is entered either asDegrees/Minutes/Ten Thousandths of minutes (LATLN DCML) orDegrees/Minutes/Seconds/Hundredths of seconds (LATLN SEC). Actuating the LATLN XXXX optiontoggles between the selection of LATLN DCML and LATLN SEC. The selected LATLN format is reflectedon all displays and UFC formats throughout the cockpit.Waypoint, LAT/LONG, MGRS, and Elevation. At the top of this data block, the selected waypointis displayed. Below is listed the waypoint:• Latitude and longitude• Wind speed• Wind direction• Magnetic variance• MGRS coordinate termed GRID• Elevation in metersDCS [F/A-18C]124 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)WYPT (Waypoint) SublevelThe following items are functional in this early access version:Figure 58. Waypoint HSI DATA SublevelWaypoint, LAT/LONG, MGRS, and Elevation. At the top of this data block, the selected waypointis displayed. Below is listed the waypoint:• Latitude and longitude• MGRS coordinate termed GRID• Elevation in metersPRECISE Option. Latitude and Longitude is entered as Degrees/Minutes/Thousandths of minutes(LATLN DCML), or Degrees/Minutes/Seconds (LATLN SEC). With PRECISE unboxed, LAT / LONG isentered either as Degrees/Minutes/ Hundredths of minutes (LATLN DCML) orDegrees/Minutes/Seconds (LATLN SEC). With PRECISE boxed, LAT / LONG is entered either asDegrees/Minutes/Ten Thousandths of minutes (LATLN DCML) orDegrees/Minutes/Seconds/Hundredths of seconds (LATLN SEC). Actuating the LATLN XXXX optionLAT/LONG, MGRS,and ElevationTime on TargetSet as Air-to-AirWaypointWaypointSelectionWaypointSequenceSelectionGround SpeedPrecise CoordinateMode[F/A-18C] DCS 125toggles between the selection of LATLN DCML and LATLN SEC. The selected LATLN format is reflectedon all displays and UFC formats throughout the cockpit.Air-to-Air Waypoint. Pressing pushbutton 2 sets the selected waypoint as the air-to-air waypoint(aka Bullseye). See Air-to-Air Waypoint section.Waypoint Selection. Pressing pushbutton 12 increments the waypoint and pressing pushbutton 13decrements the selected waypoint. The current waypoint is displayed between pushbuttons 12 and 13and at the top of the waypoint data block.Ground Speed. Entered ground speed for last leg to the waypoint set as the TGT.Waypoint Sequence Selection. A listing of the waypoints in the selected sequence (1, 2, or 3). Theselected target (TGT) waypoint is boxed.Time on Target. The inputted time on target in reference to Zulu time.TCN (TACAN) SublevelFigure 59. TACAN HSI DATA SublevelTACAN Channel,LAT/LOG,Elevation, andMagnetic Variation Waypoint SelectDCS [F/A-18C]126 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Automatic Direction Finder (ADF) NavigationA third method of navigation is Automatic Direction Finder (ADF). ADF uses radio-navigation based onbeacons in the 190 to 535 kHz range. Either radio in the Hornet can be tuned to the desired ADFchannel and receiving steering information for the selected beacon. However, no range information isgiven. The bearing to the selected ADF beacon is displayed as a circle on the outer periphery of theHSI compass rose.How to Navigate Using ADF Beacons1. Select either 1 (COMM 1) or 2 (COMM 2) from the ADF switch on the UFC2. Rotate the channel selector of the selected ADF switch to the Manual (M)3. Using the UFC keypad, enter the frequency of the desired ADF beacon into the UFCScratchpad and press ENT on the UFC4. The selected ADF beacon should now appear on the HSI as a circle and the ADF codewill be heard (adjusted through the Volume Panel[F/A-18C] DCS 127Additional HSI SymbologyIn addition to the HSI symbols described above, other symbols are present to assist in navigation.These include:Figure 60. Additional HSI Symbols1. Compass Rose. 360-degree compass with cardinal directions. Rotation of the compass isin reference to aircraft heading from a top-down view.2. Lubber Line. A line marked on the compass rose that indicates aircraft heading.3. Heading Select Marker. Heading marker on the compass rose to indicate set headingvalue as indicted in the Heading Select numeric indication.4. Course Line. Set course line through the selected TACAN station or Waypoint and rotatedto match the Selected Course numeric.5. Aircraft Symbol. Placed in the center or de-centered in the compass rose, this indicatesthe location of the aircraft.6. Ownship True Airspeed. True airspeed of your aircraft.7. Ownship Ground Speed. True ground speed of your aircraft.8. Selected Heading. Heading value set using the Heading Select Switch on the MPCD.9. Time. Time indication as selected from the TIMEUFC option button.10. Selected Course. Course value set using the Course Select Switch on the MPCD.11. Ground Track Pointer. Actual track of the aircraft over ground.16112598 1034712DCS [F/A-18C]128 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)12. Automatic Direction Finding (ADF Symbol). When ADF is selected to a validfrequency, this icon provides a heading cue to the selected ADF beacon. Not pictured.Setting a CourseA course can be set using the Course Select Switch on the MPCD. The selected course value is thendisplayed on the HSI in the Course Select (CSEL) field and drawn through the selected TACAN orWaypoint. The Course Line has an arrow at the end that points in the direction of the set course.Pressing the Course Switch left and right allows the CSEL to be rotated to match the desired course.On the HUD, the selected course is displayed as a small arrow with two dots on either side to denotecourse offset. The arrow provides a horizontal situation indication relative to the Velocity Vector. Thedots left and right of the arrow indicate 4- and 8-degrees off course. The dots disappear when courseerror is less than 1.25 degrees.Note that the distance to the course line is displayed the CSEL indication. This is particularly usefulwhen flying the correct downwind distance to the airfield or aircraft carrier of 1.1 to 1.3 nm.Figure 61. Course Setting on HSI and HUDAutopilot Relief ModesCourse LineCourse Line[F/A-18C] DCS 129The Hornet includes several autopilots modes that assist the pilot in flying the aircraft. These areselected by pressing the A/P button on the lower portion of the UFC. Upon doing so, the availableautopilots modes are listed in the UFC Option Select Windows. For this Early Access version, the pilotassist autopilots modes include:Figure 62. UFC Autopilot Modes• Attitude Hold (ATTH). The aircraft will maintain the existing pitch and roll attitude between+/- 45-degrees in pitch and +/- 70-degrees in roll.• Heading Select (HSEL). When enabled, the aircraft will turn to and fly the heading as seton the HSI.• Barometric Altitude Hold (BALT). When engaged, the aircraft will maintain the currentheading and barometric altitude between 0 and 70,000 feet.• RADAR Altitude Hold (RALT). When engaged, the aircraft will maintain current headingand RADAR altitude between 0 and 5,000 feet.Autopilot modes listed on the UFC are selected by pressing the Option Select Button next to the OptionSelect Window of the autopilot mode. When selected, a colon is displayed next to the autopilot nameon the Option Select Window. Once selected, pressing the ON/OFF button on the UFC enables themode. An A/P advisory is displayed on the left DDI when an autopilot mode is engaged.Autopilot is disengaged by pressing the Paddle Switch on the Control Stick.Autopilot SelectAutopilot Mode Options,Colon is SelectedDCS [F/A-18C]130 HORNET NAVIGATION (NAV)Instrument Carrier Landing System (ICLS)While real US Navy and Marine Corps Hornets are not equipped with Instrument Landing System (ILS)for airfield landings, they are equipped with the Instrument Carrier Landing System (ICLS). Thisoperates much like a traditional ILS system, but it is only operational for US aircraft carriers.Using the ICLS is a matter of setting up the correct aircraft carrier ICLS channel and following thelocalizer and glideslope beams to within visual distance of the IFLOS.Figure 63. ICLS UFCMission Practice: Case III Carrier LandingUFC ON/OFF ButtonICLS Channel OptionSelectUFC ScratchpadUFC KeypadUFC ILS ButtonILS HSI Option[F/A-18C] DCS 131Please use the following checklist for a successful ICLS approach.Figure 64. ICLS HUD IndicationsIn the above example image, the pilot is left of the localizer (lineup) and below glideslope. Fly tokeep the two bars forming a cross in the center of the velocity vector.How to Use ICLS1. Select ILS from the Up-Front Control (UFC) panel. The carrier ICLS channel willmost often be listed in the mission briefing2. Press the ON/OFF UFC button on the UFC to turn on the ICLS3. Enter the desired carrier ICLS channel into the UFC scratchpad using the UFCkeypad and then press the ENT button4. Select ILS on pushbutton 5 from the HIS. This will allow ICLS information to bedisplayed on the HUD and DDI HUD repeater page5. Fly to keep the vertical localizer and horizontal glideslope bars centered in theHUD. If the localizer is off-center, fly in the direction of the bar to center it. If theglideslope bar is above the velocity vector, you are too high. If it is below thevelocity vector, you are too low.Glideslope BeamBarLocalizer Beam BarDCS [F/A-18C]132 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)For this Early Access release of our Hornet, we are including the M61A2 gun and unguided weaponsfor ground attack. In later updates, guided A/G weapons will be added. Additionally, A/G RADAR andFLIR will also be added later during the Early Access period.To place the Hornet in A/G mode, first press the A/G button from the Master Mode from the leftinstrument panel and there must be no weight on wheels. If the Master Arm switch is placed in theSAFE position, weapon release is inhibited, and the SIM training mode is available. When in the ARMposition, weapons may be released normally.Figure 65. A/G Master Mode SelectAir-to-Ground Stores Management System (SMS)Bombing PageUpon selection of the A/G master mode, the A/G SMS page is displayed on the left DDI. Based on thepriority weapon, the information on the SMS page can vary. For conventional bombs, the SMScommonly includes the following:Mission Practice: Hornet CCIP BombingMaster Mode SwitchMaster Arm Switch[F/A-18C] DCS 133Figure 66. A/G Conventional Bombing SMS Page1. Weapon Select Options. The top row of pushbuttons are used to select the desired A/Gweapon. One option is provided for each displayed weapon type (maximum 5). Anabbreviation of the selected weapon type is displayed below the pushbutton. When a weaponis selected, the abbreviation is boxed. Pressing the button again will unselect the weapon. Ifthe A/G weapon is in a release condition, "RDY" is displayed below the weapon box.Otherwise, an "X" is displayed through the weapon box.2. Wingform Display. The wingform display provides the number, type, and status of allstores loaded on the aircraft's weapon stations. A weapons rack is indicated as a diamondsymbol, and the number below indicates the number of weapons loaded on the rack / station.Various indications can be displayed below the number of weapons numeric to indicateweapon status, such as: RDY (ready), STBY (standby), selected (SEL), LKD (locked) and ULK(unlocked). A box is displayed around the weapon abbreviation on the wingform when it isselected as the priority weapon. The gun rounds remaining is indicated at the top of thewingform (578 being a full load and XXX when empty).3. Delivery Program Options. Based on the selected weapon, it may have different deliveryoptions that can be adjusted using these pushbuttons along the left side of the display.Pressing a program button then displays the possible settings for that program option. Thiswill be discussed ahead in the A/G Stores Programming section of this guide.1 235467891011DCS [F/A-18C]134 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)4. Program Data. This area of the display is provided to show release settings as set in theDelivery Program Options for conventional and laser-guided bombs. When a Programcontains invalid data, the PROG and number will have an "X" through it.5. Program Select Option (PROG). This option is only available for conventional and laserguided bombs and allows the selection of five release programs for each weapon type.Successive presses of the PROG pushbutton cycles through the programs. The selectedprogram is displayed at the top of the Program Data. Any changes to the program data fora program are saved and can be retried later when the program is re-selected.6. Tone Option. Only when the DATA option is enabled, the TONE option is displayed. Thisoption is used to enabled, a ½ second tone that is transmitted either over the COMM 1 orCOMM 2 radios when the pickle button is pressed. The first press of this pushbutton changesthe label to "TONE 1" and is boxed, and a second press changes the label to "TONE 2". Athird press disables the tone function and returns the label to an un-boxed TONE. The MasterArm switch must be set to ARM.7. SIM Mode Option. When the Master Arm Switch is set to SAFE, the SIM option becomesavailable. SIM mode allows simulated SMS page and HUD operations, but all weapon releasefunctions are inhibited. When in SIM mode, SIM replaces the ARM/SAFE indication on theA/G SMS page. (Coming later in Open Beta)8. Up-Front Control (UFC) Option. This option is displayed when the selected weapon canhave data entered for it using the UFC like weapon release quantity, interval, etc.9. Station Step Option (STEP). The option is provided when the Stores page determinesthat the weapons of the selected type are available for release on more than one weaponstation. Each successive press of the STEP push tile changes the selected weapon to the nextweapon station.10. Gun Option. The GUN option is used to select the gun as the priority A/G weapon or enablethe gun to be used in conjunction with delivery of another weapon (HOT GUN).11. Master Arm Status. This displays the status of the Master Arm switch, and can be eitherARM, SAFE or SIM.A/G Stores ProgrammingProgramming A/G stores can be done from either A/G or NAV master modes. Up to five deliveryprograms can be created for each A/G weapon except the gun. Using the PROG pushbutton, you cancycle through the programs with successive presses. There are two primary aspects of creating adelivery program for a weapon: The Delivery Program Options along the left side of the SMS page andthe UFC.Delivery Program OptionsFor the Hornet Early Access, the A/G weapons are primarily conventional, unguided bombs that usethe same set of delivery program options. After selecting a Delivery Program Option, the left side ofthe SMS page will change the pushbuttons to show the possible selections for the selected option:• MODE (Delivery Mode)o AUTO (Automatic)o FD (Flight Director) – non-function for this Early Access versiono CCIP (Continuously Computed Impact Point)[F/A-18C] DCS 135o MAN (Manual Release)• MFUZ (Mechanical Fuse)o OFFo NOSE (Nose Fuse Only)o TAIL (Tail Fuse Only)o NT (Nose and Tail)• EFUZ (Electronic Fuse)o OFFo VT (Variable Time or Proximity)o INST (Instantaneous)o DLY1 (Delay 1)o DLY2 (Delay 2)• DRAGo FF (Free Fall)o RET (Retarded)Bomb Fuze Settings. Different types of bombs require different MFUZ and EFUZ settings. In thecurrent early access, the following should be used:General Purpose Bombs (Mk-80 series):• MFUZE = NOSE• EFUZ = INSTCanister Munitions (CBU and Mk-20)• MFUZE = VTo HT to 1500• EFUZ = INSTLaser and GPS Guided (GBU series)• MFUZE = OFF• EFUZ = INST or DLY1HT Option. For the Early Access release, the Mk-20, CBU-99, and CBU-100 canister weapons defaultto use FMU-140 fuses. This is a fixed-setting fuse with an arming time of 1.2 seconds after release.When MFUZ is set to VT though, the HT (height) setting is available. Successive presses of the HTpushbutton cycles through the possible Height of Burst (HOB) settings.UFC OptionsWhen the UFC pushbutton is selected from the right side the SMS page, bomb program parametersare displayed on the UFC.DCS [F/A-18C]136 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)Figure 67. UFC Bomb SettingsBy pressing an Option Select Key on the UFC, you can select the bomb program parameter to enter.The selected parameter is indicated by the colon ( : ) next to the indicator of:• Quantity (QTY). Number of bombs to release, ranging from 1 to 30. When more than onebomb is selected, you must hold the Weapon Release Button down until all bombs in thesalvo are released.• Multiples (MULT). Number of bombs to be released simultaneously from the weaponstations in each salvo• Interval (INT). The ground impact spacing in feet when in AUTO, FD, and CCIP modes,but milliseconds when on MAN mode.After each value is entered using the UFC keypad, the ENTER button on the UFC must be pressed tosave the value to the program. Once saved, the value is displayed on the Program Data for the selectedprogram (1 to 5).Another possible UFC option is the Reticle (RTCL) option. When displayed, you may enter a value inmilliradians for manual delivery release. This in turn adjust the bombing reticle on the HUD. This willbe discussed in the Manual Bombing section of this guide.Air-to-Ground Bombing HUDFor the initial Early Access release of the Hornet, the HUD has three weapon delivery modes:[F/A-18C] DCS 137• Continuously Computed Impact Point (CCIP)• Automatic (AUTO)• Manual (MAN)Unguided Continuously Computed Impact Point (CCIP)Bombing Mode HUDThe CCIP mode is a computed visual delivery mode with manual weapon release. This mode allows ahigh degree of flexibility since the point on the ground at which the weapon will impact is continuouslyindicated by a CCIP Bombing Cross on the HUD. No target designation is required. In essence, placethe thing on the thing and drop the bomb.To use, fly to place the CCIP bombing cross over the intended target and hold the Weapon ReleaseButton down (pickle button). A Displayed Impact Line (DIL) is also on the HUD between the CCIPbombing cross and the velocity vector. The pickle button must be held down until all bombs have beenreleased as part of the program.After bomb release, the Time To Impact (TTI) is presented on the HUD as the Time Of Fall (TOF).If the CCIP impact point does not lay within the HUD field of view, the CCIP Reflected Cue is shownas a short, horizonal line on the DIL instead of the CCIP Bombing Cross. The cue is displaced to thesame distance above the bottom of the DIL as the computed position of the CCIP Bombing Cross isbelow the HUD limit.Elements of the CCIP Bombing HUD include:Mission Practice: Hornet Conventional BombingHow to Bomb Using CCIP Mode1. Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select a conventional A/G bomb from the SMS page3. Set MODE option to CCIP4. Assign TDC to the HUD (Sensor Control Switch forward)5. Fly to place the CCIP Bombing Cross over the target while keeping the Velocity Vectorabove the Pullup Cue6. Press and hold the Weapon Release button, bombs away!DCS [F/A-18C]138 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)Figure 68. CCIP Bombing HUD1. Steering Point (Command Heading). this pointer on the heading scale provides steering tothe selected waypoint or TACAN station.2. Pullup Cue. The distance between the Pull Up Cue and the Velocity Vector provides arelative indication of a safe altitude for delivering the selected weapon. For a safe weaponrelease, the Pull Up Cue should always be below the Velocity Vector. The Pull Up Cue alsoprovides minimum altitude release for cluster munitions.3. Breakaway X. The flashing Breakaway X will appear on the HUD when a ground collisionis imminent, or the DUD cue is visible.4. Displayed Impact Line (DIL). The line between the CCIP Bomb Cross and the VelocityVector represents the bomb fall line.5. CCIP Bomb Cross. This cross represents the impact point of the bomb(s).6. Waypoint and Distance. Selected waypoint number and distance to the selected waypointin miles. If in TACAN steering, this would be in relation to the selected TACAN station.7. Mode Indication. The selected bombing mode. CCIP in this situation.8. Time of Fall. Estimated time until weapon impact of the last weapon released. This isindicated in seconds with a "TOF" suffix.9. Hot Gun Cue. Displayed when GUN has been selected from the SMS page. The gun can befired while in CCIP using the trigger.10. DUD Bomb Cue. If a canister weapon is selected and the bomb would impact before itwould be armed, the DUD Bomb Cue is displayed. The DUD cue will also be displayed if aninvalid fuze setting has been selected from the MFUZ and EFUZ settings:General Purpose Bombs (Mk-80 series):• MFUZE = NOSE• EFUZ = INSTCanister Munitions (CBU and Mk-20)• MFUZE = VTo HT to 150017685342910[F/A-18C] DCS 139• EFUZ = INSTLaser and GPS Guided (GBU series)• MFUZE = OFF• EFUZ = INST or DLY1CCIP Target Designation Option: When in CCIP mode and the TDC is assigned to the HUD, andthe CCIP Bombing Cross is within the HUD field of view, pressing the TDC displays the TD on the HUDand it can be slewed within the HUD field of view using the TDC. The TD will initialize on the VelocityVector or at 7.5 degrees, whichever pitch angle is greater. When the TDC button is released, AUTObombing mode is entered based on the new target location.Automatic (AUTO) Bombing Mode HUDThe AUTO mode provides computed, automatic release of bombs. It computes release solutions fordive, dive toss, level, and low angle lofts up to 45 degrees. This mode requires a ground designationpoint from which to build the bombing solution. Command steering is provided to the appropriateweapon release point and the weapon will release automatically at the proper time such that theweapons hit the target.In order to calculate a bombing solution in AUTO mode, a target first must be designated. This canbe done by:• Flying to place the HUD reticle pipper over the target and designate it with the WeaponRelease Button.• Designating a waypoint location as the target as set on the HSI using the WPDSG option.AUTO HUD DesignationThe Mission Computer (MC) provides an Azimuth Steering Line (ASL) to provide steering to thedesignated target. Designation is accomplished pressing and holding the Weapon Release Button whenthe HUD Reticle is over the target. By placing the Velocity Vector on the ASL and holding down theWeapon Release Button, the weapon will release at the proper time and account for wind.Mission Practice: Hornet Conventional BombingDCS [F/A-18C]140 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)Figure 69. AUTO Bombing HUD, No DesignationReticlePullup CueMode IndicationWaypoint and DistanceHow to Bomb Using AUTO Mode using HUD1. Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select conventional A/G bomb from the SMS page3. Set MODE option to AUTO4. Assign TDC to the HUD (Sensor Control Switch forward)5. Fly to place the Reticle over the target and then designate the target by pressing theTDC switch6. While flying to keep the Velocity Vector above the Pullup Cue, keep the Velocity Vectorover the Azimuth Steering Line (ASL), and hold the Weapon Release button downwhen the Release Cue appears on the HUD7. Release the Weapon Release Button once all bombs in the pass have been released[F/A-18C] DCS 141Figure 70. AUTO Bombing HUD, No Designation <7.5 Degree Dive AngleReticle. This Reticle consists of tic marks in 50-mil diameter circle with a pipper in the center. TheTDC must be assigned to the HUD (Sensor Control Switch forward) for the reticle to be visible on theHUD. The Reticle serves as a steering reference for weapon delivery by having the pilot fly the aircraftto place the pipper of the Reticle over the intended target and then designating it.Pullup Cue. The distance between the Pull Up Cue and the Velocity Vector provides a relativeindication of a safe altitude for delivering the selected weapon. For a safe weapon release, the Pull UpCue should always be below the Velocity Vector. The Pull Up Cue also provides minimum altituderelease for cluster munitions. When the Velocity Vector is below the Pullup Cue, the Breakaway X isdisplayed on the HUD.Mode Indication. Indication of the selected bombing mode from the Stores page.Waypoint and Distance. The selected waypoint number and the distance to the waypoint in miles.If the target is co-located with the waypoint, this will also be the Target Distance. This may also be inreference to TACAN steering.Hot Gun Cue. Displayed when GUN has been selected from the SMS page. The gun can be fired whilein AUTO mode using the trigger.Displayed Impact Line (DIL). The flashing, dashed DIL is displayed on the HUD when dive angle isgreater than 7.5 degrees. The DIL extends from the Vertical Velocity indicator to the center of theReticle.Hot Gun CrossDisplayed ImpactLine (DIL)DCS [F/A-18C]142 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)AUTO Waypoint DesignationThe Mission Computer (MC) provides an Azimuth Steering Line (ASL) to provide steering to thedesignated target based on a designated waypoint. Designation is accomplished by selecting a waypointon the HSI and selecting the Waypoint Designation (WPDSG) option on pushbutton 18. This will turnset the selecting waypoint as a target (TGT) waypoint from which the AUTO bomb delivery is calculated.Mission Practice: Hornet Conventional BombingHow to Bomb Using AUTO Mode using HUD1. Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select conventional A/G bomb from the SMS page3. Set MODE option to AUTO4. Select the waypoint at the desired target location5. Select WPDSG from HIS to set the waypoint as the TGT6. While flying to keep the Velocity Vector above the Pullup Cue, keep the VelocityVector over the Azimuth Steering Line (ASL), and hold the Weapon Releasebutton down when the Release Cue appears on the HUD7. Release the Weapon Release Button once all bombs in the pass have beenreleased[F/A-18C] DCS 143Figure 71. AUTO Bombing, No DesignationFigure 72. AUTO Bombing, Waypoint Designated as Target (TGT)Once a waypoint is designated as a target (TGT), the HUD provides steering directions toward it.Waypoint ModeSelected WaypointWPDSG SelectTarget IndicationDCS [F/A-18C]144 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)Figure 73. AUTO Bombing HUDSteering Diamond. Along the heading tape, this diamond indicates the steering direction toward thetarget location. When flying directly toward the target, this diamond will be located in the center of theheading tape.Target Location. A diamond symbol marks the line of sight location to the target. When the locationis outside the HUD field of view, this diamond is clamped to the side of the HUD closest to the targetand flashes. Note that the location of the target also accounts for the entered elevation of the waypointfrom which the target is created.Target Distance. The distance to the target is indicated at the range in nautical miles.AUTO Bombing DeliveryOnce the target is designated using either the HUD or a waypoint and the SMS page is set forAUTO delivery, the Azimuth Steering Line (ASL) is displayed on the HUD and provides steeringdirection to the target as indicated by the Steering Pointer on the Heading Scale. When within theHUD field of view, the target will also be marked with a diamond Target Designator that denotesthe targets line of sight location. By flying the aircraft to keep the Velocity Vector on the ASL, theaircraft will assume the correct azimuth steering to satisfy the bombing solution. By flying tomaintain the Velocity Vector over the Pullup Cue, adequate release altitude is also assured toavoid weapon fragmentation and weapon fuzing.When the target diamond is dashed, the TDC cursor can be used to move the target location.Steering DiamondTarget LocationTarget Distance[F/A-18C] DCS 145If a canister weapon is selected and the bomb would impact before it would be armed, the DudBomb Cue is displayed.Figure 74. AUTO Bombing HUD, DesignatedSteering Pointer. Once a target has been designated, the cue changes from a line indicatingnavigation steering (waypoint or TACAN), to a diamond that indicates steering to the designated target.Release Cue. This small, horizonal line centered on the ASL is displayed when the target is designated,and it indicates both in-range and release cue anticipation indicator. For high drag bombs, the cue isdisplayed 5 seconds before release.Azimuth Steering Line (ASL). The ASL is always perpendicular to the horizon and provides anazimuth steering reference to the designated target with respect to the Velocity Vector. The ASL isremoved from the HUD when the target command steering is greater than 90 degreesTarget Designator (TD). This symbol shows the line of sight to the designated target. The symbol is9 mils long on each side and has a pipper in the center when the TDC is assigned to the HUD. Usingthe TDC, the TD can be moved within the HUD field of view (useful when refining a target designation).If the TD is outside the HUD field of view, it is clamped to the nearest side and flashes. The TD isremoved from the HUD when the target command steering is greater than 90 degrees.Time To Go / Time To Impact. Upon target designation, the estimated time to release is indicatedin seconds with an "REL" suffix. After the bomb(s) is released, this field indicates the estimated TimeTo Impact and is indicated in seconds of the last weapon released with a "TTI" suffix.Steering Pointer Release CueMode and Time To Go/ Time To ImpactTarget RangeAzimuth SteeringLine (ASL)Target Designator(TD)DCS [F/A-18C]146 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)Target Range. When the target is designated, the range to the target is indicated in miles.Note that when the target is not within the HUD field of view, the target arrow is displayed that pointsin the direction of the target and the number of degrees to the target is displayed next to the arrow.Manual (MAN) Bombing Mode HUDManual mode is a backup mode for visual delivery. From the A/G SMS page with MAN selected as thedelivery mode, the UFC function allows the pilot to adjust the HUD reticle position in mils. Byunderstanding the bombing table data for a weapon (release angle, altitude and airspeed), the manualmode can be an effective means to place bombs on target.Mission Practice: Hornet MAN (Manual) BombingHow to Bomb Using MAN Mode1. Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select weapon3. Select conventional A/G bomb from SMS page4. Set MODE option to MAN5. Select the UFC Option Select Button on the A/G SMS page and enter the desired milssetting on the UFC using the keypad. When complete, press the ENTER button on theUFC6. Fly to place the Reticle over the target-based bombing table data[F/A-18C] DCS 147Figure 75. MAN (Manual) Bombing HUDManual Reticle Depression. Depression of the Reticle in mils based on the UFC input.Reticle. Fixed Reticle at static position on the HUD based on the manual mils setting.True Airspeed. When in MAN mode, True Air Speed (T) is displayed below the indicated airspeedbox.High Drag (HD) Bomb DeliveryThe Hornet has the option to delivery high drag bombs that either use a ballute chute or fold-outbrakes. This allows the bomb to fall well behind the aircraft when dropped at low-altitudes and fastairspeeds. In addition to the high-drag option, these bombs also have "slick" options that allow themto behave as standard free-fall bombs. The Hornet's high drag bombs include:• Mk-82 Snake Eye, that is a Mk-82, 500-pound class bomb that has the option for four, foldout airbrakes to slow the weapon. The SMS code is 82XT.• MK-82 with BSU-49 ballute is a Mk-82, 500-pound class bomb that uses an inflatable bagthat retards the weapon. It SMS code is 82YT.High drag weapons can be delivered in CCIP, AUTO, and MAN modes.SMS Set UpTrue AirspeedManual ReticleDepressionReticleDCS [F/A-18C]148 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)Upon selecting a high drag bomb:1. Set delivery MODE2. Set MFUZE to NOSE3. Set EFUZ to INST4. Set DRAG to FF for free fall or RET for high dragWhen DRAG is set to RET, guidelines for an accurate delivery are as follows:• Ensure that aircraft barometric pressure altimeter match the mission• Level flight between 300 to 500 feet AGL• Maintain flight path marker on or just above the horizon line on the HUD. Below the horizonline will result in a Break X.• Airspeed above 450 knots[F/A-18C] DCS 149Laser-Guided BombingDelivery of laser-guided bombs can be conducted in CCIP, AUTO, and MAN modes, but AUTO mode ispreferable as it allows delivery while in level flight. Laser-guided bombs should be released at greaterthan 8,000 feet AGL to give enough time for laser designation capture and guidance.Laser-Guided Bomb SMS PageTwo general types of laser-guided bomb units (GBU) can be loaded on the Hornet:• Paveway II series: GBU-10, GBU-12, and GBU-16• Paveway III series: GBU-24B/B (coming later in early access)Both Paveway series have unique SMS and HUD symbology.Paveway II SeriesSMS Codes• GBU-10: 84LG• GBU-12: 82LG• GBU-16: 83LGPaveway II Series Loading• Single GBU-10 can be loaded on stations 2, 3, 7, and 8 on BRU-32.• Single GBU-12 and 16 can be loaded on stations 2, 3, 7, 8, and 5 on BRU-32.Weapons Practice – Paveway II Laser Guided BombsHow to Use Laser-Guided Bombs in AUTO Mode1. Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select weapon3. Select laser-guided bomb from SMS page4. Set MODE option to AUTO5. Set MFUZ to OFF and EFUZ to INST6. Create TGT point to which bomb will guide7. Set laser code of bomb to match designation code8. Align bomb fall line with target bearing and drop bomb when release cue passesthrough the velocity vectorDCS [F/A-18C]150 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)• Dual GBU-12 can be loaded on stations 2, 3, 7, 8, and 5 on BRU-33.SMS CodesPaveway II Series SMS PagePaveway II series bombs are displayed on the wingform as conventional bombs are. The only differenceis that a four-digit laser code is displayed below the weapon code. All Paveway II series bombs showthe same code if a Paveway II series bomb is not first selected. If a Paveway II series bomb is selected,the code is just be applied to the priority station bomb. This allows you to set separate laser codes foreach bomb.If an LGB is detected as being loaded on the aircraft, the CODE pushbutton will be present on the SMSpage at pushbutton 1.The default laser code is XXXX. To change the code, the CODE legend at pushbutton 1 is pressed whena Paveway II series bomb is already selected. Upon doing so, the bottom Option Select Window showsCODE and the keypad can be used to enter a four-digit code. Once CODE is colonized, this code shouldmatch the designation from a JTAC, targeting pod, or another laser designation source.Once the UFCENT button is pressed, the code is saved to the SMS and is displayed below one or all Paveway II seriesbomb.As with unguided bombs in AUTO, CCIP, and MAN modes, the UFC option can be used to setquantity, interval, and multiple values if desired.Figure 76. LGB UFC CODEPaveway II Series HUDFor Paveway II series bombs, both the AUTO and MAN HUD modes are identical to conventionaldelivery. The additional data seen in the image below appears to be targeting pod related.Laser CODE SelectLaser Code[F/A-18C] DCS 151Figure 77. LGB AUTO HUDINS/GPS-Guided WeaponsThe INS/GPS-guided weapons of our Hornet include both the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) andthe Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW). Both allow considerable standoff range when combined with highaltitude, high-speed launches. They offer excellent accuracy with launch-and-leave capability.The Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) is a low-drag general-purpose bomb fixed with anattached JDAM guidance kit. Guidance is obtained by an onboard Inertial Navigation System(INS) aided by a Global Positioning System (GPS) processor. The JDAM guidance kit provides accurateguidance in all-weather conditions, day or night. JDAM is a programmable system that allows multipleweapons to be independently targeted prior to release. Targeting data are entered as lat/long/altcoordinates and are provided to the weapon by the pilot via the avionic interfaces.For the most accurate programming, precise hour:minute:second to hundredth of a second is availablethrough the Mission Editor and F10 map by pressing [Left Alt + Y].Azimuth Steering LineBombing ModeTime to ReleaseTarget DistanceTarget BearingTarget LocationDCS [F/A-18C]152 HORNET AIR-TO-GROUND (A/G)GBU-31(V)4/B, BLU-109, KMU-558/B• Single unit with BRU-32 on stations: 2, 3, 7, and 8• Tail fuze: FMU-152/B or FMU-139A/BGBU-31(V)2/B, Mk-84, KMU-556/B• Single unit with BRU-32 on stations: 2, 3, 7, and 8• Tail fuze: FMU-152/B or FMU-139A/B• Nose fuze: DSU-33A/B or DSU-33B/BGBU-32(V)2/B, Mk-83, KMU-559/B (coming later in early access)• Single unit with BRU-32 on stations: 2, 3, 7, and 8• Dual units with BRU-55A/A on stations 2, 3, 7, and 8• Tail fuze: FMU-152/B or FMU-139A/B• Nose fuze: DSU-33A/B or DSU-33B/BGBU-38/B, Mk-82, KMU-559/B• Single unit with BRU-32 on stations: 2, 3, 7, and 8• Dual carriage with BRU-55A/A on Single unit on stations: 2, 3, 7, and 8.• Tail fuze: FMU-152/B or FMU-139A/B• Nose fuze: DSU-33A/B or DSU-33B/BFuze settings:• MFUZ = OFF• EFUZ - INSTThe AGM-154A Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a glide weapon that allows much greater attackdistances than the JDAM, but still uses INS/GPS navigation for great accuracy. As with JDAM, it can betargeted against preplanned (PP) targets or targets of opportunity (TOO) and is a 1,000 pound-classweapon with a launch range up to 15 nm at low altitude and 60 nm at high altitude.AGM-154A with 145 BLU-97/B Combined Effects sub munitions (CBU-87 and CBU-103 for A-10C).• Single unit with BRU-32 on stations: 2, 3, 7, and 8• Dual units with BRU-55A/A on stations 2, 3, 7, and 8• Tail fuze: FMU-152/B or FMU-139A/B[F/A-18C] DCS 153Weapon SelectionUpon initial weapon selection and timing is complete (after 2:30), all currently inventoried weapons ofthe same variant are placed into STBY (standby) status as indicated under their respective weaponacronyms. All weapons simultaneously begin alignment and will remain initialized if at least one weaponstation of the same type is selected.INS-GPS Weapon in PP Mode1. Master arm switch to ARM2. Master Mode switch to A/G3. Select JDAM or JSOW bomb from top of the SMS page4. Select PP mode5. Allow weapons to align down to 7:30 for GOOD ALN QUAL6. Set EFUZ to INST7. Select JDAM/JSOW DSPLY8. Set QTY (quantity to drop)9. Select MSN (pre-planned mission)10. Select PP mission (1 to 6)11. Select the TGT UFC and enter ELEV (elevation) and POSN (position coordinate) ofthe mission target12. Align steering with target bearing and press weapon release button when IN RNGcue on HUD is displayedINS-GPS Weapon in TOO Mode1. Master arm switch to ARM2. Master Mode switch to A/G3. Select JDAM or JSOW bomb from top of the SMS page4. Select TOO mode5. Allow weapons to align down to 7:30 for GOOD ALN QUAL6. Set EFUZ to INST7. Select JDAM/JSOW DSPLY8. Set QTY (quantity to drop)9. Designate desired waypoint as target (WPDSG from HSI)10. Align steering with target bearing and press weapon release button when IN RNGcue on HUD is displayedDCS [F/A-18C]154Deselecting JDAM/JSOW will likewise cause all weapons of the same type to spin down, requiring atleast 2.5 minutes for warmup to complete again. Consideration should therefore be given to thiswarmup cycle when mission planning. The status of this alignment cycle is indicated on the STORESformat and JDAM/JSOW displays as a TIMING cue which is initialized to 10:00 minutes and countsdown. The TIMING cue is removed when the Time-to-Go (TTG) reaches 7:30 (alignment is GOOD after2:30).When a GPS weapon is initially selected, all stations of the same store type are simultaneously placedin STBY until the TIMING cue is removed, at which point the priority station will either remain in STBYor transition to RDY (ready), depending on A/G Ready status (e.g. warmup complete, designation existsand is valid). All additional stores of the same type will remain in STBY until selected (RDY cue),explicitly deselected, or indirectly deselected by the selection of a different weapon type or upontransition to A/A master mode.Figure 78. GPS Weapon SMS FormatJDAM JSOW Stores FormatAs with other A/G stores, all GPS weapons including JSOW and JDAM may be selected in NAV or A/Gmaster modes by boxing the applicable weapon acronym from weapon selection menu across the toprow of push buttons from the STORES planform format.Alignment Timing[F/A-18C] DCS 155JDAM and JSOW versions are listed as follows on the JDAM format page:• J-109 = GBU-31(V)4/B• J-84 = GBU-31(V2)2/B• J-83 = GBU-32(V)2/B• J-82 = GBU-38 (need BRU-55A/A)• JSA = AGM-154ASelection of any GPS weapon on the STORES format applies power to every inventoried GPS weaponof the same type. Power remains applied to the GPS weapons until deselected. A GPS variant isdeselected only when the associated weapon select option is unboxed explicitly, or another weapontype is selected. When operational power is first applied, warm-up and transfer alignment begin. Assoon as warmup is complete (2.5 minutes from initial power up), the weapon may be armed for release.Note that the alignment quality is not a prerequisite for release interlocks and achieving an alignmentquality of GOOD may take as long as 10 minutes.Figure 79. GPS Weapon SMS FormatWeapon Station/Status - The priority station is boxed when selected and is the station which iscurrently accepting targeting data. The station status cue represents the status or health of the station.Weapon StatusALN QualityARM/SAFE CueStep OptionRange StatusAG ReadyFuze StatusDCS [F/A-18C]156• Priority Station - Selecting a PP# mission option (or TOO) assigns that mission (or TOO) tothat specific station. Subsequently changing the priority station will load any previouslyselected mission for that station. For example, station 3 may be assigned to mission PP2 andstation 9 may be assigned to mission PP1.• Station Status Cue - Displayed below each station on the wing planform is the station status.When any single GPS weapon is selected, all stations with the same variant are automaticallyplaces into standby. Only the priority station is boxed, but a STBY status is displayed at eachuseable station unless overridden by a higher priority status (e.g. SFAIL or WFAIL). If thestatus of any weapon in the quantity changes, the status reflects the change, but the weaponremains in the quantity.ALN QUAL - Indicates the priority station navigational state. This is the state of the weapon's internalguidance alignment status. Weapon INS alignment quality takes time to improve. This cue consists ofa numeric value from 01 (best) to 10 (worst) and a plain language cue of UNST, MARG or GOOD. Allweapons initialize in the 10 UNST state.• Time 10:00 to 9:15: ALN QUAL 10 to 7, UNST• Time 9:15 to 8:30: ALN QUAL 6 to 3, MARG• Time 8:30 to 7:40: ALN QUAL 2 to 0, GOODARM/SAFE Cue - The status of the master arm logic is continuously displayed in 200% size lettersas:• SAFE - The weapon is disarmed• ARM - The weapon is armed, but not necessarily RDY• SIM - The weapon is disarmed, in Simulation (SIM) mode. When simulation mode isselected, SIM is displayed in this location in place of SAFE or ARMSTEP Option - Provided when the SMS determines that more than one weapon of the selected typeis available for release and the quantity is greater than 1. Each successive depression of the STEPoption causes the SMS to change the priority station indication to the next available station in thestation priority sequence. If a release quantity of more than one is selected for a given conventional,laser-guided, or GPS-guided bomb, the SMS will automatically step to the next available priority stationbefore releasing the next weapon in the salvo. The first weapon released in a quantity release is alwaysfrom the station which is currently selected. The priority station the SMS chooses in quantity releasesis prioritized based on loading priority in order to reduce to a minimum the lateral moments created byasymmetrical loads. For example, if a weapon is released from an outer wing pylon, the SMS will selectthe matching opposite pylon (if available) for the next station in the priority sequence.Range Status - The Range Status cues refer to the weapon at the priority station:[F/A-18C] DCS 157• ## TMR - If the aircraft is outside the Launch Acceptability Region (LAR) and the target iswithin the forward hemisphere of the aircraft, this cue will read ## TMR indicating the timein seconds (99 max) until the aircraft is within the maximum range of the weapon at thecurrent (no launch zone specified), or reference (LZ specified) altitude.• IN RNG - If the aircraft is within the aerodynamic range of the weapon, but is not yet withinthe LAR, IN RNG will be displayed here. Generally speaking, and at least in terms of thecurrent simulation, IN RNG will be transient, as IN ZONE will occur almost immediatelyfollowing IN RNG.• IN ZONE - This cue indicates the aircraft is within the LAR and the weapon should bereleased.A/G Ready - When a weapon of any type other than the gun is selected, the corresponding A/G menuacronym will be boxed just as it is under the individual stations. The status for the weapon is alsoechoed here. Pressing a boxed weapon option will deselect that weapon and select no weapon.Likewise, selecting an unboxed weapon will select that weapon, and the SMS will automatically providethe selected station based on the priority sequencing algorithm.Fuzing Status – The EFUZ or MFUZ fuze status due indicates the armed or safe status of the fuzesfor the selected JDAM or JSOW.DCS [F/A-18C]158Figure 80. GPS Weapon SMS FormatWeapon Mode - [PB5] selects the GPS targeting mode for the priority station.• Pre-Planned (PP) - Instructs the priority weapon to execute the selected pre-plannedmission, if valid.• Target of Opportunity (TOO) - Instructs the priority weapon to cue to the sensordesignated target, if any.ERASE JDAM/JSOW - This option immediately clears all GPS weapons of the selected variant of allpreviously entered pre-planned (PP) mission data. JDAM/JSOW ERASE is boxed when selected andremains boxed for 5 seconds. JDAM/JSOW ERASE cannot be undone. If JSOW is the selected weapon,ERASE JSOW is displayed.Electrical Fuzing – Located at pushbutton 3 when an electrical fuze is mounted to the selected JDAMor JSOW. Upon selection, pushbutton 5 displays OFF, pushbutton 3 displays INST, and pushbutton 2displays VT1 or DLY1 for FMU-139 fuze.• If DSU-33 is present = VT1• If DSU-33 not present = DLY1Weapon ModeErase JDAM/JSOWElectrical FuzingJDAM/JSOW DisplayFormat SelectPriority Station[F/A-18C] DCS 159Priority Station - The currently selected priority station. If A/G Ready is false (e.g. weapon is warmingup, Master Arm false, or no valid target exists, the label is X'd out. This is shown as STA (stationnumber). For example, STA7. To the right is the status of the selected station and can be:• RDY, ready• RDY-D, ready but degraded• FAIL, failed• TEST, in BIT test• XFER, tranfer target data in MUMI page• STBY, standbyJDAM/JSOW DSPLY Format Select - This option, at pushbutton invokes the JDAM/JSOW Formatfor mission data entry.Upon selecting the JDAM/JSOW Display Format at pushbutton 11, the following page functions andinformation is available:Figure 81. GPS Weapon SMS FormatHSI DeclutterQuantity Release (QTY)Release TypeMission Select (MSN)DCS [F/A-18C]160HSI Declutter. When boxed, this option removes any weapon specific HSI symbology which liesoutside of IRLAR circle (see HSI Symbology, below). Later in early access.Quantity Release (QTY). Pressing this option at pushbutton 15 displaysstations loaded with the JDAM or JSOW type as selected from pushbutton 11to 14. Only stations loaded with JDAM or JSOW are displayed.• Pushbutton 11 = STA2• Pushbutton 12 = STA3• Pushbutton 13 = STA7• Pushbutton 14 = STA8Selecting a station boxes it and adds it to the QTY value. RTN exits the quantityrelease selection. 4 is the maximum allowable quantity. Each selected stationwill be cued to release on the selected target in PP or TOO mode.Release Type. This cue lists the selected release mode for the selectedweapon: MAN (Manual), AUTO LOFT, and FD (Flight Director). Manual is mode is implemented at thistime in the early access. Upon selection of the release mode, the selection displayed to the left of therelease quantity.Mission Select (MSN). Located at pushbutton 4, selecting themission displays the mission format page for either PP or TOOmodes.Mission Options. This page allows the player to create TargetData Sets (TDS) for the selected JDAM against the selectedtarget. The Mission Data (MSN) format is accessed by pressingthe MSN option at pushbutton 4. The Mission Data format is usedto select and program one of the 6 available PP missions. Amission is selected by depressing one of the PP# options at[PB6]-[PB11]. One of the various UFC options along the lowerright side of the format is then selected to begin program dataentry. Note that program data may be pre-programmed in theMission Editor. If TOO mode is selected, mission data for theselected Target (TGT) is displayed.[F/A-18C] DCS 161Pre-Planned (PP) Missions SMS FormatPre-Planned allows entry of specific target coordinates. This option is what is referred to as a Preplanned (PP) Mission. In the current early access, this is done through coordinate entry via the UFC.There is a total of six PP missions available for programming and each weapon station may be assignedto any one of these missions. The MC then determines the maximum range of the weapon at thecurrent altitude and airspeed. A PP mission is selected by boxing one of the 6 available PP missionpushbuttons located along the top of the MSN display.Figure 82. GPS Weapon SMS FormatMission Select Number Options. Pre-Planned (PP) mission targets are set either in the MissionEditor or via the UFC and up to six can be selected from pushbutton 6 to 11. The selected PP missionis boxed. If a PP mission does not contain valid coordinates and elevation, the PP(x) legend is X'd out.PP missions are not displayed when in TOO mode.Target Data – The target coordinates and elevation for the selected PP mission may be specified viathe UFC, and if valid, are displayed here. They may also be set as a preplanned target created in theMission Editor. If the target is an OAP (an offset was specified), the TGT label becomes OAP and theMission Select NumberOptionsTarget DataDCS [F/A-18C]162OAP relative bearing and distance are displayed to the right of the OAP data area. The latitude andlongitude of the target are displayed in this data block, as well as target elevation.Target Data EntryUpon selecting the Target Data UFC Entry pushbutton 14, you will use the UFC to enter the targetcoordinate and elevation for the selected PP mission.Figure 83. GPS Weapon UFC Location EntryTo enter the PP mission:• Press the Option Select button for ELEV (elevation) to colonize it, and then enter the targetelevation in feet or meters. Once entered, press ENT on the UFC.• Press POSN (position) Option Select button to colonize it and then select either LAT (latitude)or LON (longitude). Enter each with the leading cardinal direction and then the degrees,minutes, and seconds. After pressing ENT on the UFC, either press ENT again to save thevalue or enter the two-digit decimal value for seconds. Do this for both LAT and LON.Once a valid elevation and target coordinate have been entered and saved, the selected PP missionwill no longer have an "X" through it and the TGT (target) information on the MSN screen will becomplete.Target ElevationTarget Coordinate[F/A-18C] DCS 163Figure 84. GPS Weapon SMS Mission PageTarget of Opportunity (TOO) MissionsTOO initializes the selected weapon with the current ground target. Currently, this is set as thedesignated waypoint (WPDSG). Any subsequent weapons in the same salvo (using QTY) which arealso using TOO will receive the same coordinates. The primary difference from PP mode is the abilityto set a target point (TGT) using a waypoint or sensor.Upon selecting MSN at pushbutton 4, the TOO mission page will display the elevation and coordinatesof the target. At this stage in the early access, this will be a designated waypoint. As with PP mode,the target elevation and coordinate are displayed on the SMS TOO mission format.MissionTarget DataSelected MissionDCS [F/A-18C]164 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 85. GPS Weapon TOO SMS FormatJDAM and JSOW HSI FormatWhen a TOO target or PP mission has been created with a valid elevation and coordinate, thetarget/mission location is displayed on the HSI, along with the minimum range, in range launchacceptable region (LAR), and predictive maximum range bar. There are provided to better visualizetarget/mission location regarding weapon range.JDAM/JSOW Target. This is a solid triangle symbol at the location of the PP target location, or asolid diamond if a TOO target location. The symbol shows the last selected PP or TOO mission.Minimum Range. This is a circle that is centered on the target and indicates the minimum acceptablelaunch radius of the selected JDAM or JSOW. This cue is not displayed when the aircraft is within theIZLAR.In Range LAR (IRLAR). This larger circle is also centered on the target and represents the range atwhich the selected JDAM or JSOW can be launched under current flight conditions (heading, altitude,and airspeed) and provide a minimum impact angle of 35 degrees and a minimum impact velocity of300 feet per second. This cue is removed when the aircraft is within the IRLAR.Target Data[F/A-18C] DCS 165Figure 86. GPS Weapon HSI FormatPredictive Max Range. This dashed line indicates the absolute maximum launch range to the target,not accounting for impact angle and speed. This will always be greater than the IRLAR. The line willrun from the target and through the ownship. At the end of the dashed line is a bar. This bar shouldalways be at 60 nm which is the best-case maximum range for a JSOW.JDAM and JSOW Manual Mode HUDWith a TOO target or PP mission created, steering commands, distance, and release zone indicationsare provided on the HUD when in manual mode. For manual mode, there is no azimuth steering lineor release cue as normal for AUTO modes. Instead, target/mission bearing is indicated and an in range(IN RNG) cue is provide when the weapon is between minimum and maximum range.Minimum Range JDAM/JSOW TargetIRLARPredictive Max RangeDCS [F/A-18C]166 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 87. GPS Weapon MAN HUDHeading Cue. This cue on the heading tape provides steering direction to the IZLAR. If a releasequantity of more than 1 is selected, this cue is not displayed and the waypoint or TACAN cue is displayedinstead.Range Status. The Time to Maximum Range (TMR) is visible when the aircraft is within 10 minutesof reaching the IZLAR. It will then start at 9:59 and count down as range closes. Once the aircraft iswithin the IRLAR, the cue changes from TMR to IN RNG. The IN RNG will flash if the aircraft is within5 seconds of flying outside the INLAR or inside the minimum range zone. If the aircraft is inside theIZLAR zone, then the cue changes to IN ZONE.Release Mode. Shown as MANUAL when in manual mode. If not in MAN, AUTO LFT is displayed.Selected Weapon and Mode. Displays the name of the selected weapon type (J-83, J-84, J-109, or154A) and either TOO or PP based on mode selection.Air-to-Ground Gun and RocketsTwo modes for the A/G gun and rockets are available from the A/G Stores page: CCIP and MAN. Thesecan be enabled by selecting the weapon from the A/G SMS page and then selecting the desired deliverymode. They feature either a "point and shoot" CCIP reticle or a manually adjusted manual sight basedon a manual mil setting. Both the A/G Gun and Rockets are very similar in their programming, HUD,and delivery modes.Heading CueRange StatusRelease ModeSelected Weapon andMode[F/A-18C] DCS 167Mission Practice: Hornet A/G GunMission Practice: Hornet RocketsHow to Use A/G Guns1. Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select/box GUN on the A/G SMS page with no other weapon selected3. Select Mode as CCIP4. Fly to place the pipper in the center of the Reticle over the target and hold down thetrigger when the IN RNG or SHOOT cue appear on the HUDHow to Use Rockets1. Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select rockets at the top of the A/G SMS page3. Select Mode as CCIP Mode4. Fly to place the pipper in the center of the Reticle over the target and hold down thetrigger when the IN RNG or SHOOT cue appear on the HUDDCS [F/A-18C]168 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatA/G Gun SMS PageFigure 88. A/G Guns SMS Page1. A/G Gun Option. The A/G gun is selected by pressing the GUN Option Select Buttonon the A/G SMS page. If another weapon is selected, the gun will operate in Hot Gunmode (fixed 2,000 ft gun cross). When selected, the GUN legend is boxed and an RDY(Ready) indication is displayed to the left of the box.2. Mode Selection. Separate buttons are available for CCIP and MAN modes. Selectinga mode boxes the legend.3. Gun Ammunition Type. Gun ammunition can be selected between M50 and PGU-28B20mm rounds. The selected gun round type is boxed.4. Gun Fire Rate. HI (High) and LO (Low) gun fire rates can be selected with the selectionbeing boxed.5. UFC. When the Mode is set to MAN (Manual), the UFC Option Select Button is displayed.Pressing this button boxes the legend and allows the pilot to manually enter the gunreticle depression on the UFC. The value can range from 0 to 270 mils. Once complete,the ENTER button on the UFC is pressed to save the value. Note that this value is notsaved to a program.6. Reticle Setting. Next to the RTCL is the entered reticle setting in mils.2315674[F/A-18C] DCS 1697. Gun Rounds Remaining. At the top of the Wingform, the number of gun roundremaining is displayed, with a full load being 578 rounds.Rockets SMS PageFigure 89. Rockets SMS Page1. Rocket Selection. The top row of options is used to select the desired A/G weapon.One option is provided for each displayed weapon type (maximum 5). An abbreviationof the selected weapon type is displayed below the push tile. When a weapon isselected, the abbreviation is boxed. Pressing the button again will unselect the weapon.If the A/G weapon is in a release condition, "RDY" is displayed below the weapon box.Otherwise, an "X" is displayed through the weapon box.2. Wingform Indication. When a rocket pod is selected, its indication on the Wingformwill boxed. Next to the rocket type abbreviation, the number of remaining rockets inthe pod on the station is indicated. Successive presses of the STEP button will cycle theselected weapon station of rockets of the same type.3. Mode Selection. Separate buttons are available for CCIP and MAN modes. Selectinga mode boxes the legend.1345627DCS [F/A-18C]170 JDAM and JSOW HSI Format4. Firing Mode. Options for SGL (single) and SAL (salvo) are displayed when more thanone rocket pod of the same type is loaded on the aircraft. When SGL is selected, onerocket will be launched with each press of the Weapon Release Button. When SAL isselected, two rockets will be launched with each press of the Weapon Release Button,from different rocket pods.When SAL is selected, the weapon STEP option is not available.5. MTR (Motor) Type. Most rockets can have one of two motor types: M4 or M66.Presses of the MTR Option Select Button cycles between the two types with the selectedbeing boxed.6. UFC. When the Mode is set to MAN (Manual), the UFC Option Select Button is displayed.Pressing this button boxes the legend and allows the pilot to manually enter the rocketreticle depression on the UFC. The value can range from 0 to 270 mils. Once complete,the ENTER button on the UFC is pressed to save the value.7. Reticle Setting. Next to the RTCL is the entered reticle setting in mils.A/G Gun and Rocket HUDFigure 90. A/G Gun HUDIn Range / Shoot CueAGR Ranging ActiveModeWeapon Type andNumber RemainingRange to TargetReticleTarget Designator[F/A-18C] DCS 171Reticle. This Reticle consists of tic marks in 50-mil diameter circle with a pipper in the center. Whenin CCIP mode, the Reticle indicates the calculated impact point of the gun rounds/rocket. When in MANmode, the reticle is adjusted based on the depressible mils setting from the SMS page/UFC.When in CCIP mode, an analog range bar is inscribed within the reticle. Slant range is provided by theRADAR via Air to Ground Ranging (AGR) and barometric altitude. Each tic mark on the reticle represents1,000 feet of slant range and can indicate ranges from 0 to 23,000 feet. The bar will rotate clockwiseto indicate increasing range and rotate counterclockwise to indicate decreasing range.In Range / Shoot Cue. When in CCIP mode and the gun/rocket is within maximum slant range ofthe pipper's aim point, the "IN RNG" cue is provided. If, however there is a designated ground target,the "SHOOT" cue will be displayed if the gun/rocket is within range of the target.Mode. The selected delivery mode for the gun/rocket is indicated as either CCIP or MAN based on theSMS page program setting.AGR Ranging Active. When in CCIP mode and the RADAR is using AGR to determine range, the RDRindication is displayed. (Coming later in Open Beta)Weapon Type and Number Remaining. The selected weapon name and the number of remainingrounds/rockets are displayed and updated as weapons are expended. This will display either GUN orRKT (rockets).Range to Target. When a target has been designated and in CCIP mode is enabled, the range to thetarget is displayed in miles.Target Designator. When the TDC is assigned to the HUD, the TD is displayed as a diamond withinthe HUD field of view with a pipper in the center. The TDC can then slew the TD within the HUD fieldof view.When in MAN mode, true airspeed is displayed below the calibrated airspeed box.Pressing the Cage/Uncage Button will fix the CCIP Reticle to 5,000 feet slant range.NOTE: In the Mission Editor, there is an Aircraft Properties tab in the Aircraft/Payload menu. This canbe used to set rocket pods on the inboard and outboard stations to ripple or single release.AGM-65 MaverickThe Hornet can carry three versions of the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile; a laser guidedversion (AGM-65E), and the infrared guided AGM-65F. These missiles are carried on the LAU117A(V)2/A single rail launcher, which is attached directly to the BRU-32/A racks on wing stations 2,3, 7, and 8. The Hornet does not support multiple carriage of AGM-65s on a single station.• AGM-65E Laser Maverick: This is a 641-pound missile containing a laser-guidance systemand solid fuel rocket motor. The guidance system automatically locks-on and tracks targetsbeing illuminated by a properly coded laser illuminator (from a targeting pod or JTAC). Untilthe targeting pod is integrated, we will use JTAC laser designation.DCS [F/A-18C]172 JDAM and JSOW HSI Format• AGM-65F IR Maverick: This is a are 675-pound missile containing an infrared detector systemand solid fuel rocket motor. The missiles provide infrared raster video to allow lock-on andtracking of targets which provide sufficient temperature contrast.These Mavericks are automatically displayed on the Stores Management System page when a Maverickweapon is selected, and the SMS is set to a Maverick weapon station. The Maverick formats can alsobe selected through the TAC MENU, which contains an option (MAV for the AGM-65E or MAVF for theAGM-65F) when a Maverick weapon station is selected.AGM-65E Laser-Maverick on SMS PageWhen an AGM-65E is loaded on the aircraft, its MAV code is displayed beneath the station is loadedon. The selected station from which to launch the laser-Maverick has the MAV indication boxed.Selection of the Maverick station can be cycled with the STEP option on pushbutton 13. Beneath eachstation is the four-digit laser-code that can be edited with the UFC option on pushbutton 14.MAV is listed below one of the top pushbuttons (6 to 10) and is boxed when selected. It will be crossedout when the Maverick has not reached launch criteria.Mission Practice: AGM-65E Laser MaverickHow to Employ the AGM-65E1. Master Arm to ARM and Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select MAV from the Stores TAC page3. Contact the JTAC radio and input directed laser code4. Fly to place target within 40 degrees off nose and press Cage/Uncage button [C]to scan for laser designation5. Press and hold the Weapon Release button [RAlt + Space] to launch the missilewhen laser designation is locked and within 8 nautical miles[F/A-18C] DCS 173Figure 91. AGM-65E Stores PageUp-Front Control. This option is selected to enable the Up-Front Control for entry of the laser code.Separate laser codes may be entered for each Laser Maverick on board, and do not have to be thesame as the laser code for the Laser Spot Tracker or FLIR LTD/R.Station Step Option -This option is provided when the SMS determines that weapons of the selectedtype are available for release from more than one weapon station. Each successive selection of theSTEP option causes the SMS to change the priority station indication to the next available station in thenormal station priority sequence which contains the selected weapon. The station priority sequence forthe Laser Maverick is 8, 2, 7, 3Laser Code. The entered code of the selected AGM-65E station.Station Code. Station loaded with AGM-65E laser Maverick with MAV code.Selected Weapon. Below pushbuttons 6 through 10 are listed the weapons detected as loaded. AGM65E appears as MAV. The selected weapon for employment will have its code boxed. If the weapon isnot in launch constraints, the code will be X'd through. Pressing the MAV will display the AGM-65Eweapon format page.AGM-65E Laser-Maverick Format Page, UnlockedUpon selecting MAV from the SMS page, the AGM-65E Laser Maverick symbology is displayed on theDDI. The Laser Maverick format is shown below.Hot GunStation Step OptionUp-Front ControlLaser CodeStation CodeSelected WeaponDCS [F/A-18C]174 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 92. AGM-65E Format PageSelected Station - The Laser Maverick can be carried on stations 2, 3, 7, and 8. The weapon stationselected by the SMS is indicated beneath the weapon selection status. The priority sequence is 8, 2, 7,3.TIMING Cue - When the Laser Maverick weapon is selected, the SMS applies power (AGM-65 Selectsignal) to all LAU-117A(V)2/A launchers attached to Laser Mavericks and provides a timing signal tothe MC for display on the Maverick format. To ensure that the Laser Maverick is ready for launch, theSMS sends a 30 second countdown timer to the MC, which is displayed as an advisory cue, "TIMING##". The time ## decrements from 30 seconds to allow for worst-case gyro spin-up time and isremoved at 0 seconds.Fuzing Options - Three mutually exclusive fuzing options, instantaneous (INST) and two delay (DLL1,DLL2) options, are selectable for Laser Maverick electrical fuzing control. The selected fuzing is providedto the SMS for electrical fuse control via the AN/AWW-4(V) Fuse Function Control Set.Launch Constraint Circle - The dotted launch constraint circle is part of the Maverick video. Theradius of the circle is 15°. The horizontal tick marks represent 5° in elevation.Gimbal Angle - The Maverick gimbal angle with respect to missile boresight is indicated by the "X"symbol which is part of the Maverick video. The "X" changes to a solid square symbol to indicateMaverick lock-on.20° Gimbal Angle -The 20° gimbal angle position is indicated by the short horizontal line which ispart of the Maverick video.Cage/Uncaged Status20° Gimbal Angle Laser Operating CodesLaunch ConstraintCircleGimbal AngleFuzing OptionsTIMING CueSelected Station[F/A-18C] DCS 175Laser Operating Codes -The current laser operating codes (entered via the UFC) are displayed foreach Laser Maverick on board.Caged/Uncaged Status -The caged/uncaged status of the weapon is continuously provided on theMaverick format. when the weapon is initially selected with no existing designation, CAGED is displayed.When an uncage signal is commanded to the missile (by depression of the uncage switch, actionslewing of the TDC, moving the Sensor Control switch to the Laser Maverick format to command track,or by making a designation), UNCAGED is provided on the format.AGM-65E Laser-Maverick Format Page, LockedFigure 93. AGM-65E Format Page, LockedWeapon Status - An indication of weapon selection status is provided which is identical to thatprovided on the Stores format. when an A/G release ready condition exists, RDY is displayed beneaththe weapon selection box. Otherwise, an "X" is displayed through the IR Maverick acronym (IMAV). Ifthe weapon selection option is selected as shown below, the IR Maverick is deselected, and the IRMaverick format automatically reverts to the Stores format.Locked Seeker Indication. When the laser Maverick achieves a positive track on the laserdesignation, the Gimbal Angle "X" changes to a solid square and still indicates the weapon seekerangle.Locked SeekerIndicationWeapon StatusDCS [F/A-18C]176 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 94. AGM-65E HUDSeeker Line of Sight – This triangle symbol is centered in the HUD when the AGM-65E is selected asthe active weapon. Upon seeker uncage, the symbol will perform a raster scan pattern across the fieldof view of the HUD in search of the laser designation matching the selected laser Maverick station.Upon detection and lock, the symbol is locked to the designated target and provides a line of sightreference.Locked Seeker Indication. When the laser Maverick achieves a positive track on the laserdesignation, a MAV LKD (Maverick Locked) indication is displayed on the HUD.Seeker Line of SightLock IndicationWeapon Selection[F/A-18C] DCS 177Weapon Selection. When an AGM-65E is selected, MAV is displayed on the HUD.AGM-65E Format and Setting Laser CodesFrom the laser Maverick format page, it is possible to enter laser codes for the Laser Mavericks, theLaser Spot Tracker, and the Laser Target Designator/Ranger using the UFC option. The laser codes aredisplayed on the wingform below the weapon wingform. when "UFC" is selected from the Stores format,all of the laser codes are boxed, and a single code may be entered for all laser stations using the UFCscratchpad, or the selected station may be cycled through the laser stations using the UFC option onthe display (Sequence = all stations, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, all stations, 2, 3, etc.).Depression of "ENTER" on the UFC enters a valid laser code if one was in the scratchpad and boxesthe laser code(s) for the next laser station(s) in the sequence.From the Laser Maverick format, it is possible to enter laser codes for all four Laser Mavericks usingthe UFC option. The laser codes can be displayed in a list on the right side of the format, with eachLaser Maverick station and its associated code. When "UFC" is selected from the Laser Maverick format,all of the laser codes are boxed, and a single code can be entered for all laser stations using the UFCscratchpad, or the selected station can be cycled through the Laser Maverick stations using the UFCoption on the display. Depression of "ENTER" on the UFC will enter a valid laser code if one was in thescratchpad and will box the laser code(s) for the next laser station(s) in the sequence.How to Launch an AGM-65EAt aircraft start-up the SMS applies power to all Laser Maverick weapon stations. When the LaserMaverick is selected in A/G master mode, the SMS automatically selects the first available weapon inthe station priority sequence. (The priority station sequence is 8, 2, 7, 3). At the same time the SMScommands gyro spin-up of all available Laser Maverick missiles. After a 5-second delay, the SMSprovides the code data to all Laser Mavericks aboard by simultaneously selecting each Laser Maverickstation and applying the code signals to the weapon. When a designation does not exist, the selectedweapon is initially caged, and the caged status is indicated at the upper right corner of the display. Thepriority station selected, and the Laser Maverick launcher timing indication are displayed in the upperleft corner of the display. When time-out is complete (after 30 seconds), the" TIMING ##" indicationdisappears.When the Laser Maverick is placed into the scan mode by assigning the TDC to the Laser Maverick anddepressing and releasing the TDC or uncaging the missile [C]. The SMS then provides both the uncageand slew enable commands to the selected weapon. While the TDC is depressed, forces may be appliedto the TDC to adjust the azimuth and/or elevation angle at which the Laser Maverick is scanning. Whenthe Laser Maverick is uncaged and the cage/uncage switch on the throttle is depressed, the SMS appliesthe uncage command to the Maverick launcher which results in caging the selected weapon. Theweapon must then have the slew or slave command applied to enable scan or slave mode, andsubsequent lock-on.The HUD format indicating a Laser Maverick selected in A/G mode is shown above. This format includesthe triangle symbol which indicates the Maverick LOS. The symbol sweeps back and forth across theHUD when the Maverick is scanning and is limited at the HUD FOV limits and flashed when the MaverickLOS exceeds these limits. A/G ready is indicated on the HUD by the absence of the "X" through theMAV acronym. DCS [F/A-18C]178 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatThe Laser Maverick automatically locks onto a target illuminated with a correctly-coded laser from scanand slew modes. If the missile is caged at boresight, the gimbal angle "X" will flash indicating that theseeker senses correctly coded laser energy. The TDC must be depressed, uncage signal applied, sensorcontrol switch moved, or a target designated to lock on (this commands slew, which allows lock-on).The gimbal angle symbol on the Laser Maverick format is replaced by a solid square, as shown above,to indicate lock-on. Also, MAV LKD will be displayed on the right side of the HUD. The aircraft ismaneuvered to satisfy the launch constraint and in-range criteria and the weapon release button isdepressed for launch of the Maverick.AGM-65F Infrared-Guided Maverick on SMS PageAGM-65F Infrared-Maverick on SMS PageWhen an AGM-65F is loaded on the aircraft, its MAV code is displayed beneath the station is loadedon. The selected station from which to launch the laser-Maverick has the MAV indication boxed.Selection of the Maverick station can be cycled with the STEP option on pushbutton 13. Beneath eachstation is the four-digit laser-code that can be edited with the UFC option on pushbutton 14.MAVF is listed below one of the top pushbuttons (6 to 10) and is boxed when selected. It will becrossed-out when the Maverick has not reached launch criteria.Weapons Practice - AGM-65F Maverick PracticeHow to Employ the AGM-65F1- Master Arm to ARM and Master Mode switch to A/G2- Select MAVF from the SMS page3- Select MAVF from the SMS page4- Set TDC control to the Maverick page5- Fly to place the triangle on the HUD near the target location6- Slew the cross hairs over the target on the Maverick display and release theTDC switch to lock the target.Press the weapon release button or [Right Alt + Spacebar] to launch the missile.[F/A-18C] DCS 179When an AGM-65F is loaded on the aircraft, it is listed below each loaded station on the wingform asMAVF. The selected station is boxed, but the selected station can be cycles with consecutive pressesof STEP on pushbutton 13.MAVF is listed below one of the top pushbuttons (6 to 10) and is boxed when selected. It will becrossed-out when the Maverick has not been tracked to a target.Figure 95. AGM-65F Stores PageStation Step Option -This option is provided when the SMS determines that weapons of the selectedtype are available for release from more than one weapon station. Each successive selection of theSTEP option causes the SMS to change the priority station indication to the next available station in thenormal station priority sequence which contains the selected weapon. The station priority sequence forthe infrared Maverick is 8, 2, 7, 3Selected Weapon. Below pushbuttons 6 through 10 are listed the weapons detected as loaded. AGM65F appears as MAVF. If the weapon is not locked to a target, MAVF will be X'd through. Pressing theMAVF will display the AGM-65F weapon format page.AGM-65F Infrared Maverick Format Page, TIMINGIf a mission is started on the ground or on the carrier, the AGM-65F will first need to spin up its gyroand cool down its seeker upon takeoff and selection of MAVF from the SMS. Upon which, the TIMINGHot GunStation Step OptionSelected WeaponDCS [F/A-18C]180 JDAM and JSOW HSI Formatcue will decrement from 3-minutes. During this period, no video is displayed to the MAVF formatpage. Once the 3-minutes period has elapsed, Maverick symbology is displayed on the DDI.If you were to land and re-arm with AGM-65F Mavericks, this timing period would need to berepeated.If a mission starts airborne, the timing will have already been accomplished.Elements of the MAVF page while in TIMING mode include:Figure 96. AGM-65 Format PageStation Select – The IR Maverick can be carried on stations 2, 3, 7 and 8. The weapon station selectedby the SMS is indicated beneath the weapon selection status. The priority sequence is 8, 2, 7 then 3.TIMING Cue - When the infrared Maverick weapon is selected, the SMS applies power (AGM-65 Selectsignal) to all LAU-117A(V)2/A launchers attached to Laser Mavericks and provides a timing signal tothe MC for display on the Maverick format. To ensure that the Laser Maverick is ready for launch, theSMS sends a 3-minute countdown timer to the MC, which is displayed as an advisory cue, "TIMING##". The time ## decrements from 180 seconds to allow for worst-case gyro spin-up time and isremoved at 0 seconds.Cage/Uncaged StatusSHIP ModeField-of-View Tracking PolarityStation StepFuzing OptionsTiming CueSelected Station[F/A-18C] DCS 181Fuzing Options - Three mutually exclusive fuzing options, instantaneous (INST) and two delay (DLL1,DLL2) options, are selectable for Laser Maverick electrical fuzing control. The selected fuzing is providedto the SMS for electrical fuse control via the AN/AWW-4(V) Fuse Function Control Set.Ship Track – Selection of this option will set the Maverick seeker guidance and control to optimize fora ship target and offset the impact point to the ship's waterline. The Maverick horizontal tracking gatewill widen to twice the length of the vertical tracking gate while the Maverick is in "SHIP TRACK" modeand is not in the TRACK mode.Tracking Polarity – Track polarity is indicated by the label displayed at this option. While the missilenot in Track mode, either "TRACK WHT", or "TRACK BLK" may be selected. The Maverick compositevideo is only displayed in White Hot mode. Therefore, when the display indicates "TRACK WHT", themissile will track on the hot (white) target when it is commanded to track. When the format indicates"TRACKL BLK", the missile will track on the cold (black) targets. The missile will reflect the selectedtracking polarity by displaying the Maverick cross hairs and the pointing cross in either back for "TRACKBLK" or white for "TRACK WHT". The tracking polarity will initially be set to "TRACK WHT" (hot oncold). The TRACK option will not be displayed Forced Correlate track is selected.Caged/Uncaged Status - The caged/uncaged status of the weapon is continuously provided on theMaverick format. when the weapon is initially selected with no existing designation, CAGED is displayed.When an uncage signal is commanded to the missile by depression of the uncage switch, UNCAGED isprovided on the format.Station Step (STEP) -This option is provided when the SMS determines that weapons of the selectedtype are available for release from more than one weapon station. Each successive selection of theSTEP option causes the SMS to change the priority station indication to the next available station in thenormal station priority sequence which contains the selected weapon. The station priority sequence forthe Laser Maverick is 8, 2, 7, 3.Field-of-View – The IR Maverick will place four corner brackets within the wide FoV indicating whatarea will be encompassed in narrow FoV. The corner brackets are not displayed in narrow FoV. The IRMaverick will initialize to wide FoV. While the IR Maverick is not in Track mode, the FoV (FOV) optionscan be toggled via two methods. The FoV can be changes by selecting FOV option on the Maverickdisplay page, or by the throttle outboard switch (HARM Sequence/FLIR FOV/Raid) when the TDC isassigned to the Maverick display.AGM-65F Infrared Maverick Format PageOnce the TIMING has been completed after 3-minutes, infrared video is displayed on the MAVF formatpage. To slew the MAVF seeker, the TDC must be assigned to the DDI that is assigned the Maverickformat page. To do so, move the Sensor Control Switch in the direction of the DDI assigned to theMaverick. Upon TDC assignment, the TDC-control diamond is displayed in the top right corner of theMaverick format. DCS [F/A-18C]182 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 97. AGM-65F VideoTDC Indication – This diamond-shaped symbol appears in the upper right corner of the displaywhenever the TDC is assigned to the IR Maverick.Field-of-View – The IR Maverick will place four corner brackets within the wide FoV indicating whatarea will be encompassed in narrow FoV. The corner brackets are not displayed in narrow FoV. The IRMaverick will initialize to wide FoV. While the IR Maverick is not in Track mode, the FoV (FOV) optionscan be toggled via two methods. The FoV can be changes by selecting FOV option on the Maverickdisplay page, or by the throttle outboard switch (HARM Sequence/FLIR FOV/Raid) when the TDC isassigned to the Maverick display. Press [C].AGM-65F Infrared Maverick TargetingTDC IndicationField-of View[F/A-18C] DCS 183With the TDC assigned to the Maverick format page, the seeker may be slewed within the gimbal limitsof the seeker. This can be done in one of two ways based on the selection of the Options / Hornet /Special Tab / Hornet: Realistic TDC Slew option.Figure 98. OPTIONS/SPECIAL TDC Slew• Realistic TDC Slew Option Enabled. To slew the seeker with the TDC, the TDC must bedepressed [Enter] while at the same time slewing the seeker [,], [.], [/], and [;]. Slew thecross hairs in the center of the display over the desired target and release the TDC switchdepress to command a lock of the target. If successful, the cross hairs will collapse aroundthe target and track it in stabilized mode. If unsuccessful, the seeker will not lock and go tobreak lock mode in which the cross hairs expand.• Realistic TDC Slew Option Disabled. Some controllers may have difficulty recognizingmultiple inputs at once. If you have trouble with the realistic option, please disable it and trythis. Instead of requiring the TDC to be depressed while slewing the seeker, you can insteadsimply slew the seeker with [,], [.], [/], and [;] with no TDC depress. Slew the center ofthe cross hairs over the desired target and cease slew movement. Wait up to two secondsto allow the seeker to lock on to the target. If successful, the cross hairs will collapse aroundthe target. If unsuccessful, the cross hairs will expand out.Realistic TDC SlewDCS [F/A-18C]184 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatWhen slewing the seeker, the center of the vertical horizontal bars (cross hair) marks the locationwhere the seeker will attempt to lock a target. When slewed off boresight, the pointing cross providesa reference of the seeker line of sight offset from boresight.Figure 99. AGM-65F Track VideoPointing Cross – The seeker position will be indicated by a small pointing cross. The pointing crossposition relative to the large cross hairs will indicate the seeker position. Relative to missile boresightthe tick marks along the vertical cross hair are spaced by 5 degrees, thereby indicating the depressionangle and the scale. When the IR Maverick is in track and either the target is not within the launchconstraint window or the tracking performance is poor, the small pointing cross will flash. A steadypointing cross will indicate a good lock.Slave Maverick to Target (TG)In addition to manually slewing the seeker to locate and lock onto a target, the seeker may also beslaved to a target (TGT). This could be a waypoint designated target (WPDSG) or a target created withPointing CrossCrosshairs[F/A-18C] DCS 185a sensor. With a TGT created, the Maverick seeker will slew to the target location. Once there, pressthe Cage/Uncage [C] button to uncage the seeker and allow manual slew.On the HUD, we have indications for the Maverick line of sight and the status of the seeker tracking.Figure 100. AGM-65 HUDSeeker State. With the AGM-65F selected, MAVF is displayed along the right side of the HUD with anX through it, indicating it is not in track mode.Seeker Line-of-Sight. This triangle on the HUD indicates the seeker line-of-sight through the HUD.This can be a useful cue to visually slew the seeker to the target location.AGM-65F Infrared Maverick TrackingOnce the Maverick seeker has locked to a target, new information is presented on the Maverick formatand the HUD.On the HUD, the triangle line-of-sight indicator will be stabilized to the target location and the MAVFindication will no longer have an X through it.Seeker StateSeeker Line -of-SightDCS [F/A-18C]186 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatOn the Maverick format page, RDY will be displayed below the MAVF weapon indication and the crosshairs collapsed on the target.Pressing the weapon release button or [Right Alt + Spacebar] will launch the missile. Once launched,the video will cease from the missile just fired and move to the next Maverick in priority if one is loaded.Figure 101. AGM-65 Video and HUDAGM-88 HARMThe AGM-88C High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) is an air-launched weapon that homes in onand destroys radar emitters. This is most often used to suppress and destroy Surface-to-Air Missile(SAM) units to allow other air units to enter a contested area. The HARM replaced the older AGM-45Shrike with faster speed, longer range, a larger warhead, and more capable guidance.The HARM can fly at speeds exceeding Mach 2 by means of low-smoke solid rocket booster. Dependingon the launch altitude, the HARM can reach targets out to 80 nm. Behind the Texas Instruments passive [F/A-18C] DCS 187seeker is a WDU-21/B blast fragmentation warhead. The warhead is armed with a proximity devicethat allows the warhead to detonate near the radar antenna dish to increase the fragmentation area.The HARM can be employed in three modes:• Self-Protection (SP) with Pull Back option• Target of Opportunity (TOO)• Pre-Briefed (PB)We will discuss SP and TOO below, and PB and the Pull Back modes once implemented.LoadingThe HARM is suspended from the LAU-118/A launch rail, which is connected to BRU-32/A pylons. FourHARMs can be loaded on stations 2, 3, 7, and 8.HOTASMomentary pushbutton switch which controls the forward looking infrared (FLIR) field of view (FOV).Switch controls high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM) target sequencing [I]. Switch output is adiscrete input to the armament computer. When pressed, provides manual stepping of HARM prioritytargets by way of the command launch computer with HARM weapons selected.HARM SelectWith A/G or NAV Master Mode selected, no weight on wheels, and at least one HARM loaded on theaircraft:1- On the AG SMS page, HARM is selected via the pushbutton (6 to 10) on the with the legend"HARM". At that time, the HARM format is displayed by replacing the SMS page.2- On the TAC page, the "HARM DSPLY" legend is displayed below pushbutton X. Upon selectingHARM from the TAC page, the HARM format page is displayed.DCS [F/A-18C]188 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 102. TAC PageWhen the HARM is selected in either manner, it will first default to the Self-Protect (SP) mode or thelast selected mode. From the SP mode, the other two modes can also be selected: Target ofOpportunity (TOO) mode and Pre-Briefed (PB) mode.On the SMS page, the HARM wingform station will indicate "STBY" if no target has been handed off(H-OFF) to the missile. Once the selected HARM missile has been handed off to a target, the indicationchanges from "STBY" to "RDY".After launch, the next HARM missile in priority is selected automatically. The weapon priority list is: 8→ 2 → 7 → 3HARM DisplayStores Management[F/A-18C] DCS 189Figure 103. SMS PageWeapon Select – When at least one AGM-88 is loaded, HARM will appear below pushbuttons 6 to 10.Pressing the HARM pushbutton will box the legend and display the HARM format page.Station Indicator - HARM is listed below each station that a HARM is attached to. The selected HARMto launch next is boxed.HARM Status – The launch status of the selected (boxed) HARM is indicated below the stationindicator. This can be either STBY or RDY. When the selected HARM is handed off to a target and readyto launch, RDY is displayed.Self-Protect (SP) ModeWeapons Practice - AGM-88C HARMStation IndicatorHARM StatusWeapon SelectDCS [F/A-18C]190 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 104. HARM SP SMS FormatMode Select – Pushbuttons 3, 4, and 5 are mutually exclusive and used to select the HARM mode.Selecting a mode boxes the legend and an X through the legend indicates that the mode is not available.Station – The station number of the selected HARM.STEP – Successive presses of pushbutton 13 cycles through all stations loaded with a HARM.RESET – Pressing pushbutton 15 cues the HARM to the highest radar threat.Step StationResetStationMode SelectHow to Employ the AGM-88C HARM in SP Mode1. Master Arm to ARM and Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select HARM from the SMS page3. Press [I] to select / cycle detected radar emitters4. With threat emitter boxed on EW Page or EW HUD, press weapon release button or[Right Alt+ Spacebar] to launch the missile[F/A-18C] DCS 191Threat Selection and HUD IndicationsIf there is more than one lethal or critical SAM or AAA threat detected, pressing and releasing the HARMSequence button [I] on the throttle allows the player to cycle through them. Pressing pushbutton 15RESET on the SP mode HARM format page, the highest threat will be selected or by pressing thecage/uncage switch on the throttle.The selected radar target on the EW displays is indicated as having a box around it. There is no lockedtarget indication on the HARM format page in SP mode.Once the HARM is launched toward the selected SP target, the next HARM in priority sequence isautomatically selected and default to the highest priority threat.Figure 105. HARM SP HUDLock Indication – When the HARM has been cued to an EW detection, a box is draw around theEW emitter code on the HUD, EW Page, and Azimuth Indicator.HARM Indication – When HARM is selected, HARM is displayed along the right side of the HUD.Lock IndicationHARM IndicationDCS [F/A-18C]192 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatNotes• Because the HARM has no ranging capability and is not slewed with another sensor in SPmode, there is no range to target provided.• The HARM is best used at 30,000 feet AGL and above to maximize range.• If the targeted radar turns off, the HARM will lose guidance and will likely not hit the target.Target of Opportunity (TOO) ModeUnlike SP mode in which targeting is automatic, TOO mode allows the pilot to select a specific targetradar, based Class and Type filtering.The HARM acts as its own sensor and can display up to 15 targets on the TOO HARM display (format).To select a target, the player can cycle through displayed targets via the HARM Sequence button [I]on the throttle. This is indicated as a box around the target. Once the target has been selected, pressingthe cage/uncage button [C] is used to hand off the Target to the HARM, indicated at a H-OFF aboveto the Target box. A second press of the cage/uncage button cancels the hand off.With the target in hand-off, all other Targets on the HARM TOO display are not displayed.With a correct hand off, the HARM on the SMS wingform will change from STBY to RDY and the Xthrough the HARM indication will be removed.Weapons Practice - AGM-88C HARMHow to Employ the AGM-88C HARM in TOO Mode1. Master Arm to ARM and Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select HARM from the SMS page3. Set TDC to the HARM format page4. Press [I] to select / cycle detected radar emitters5. Hand-off target to HARM by pressing Cage/Uncage button or [C].6. With threat emitter boxed on EW Page or EW HUD with H-OFF indication, pressweapon release button or [Right Alt + Spacebar] to launch the missile[F/A-18C] DCS 193Figure 106. HARM TOO SMSOut-of-FOV Arrows - When targets are detected outside the field of view of the HARM TOO display,arrows are displayed that point in the direction of the unseen targets. Arrows are only at the up, down,left, and right locations.Azimuth and Elevation Grid - These four "T" markers mark the 30-degree field of view in azimuthand elevation and are placed near the left, right, top, and bottom of the TOO display.Targets - All detected targets of the selected target class are displayed in the TOO display as numericidentifiers. Targets are not space stabilized are in reference to the HARM seeker FOV. An "F" precedinga numeric indicates a friendly radar. A half-circle below a target indicates a naval radar, and a horizontalline above the numeric indicates a radar that has locked the player aircraft.Limit - When selected and boxed, only the 5 highest priority targets are displayed instead of 15.Scan - When selected and boxed, the HARM Scan sub-level page is displayed and allows the player toview all Classes on the TOO display.Reset - When pressed, the highest priority target will automatically be selected. This will cancel atarget handoff.Azimuth and ElevationGridOut-of-FOV ArrowsTargetsLimitScanResetPriority TargetTarget Class TypeDCS [F/A-18C]194 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatPriority Target - The priority target has a box around it, and the priority target can be cycled usingthe HARM Sequence switch on the throttle. Setting the Priority Target can also be done with the TDC.This will initially default to the first target detected of the selected target type.Target Class Type - To the left of the CLASS legend, the Class selection is indicated from the Scansub-level page. TT in the image below. When pressed, the Type sub-level page is displayed.Figure 107. HARM TOO as SensorTOO HUDWhen a Target has been designated on the HARM TOO display, a line of sight to the Target box isdisplayed on the HUD. Once the Target is handed off to the HARM, H-OFF appears above the box. Asecond press of the cage/uncage button [C] cancels the hand off.Target Hand OffHARM Ready[F/A-18C] DCS 195Figure 108. HARM TOO HUDEW IndicationWhen a Target has been designated, the Target symbol on both the EW DDI page and the EW HUDwill also have a box around the indication.Class Sub-level PageThe Class sub-level page (pushbutton 11) allows the player to filter the Class of targets that aredisplayed in the TOO display. From the right, top, and left DDI pushbuttons, the player can select anyof these. When one is selected, the page is automatically changed back to the TOO page with theselected Class code is displayed to the left of the Class legend.On the Class page, all detected targets of all classes are listed as filled circles and their Class code isdisplayed to the left. If the target is right or left of the HARM FOV, arrows are drawn to show thedirection of the target outside the HARM FOV.Target Hand OffTarget Line-of-SightDCS [F/A-18C]196 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 109. HARM Classesa. Class Legend. Indicates the selected Class.b. Class Selections. Along the left, top, and right DDI pushbuttons are 15 Class selections. Theseare each two or three-digit codes. These are classified, so I suggest we make them up asfollows:a. ALL. All classes of radarsb. FRD. Friendly radarsc. HOS. Hostile radarsd. FN. Friendly naval radarse. HN. Hostile naval radarsf. F1. Old friendly radarsg. F2. New friendly radarsh. H1. Old hostile radarsi. H2. New hostile radarsj. FAA. Friendly AAAk. HAA. Hostile AAAl. FS. Friendly search radars[F/A-18C] DCS 197m. HS. Hostile search radarsn. UKN. Unknown radarso. PRI. Radars locked to player aircraftEach Class can have multiple radars that fall within the Class. These currently are:o ALL class• All surface radarso FRD class• All surface radars of the player's sideo HOS class• All surface radars of the hostile sideo FN class• NKAS – CADS-N-1 Kashtan• N15 – 3K95 Kinzhal and 9K95 Tor• N6 – SA-N-6• N4 – SA-N-4• SS – Sea Sparrow• SM1 – SM-1 Standard• SM2 – SM-2 Standard• SM3 – SM-3 Standardo HN class• All naval radars of the hostile sideo F1 class• HAT - Hawk MPQ-46 TR• HAS - Hawk MPQ-50 SR• S6 - Kub-M1• S8 – Osa 9A33• ROS – Roland Radar• S3 – S-125 TRo F2 class• S11 – Buk 9A310M1• TS – Buk TAR• PAT – Patriot MPQ-35• S10T – S-300 TR• S10S – S-300 5N66M SR• S10S – S-300 64H6E SR• S15 – Tor• S19 - Tunguskao H1 class• HAT - Hawk MPQ-46 TR• HAS - Hawk MPQ-50 SR• S6 - Kub-M1• S8 – Osa 9A33• ROL – Roland Radar• S3 – S-125 TRo H2 class• S11 – Buk 9A310M1• TS – Buk TARDCS [F/A-18C]198 JDAM and JSOW HSI Format• PAT – Patriot MPQ-35• S10T – S-300 TR• S10S – S-300 5N66M SR• S1-S – S-300 64H6E SR• S15 – Tor• S19 - Tunguskao FAA class• GEP – Gepard• VUL – M-163• ZSU – ZSU-23-4o HAA class• GEP – Gepard• VUL – M-163• ZSU – ZSU-23-4o FS class• DE – Sborka• 1L1 – 1L13 EWR• 55G – 55G6 EWR• P19 – P-19• P37 – P-37• W11 – PRW-11• RSP – RSP-7• SPY – SPY-1• SP49 – AN/SPS-49• SP48 – AN/SPS-48• KUZ – Kuznetsov class• KIR – Kirov class• SLAV – Slava class• ALBA – Albatros class• NEUS – Neustrashimy class• KRIV – Krivak II classo HS class• DE – Sborka• 1L1 – 1L13 EWR• 55G – 55G6 EWR• P19 – P-19• P37 – P-37• W11 – PRW-11• RSP – RSP-7• SPY – SPY-1• SP49 – AN/SPS-49• SP48 – AN/SPS-48• KUZ – Kuznetsov class• KIR – Kirov class• SLAV – Slava class• ALBA – Albatros class• NEUS – Neustrashimy class[F/A-18C] DCS 199• KRIV – Krivak II classo UKN classo PRI classc. Page. Remove from game, no function.Scan Sub-Level PageWhen Scan is boxed from pushbutton 17, the Scan sub-level page is displayed. This will display allClasses and each Class that is currently being detected by the radar warning receiver. Each detectedclass is indicted by a filled circle with its class code to the right. If the Class is detected outside of theHARM field of view, then arrows will be to the left or right of the filled circle to indicate off-FOV direction.Figure 110. HARM SCANAs with the Class sub-level page, the user can also select a Class from this page. In so doing, it willalso revert to the HARM TOO page.DCS [F/A-18C]200 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatPressing the Scan button will return the display to the TOO page.AGM-84D HarpoonThe AGM-84D Harpoon is the primary anti-ship weapon for the Hornet. It is a big, heavy weapon witha large warhead, sophisticated guidance system, and a long range. It has two primary release modes:Range / Bearing Launch (R/BL) and Bearing Only Launch (BOL). R/BL is the most accurate of the twobut requires you to know the bearing and range to the target before firing. This is done using the SEAmode of the radar on AG mode. BOL is a less accurate, but you only need to know the approximatebearing of the target. For this initial release of the Harpoon, BOL will be available. Once the SEA modeof the radar is ready, we will add R/BL mode.The weapon release button [Right Alt+ Space] is used to launch a Harpoon.Harpoon SMS FormatUpon selection of the AGM-84D Harpoon from the top row of the SMS page, the Harpoon formatpage is displayed. Options this page will vary based on BOL or R/BL mode and if a Harpoon TurnPoint (HPTP) is used.Figure 111. Harpoon main pageWeapon Select Harpoon Turn-Point (HPTP)Delivery ModeFlight Profile (FLT)Terminal Modes (TERM)Fixed Point (FXP)Station STEPUFC OptionsWeapon Program (PROG)[F/A-18C] DCS 201The unique and primary functions of the page are:Weapon Select. Harpoons are listed as HPD and will first have a 20-second TIMING cue when firstselected. Once the 20-second count-down has expired, RDY is displayed below the HPD indication.Prior to being ready, the boxed HPS will have an X through it.Delivery MODE. There are two modes that the Harpoon cane be fired in:• BOL. Bearing Only Launch (BOL) allows the missile to be launched and fly along a set bearingand the missile will attempt to search for ship targets according to the set criteria.• R/BL. Range / Bearing Launch (R/BOL) requires a ship target to first be designated (usingA/G radar SEA mode.Flight Profile (FLT). The FLT option provides three flight profiles, HIGH, MED, and LOW. These areused to change the flight profile setting.• HIGH: The Harpoon cruises to the target at high altitude. A high-altitude profile provides themaximum range for the weapon and increases the effective search area of the seeker;however, the weapon is detectable at longer range and more susceptible tocountermeasures. Cruise altitude is 35,000 feet.• MED: The Harpoon cruises to the target at medium altitude. Medium altitude provides acompromise between the HIGH and LOW profiles. Maximum range and relative search areasize is greater than LOW, but less than HIGH. Similarly, enemy detection typically occurslater than HIGH, but sooner than LOW. Cruise altitude is 15,000 feet.• LOW: The Harpoon cruises to the target at low (sea skimming) altitude. Low altitude is alsoknown as a sea skimming profile because the Harpoon travels to the target area at very lowaltitude. While maximum range is reduced, enemy reaction time is also greatly reduced.Cruise altitude is 5,000 feet.Terminal Modes (TERM). Two terminal mode options, SKIM and POP, are available. These are usedto change the terminal mode option.• SKIM: After acquiring a target with its onboard radar, the Harpoon flies a minimum altitudeapproach to the target (25 feet).• POP: After target acquisition, the missile commences a pop-up attack on the target. Thisbegins at 5 nm from the target and climbs to 500 feet before diving on the target.Seek Mode (SEEK). This is only available in R/BL mode and not pictured above. Upon pressing SEEK,three option are presented that determine when the seeker begins searching for the target at thedesignated location:• SML. 10,000 meters before target location• MED. 20,000 meters before target location• LRG. 30,000 meters before target locationo LEFTo RIGHTo NORMo NEARo FARDCS [F/A-18C]202 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatThis will offset the search based on the selection.Harpoon Turn-Point (HPTP). Allows the selection of a waypoint or markpoint to be used as anintermediate turn-point between ownship and the target/search area. With a turn-point selected, theHarpoon will first fly to the turn-point, then turn towards the final bearing (BOL), or target (R/BL).Boxing the HPTP option copies the currently selected (via HSI) waypoint/markpoint into the selectedHarpoon delivery program. To change the turn-point, the HPTP option is unboxed, the waypoint ischanged via the HSI, and then the HPTP option is re-boxed. The HPTP option is applicable to both theR/BL and BOL modes, however in BOL mode, the search distance becomes relative to the turn-pointrather than ownship. If a HPTP is selected in BOL mode, the Fixed-point option is blanked, since thetwo modes are incompatible.Fixed-Point (FXP). The Fixpoint option allows the ability to fix the search pattern of the BOL modeabout a NAV stabilized mid-point. The mid-point is located halfway between the search and destructranges. This essentially creates a fixed derived "target" area allowing multiple Harpoons to be deployedinto the same area without an actual designated target. The fixpoint option is not available when aturnpoint (HPTP) is selected.Station STEP. Actuation of the Step PB cycles through loaded Harpoons on the wing stations. Aselected and TIMED Harpoon will have its HPD label boxed on the wingform with RDY below. Nonselected stations are not boxed and have STBY below.Weapon Program (PROG). This option cycles between the available programs in sequence. You canmodify the current program by using the MODE, FLT, TERM, SEEK, SRCH, and BRG settings. There canbe up to five programs and each Harpoon can be set to a different program.UFC Options:Figure 112. Harpoon UFC Options[F/A-18C] DCS 203Active Search Range (SRCH): (BOL mode only) This option adjusts the range from thelaunch point that the Harpoon begins its active search. To adjust, the player will press theUFC pushbutton and then select the SRCH button on the UFC. The player can then enter avalue on the keypad and then press the UFC ENT button to save it. Valid search range isfrom 0 to 105 nm.Missile Destruct Range (DSTR). Upon selection from the UFC Option Select Window, theplayer can enter a range in nautical miles on the keypad to determine when the Harpoon willself-destruct. Valid range is from the entered search range plus 172 nm.Flight Bearing (BRG): (BOL mode only). As with the SRCH function, the player will selectthe BRG option on the UFC. The magnetic or true bearing relative to ownship that theHarpoon will launch along. If a Harpoon Turn-point (HPTP) is selected, the bearing will berelative to the turn-point. If Fixpoint (FXP) is selected, the BRG will become irrelevant. Validbearing is 0 to 359.TTMR. The Time to Maximum Range (TTMR) is displayed only in R/BL mode when the target islocked and indicates time remaining until the target will be at maximum launch range. When target iswithin maximum range, the TTMR is replaced with IN ZONE. This is displayed in the top left corner ofthe Harpoon format page.Harpoon HSIOnce the search, destruct, and bearing information has been entered the program for a Harpoon, agraphic of its flight plan is displayed on the HSI.When no Harpoon Turn-Point is selected, the HSI will display a line based on the entered bearing, asmall hash mark on the bearing line that indicates the start of the search, and an "X" at its selfdestruct point.With a Harpoon Turn-Point, the bearing, search, and destruct symbols are in relation to the selectedwaypoint that acts as the Harpoon Turn-Point.DCS [F/A-18C]204 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 113. Harpoon HSI pageFigure 114. Harpoon Turn-PointSelf-Destruct PointSearch PointFlight BearingHarpoon Turn-Point[F/A-18C] DCS 205Harpoon HUDWhen a Harpoon is selected, the HUD symbology reflects the weapon and mode selected.When BOL mode is selected, only the mode, BOL, and the weapon identification, HPD, are listedalong the right side of the HUD. As there is no designated target, there is no TGT indication likerange and bearing to target.If the weapon is with a valid launch zone to reach its programed search and destruction zone, an INZONE indication is displayed. If however the missile is out of valid launch parameters, an OFF AXISmessage is displayed.Figure 115. Harpoon HUDAGM-62 Walleye II ER/DL with AWW-13 Data LinkPodThe AGM-62 Walleye II ER/DL is an air-to-surface, homing glide bombs that incorporate televisionguidance. It has a 2,000-pound warhead with a maximum glide range of approximately 20 miles.Using HOTAS controls, the pilot can slew the seeker to have it lock on to a target with enough visualcontrast. The seeker will then self-track the target even after weapon release. Using the AN/AWW-13data link pod, video from the television seeker can then be displayed on the Walleye format page.Using the data link, the pilot may redirect the bomb to a different target while in flight. The ER/DL inthe name indicates Extended Range / Data Link.Zone IndicationWeapon and ModeDCS [F/A-18C]206 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatThe Walleye is designed to attack large, static targets like buildings and bridges, and it t can only bemounted on stations 2 and 8 as singles on BRU-32/A bomb racks.The AN/AWW-13 Advanced Data Link Pod is used to communicate with the Walleye II ER/DL. Itallows for retargeting of the weapon after it has been launched by transmitting and receiving postlaunch slew and lock-on commands. The AN/AWW-13 provides man-in-the-loop guidance.The AN/AWW-13 data link pod can be held on stations 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8.Figure 116. AN/AWW--13Figure 117. Walleye II ER/DL[F/A-18C] DCS 207Walleye SMS PageBecause of the possible combination of loading Walleyes and the AN/AWW-13 data link pod, thereare three possible format pages. These formats replace the standard wingform format when selected.• Only data link pod• Only Walleye• Both data link pod and WalleyeWhen both Walleye and the data link pod are selected, only the top 80% of the displays has videowith stroke symbology over the entire display.DCS [F/A-18C]208 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatAN/AWW-13 Data Link Pod Only SelectedFigure 118. Data Link Only FormatWhen the data link pod is selected and a Walleye is not, the top 80% of the display is static becausethe data link pod has not been linked to a Walleye seeker. Elements of the data link only pageinclude:1. Data Link Pod Selection Option. If a data link pod is loaded, this option allows selectionof the pod. This is indicated as DL13 for the AN/AWW-13 pod.2. Weapon Selection Status. An indication of weapon selection status is provided which islike that provided in the Stores format. When an A/G release ready condition exists, RDY isdisplayed beneath the weapon selection box.153462[F/A-18C] DCS 2093. Pod Antenna Option. The A ANT option selects the aft antenna of the data link pod. It isboxed when selected. The selection allows forward and aft antenna control of the data linkpod. This can be useful when self-guiding (aft antenna) or potentially guiding for anotheraircraft (forward antenna).4. Weapon Selection. The Weapon option links the data link pod to the selected data linkcapable weapon. When linked, the option is boxed.5. TDC Assignment Indication. This diamond indicates that the TDC is assigned to thedisplay, In order to slew the seeker, the TDC must be assigned to the weapon video page.6. UFC Pod Channel Selection Option. This option is used to select one of the two pre-setpod data link channels, channel 2 if the Walleye is on station 2, or channel 8 if the Walleyeis on station 8. Pressing PB 14 displays CHNL on the top Open Select Window on the UFC.Upon colonizing the window, the channel is entered using the keypad and ENT is pressed.If a valid channel is entered (2 or 8), the channel number is listed after CH on the data linkformat (002 or 008).Walleye Only SelectedWhen a Walleye has been selected but the data link pod has not, the format page providesfunctionality to conduct a Walleye attack without data link. In such a situation, the Walleye can belocked to the target before launch, and there would be no seeker video update once launched. Inmany ways, it behaves like an infrared-guided Maverick.Elements of the format include:1. Weapon Selection Status. An indication of weapon selection status is provided which islike that provided in the Stores format. When an A/G release ready condition exists, RDY isdisplayed beneath the weapon selection box. Otherwise, an "X" is displayed through theWEDL acronym.2. Station Select Indication. The Walleye can be carried on stations 2 and 8. The weaponstation selected is indicted beneath the weapon selection status. Station 8 is the defaultpriority station. This can be useful when setting up the correct data link channel.3. Selected Station. Walleye 2 ER/DL is displayed as WEDL.4. Electrical Fuzing Options. The Walleye has two mutually exclusive fuzing options,instantaneous (INST) and delay (DLY). Pushbutton 5 is used to select instantaneous modeand pushbutton 4 is used to select delay mode.5. Caging Retention and Boresight (CRAB). When the Walleye seeker has been slewedoff boresight, this option is displayed. Pressing and holding the pushbutton returns theseeker to boresight.6. Station Step (STEP) Option. Pressing the STEP option toggles the selected Walleyestation. If less than two Walleye are loaded, this option is removed from the format.7. Video Crosshairs. The Walleye crosshairs are a part of the weapon video and are coloredwhite.8. Missile Axis Position (MAP) Indicator. The MAP indicator is displayed in the weaponvideo. Its boresight axis is relative to the guidance head position, and therefore providesan indication of the angle of attack when the weapon is in flight. The MAP indicator is notdisplayed when it is inside the tracking gate (intersection of the crosshairs). The MAP DCS [F/A-18C]210 JDAM and JSOW HSI Formatindicator is displayed at one-half size vertically while the guidance head position is beingslewed using the data link (after the weapon has launched).9. Cage/Uncage Status. The caged/uncaged status of the weapon is provided on theformat. When the weapon is initially selected, CAGED is displayed. When the cage/uncagebutton is pressed to allow the seeker to be slewed, UNCAGED is displayed.10. TDC Assignment Indication. This diamond in the top right concern of the format indicatesthat the TDC is assigned to the display.Figure 119. Walleye Only Format31245968710[F/A-18C] DCS 211Walleye and Data Link Pod Both SelectedThe Walleye is most effective when paired with the data link pod. To pair the two systems:1. Select (box) both the Walleye and data link pod. This will show the combined Walleye /data link pod format.2. From pushbutton 1, select WPN (weapon). This informs the data link pod that it is to bepaired with a data link capable weapon. Available data link weapons will now be listed asoptions for pushbuttons 1 to 4. Walleye (WEDL) will appear on pushbutton 5.3. From pushbutton 5, select WEDL to pair the Walleye and data link pod. If successful, WEDLwill appear below DL13 at pushbutton 8.Note: if you are not then receiving seeker video, you probably need to set the data link to the otherchannel (either channel 2 or 8).Weapons PracticeAGM-62 wALLEYEHow to Employ the AGM-62 Without Data Link1. Master Arm to ARM and Master Mode switch to A/G2. Select WEDL twice from the SMS page3. Set TDC to the Walleye format page4. Uncage the seeker by pressing Cage/Uncage button or [C].5. Slew the crosshair center over a larger target and wait for the seeker to lock on.Indicated by the RDY indication and WE crossed out on the HUD.6. Press the weapons release button [Left Alt + Space Bar] to release the weapon.DCS [F/A-18C]212 JDAM and JSOW HSI FormatFigure 120. Combined Walleye and Data Link Format[F/A-18C] DCS 213Walleye HUDThe Walleye HUD consists of the following elements:1. Walleye Reticle. This reticle that duplicates the AG rocket and gun reticle, is positioned 3-degrees below the waterline by default. As the Walleye seeker is slewed, this reticle willreflect seeker slew. In the center of the reticle is an aiming pipper.2. Weapon Name. Walleye II is displayed as WE.HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Initial air-to-air weapons of the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet include the internal M61A2 20mm gun and theAIM-9L/M/P Sidewinder short-range missile.12DCS [F/A-18C]214 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)For air-to-air weapon employment, you will need to be airborne with landing gear up and have theMaster Arm switch set to ARM and A/A selected. When the Master Mode switch in in SAFE, the priorityweapon indications on the HUD and RADAR will have an "X" through them. When in SAFE mode, theSIM training option is available.Figure 121. A/A Master Mode SelectMaster Mode SwitchMaster Arm Switch[F/A-18C] DCS 215Air-to-Air RADARPerhaps the most important sensor of the F/A-18C is its' AN/APG-73 RADAR. The AN/APG-73 is an xband, all-weather, coherent, multimode, multi-waveform search-and-track sensor that usesprogrammable digital processors to provide great flexibility in air-to-air tasks.For this Early Access Guide, we will first discuss aspects of the RADAR that spans multiple modes, andthen later we will discuss RADAR functions specific to unique applications/weapons.Basic Air-to-Air RADAR InformationThe AN/APG-73 is a pulse-Doppler, look-down / shoot-down RADAR with both Beyond Visual Range(BVR) and close in, Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) modes of operation. For this Early Access versionof our Hornet, we are including the Range While Search (RWS), Single Target Track (STT), and severalACM modes.The air-to-air RADAR display uses a standard B-scope format in which the ownship (your aircraft) islocated in the bottom center of the display. As such, all indications on the b-scope are ahead of theownship. Targets on the scope are displayed in range from the closest being at the bottom and themore distant being toward the top. Contacts left and right of the ownship are represented as beingindicted left and right of the center of the display to indicate azimuth.Important, basic components of the b-scope include:Figure 122. A/A RADAR Basic SymbolsB-sweepAntenna Elevation CaretTarget SymbolsRange ScaleTDC AcquisitionCursorAOJ "Dugout"DCS [F/A-18C]216 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)B-sweep. The B-sweep is a vertical sweep on the display that indicates the instantaneous azimuthposition of the RADAR antenna.Antenna Elevation Caret. The antenna elevation caret symbol indicates antenna elevation in thevertical plane. The symbol is pitch and roll stabilized in reference to the ownship horizontal plane. Insearch modes, the symbol responds to the RADAR elevation control on the throttles.Range Scale. The right side of the b-scope represents RADAR range. The scale includes marks for ¼,½, and ¾ of the selected RADAR range.TDC Acquisition Cursor. Consisting of two parallel, vertical lines, this cursor is moved in response toThrottle Designation Control (TDC) commands on the throttles. When in a RADAR search mode, thealtitude band being covered by the RADAR beam is indicated above and below the cursor. When placedover a target symbol, the contact's airspeed is indicated to the left of the cursor and it's altitude isdisplayed to the right.Target Symbols. Target symbols are displayed as solid rectangles (bricks). The horizonal position ofthe target symbol indicates angular position in respect to ownship heading. The vertical positionindicates range.AOJ "Dugout". Targets that are denying the RADAR range information are placed at the top of theb-scope in the Angle On Jam (AOJ) "dugout". Only target azimuth information is available.Pushbuttons. Around the periphery of the RADAR display are 20 buttons that can be used to controlRADAR modes and parameters. Depressing a button will enable or disable the function, or successivedepressions will cycle through all available options for that function.A/A Waypoint and Bearing and RangeTo gain better situational awareness of the location of other aircraft, both an air-to-air waypoint (A/AWaypoint), also referred to as a bullseye, and bearing and range indicators can be displayed on theA/A radar format. These can be particularly useful in reference to position information from AWACSand other flights and being able to send informative messages to your teammates.A/A WaypointThe A/A Waypoint coincides with a waypoint in your waypoint database. You will want to ensure thatyou're A/A Waypoint is at the same location as the bullseye is set in the mission! To set the A/AWaypoint to a waypoint, select the DATA sub-level from the HSI and then press pushbutton 2 to setthe A/A Waypoint to your current waypoint.Note that after an A/A Waypoint is set, you may change the current waypoint. As such, your A/AWaypoint and your current waypoint can be different.[F/A-18C] DCS 217Figure 123. HSI/DATA/WYPTWith an A/A Waypoint created, it will then be visible on the A/A radar format as either a circle ordiamond with an arrow that points to magnetic north. If the A/A Waypoint and the current waypointare the same waypoint, the symbol is a diamond. If, however they are different, the symbol is a circle.A/A WaypointCurrent WaypointDCS [F/A-18C]218 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Figure 124. Bullseye as Current WaypointFigure 125. Bullseye not as Current WaypointBearing and Range IndicationsThe A/A Waypoint can now be used as bearing and distance reference:[F/A-18C] DCS 219• A/A Waypoint to TDC. In the top left of the A/A radar format page, the bearing and rangefrom the A/A Waypoint to the current TDC location is displayed.• A/A Waypoint to Ownship. In the bottom center of the A/A radar format page, the bearingand range from the A/A Waypoint to your location (ownship) is displayed.Additionally, if BRA is enabled from the RWS / DATA sub-level, bearing and distance from yourself tothe TDC can also be displayed in the bottom left corner of the page.Figure 126. Bullseye and BRA IndicationsA/A Waypoint to TDCA/A Waypoint to OwnshipOwnship to TDCDCS [F/A-18C]220 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Range While Search (RWS) ModeRange While Search (RWS) is the default search mode for air-to-air or when an air-to-air missile isplaced in priority. RWS mode provides all-aspect (nose-on, tail-on) and all altitude (look-up, look-down)target detection. The display shows range as the vertical axis and azimuth angle on the horizontal.While in RWS mode, the RADAR can maintain up to 10 trackfiles.Mission Practice: Hornet A/A RADARHow to Use RADAR in Beyond Visual Range Mode1. RADAR control switch on the Sensor Panel to Operate (OPR)2. Master Mode switch to A/A or NAV (A/A and A/G unselected)3. Select Attack RADAR (ATTK RDR) from the TAC page on the right DDI4. Use Throttle Designator Control (TDC) to move the TDC cursor on the RADAR displaytactical area over a radar contact "brick"5. Lock the target by pressing down on the TDC[F/A-18C] DCS 221Information and functions of RWS mode consist of:Figure 127. Range While Search (RWS)34 512019181716156728910111213142122DCS [F/A-18C]222 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Primary control of the air-to-air RADAR is done with the Throttle Designator Control (TDC). This canbe used to position the TDC cursor and pressed to initiate an action.1. Operational Mode. When the RADAR operating and emitting, this indicator shows OPR.When the RADAR is in standby mode, it displays as STBY.2. TDC Control Indication. When the RADAR display is selected for TDC control, this diamondsymbol is displayed in the top right corner of the display. Selecting the RADAR for TDC controlis done by moving the Sensor Control Switch to the right. Note that the RADAR is normallyplaced on the right DDI.3. Elevation Bar Scan. When in RWS, successive presses cycle between 1, 2, 4 and 6 bars ofraster scanning. The greater the number of bars equates to a larger elevation volume beingscanned. However, the greater the number of bars equates to a longer period of time tocomplete a complete scan (frame). Bar spacing is generally 1.3 degrees; however, when 5nm scale is selected, it is 4.2 degrees.4. Silent (SIL) Mode. When SIL mode is selected (boxed), the RADAR ceases scan operationand places the RADAR in standby mode. This is also indicated by the Iron Cross shown inthe lower left portion of the display.When in SIL mode, the ACTIVE option is available in the top left corner of the display (replacestarget ageing indication). When pressed, the RADAR will conduct one complete scan / framebased on the current RADAR settings and properties. Once the scan is complete, it willautomatically return to SIL mode.5. Erase. By pressing the ERASE push button, all target history on the RADAR display areremoved until detected and displayed again. This also removes all history during Silent (SIL)operation. This can be useful when a long age time is selected.6. Heading. Ownship heading in degrees. This is generally the magnetic heading but trueheading can be selected from the HSI/DATA/A/C sublevel.7. Weapon and Number. The name of the priority weapon and the quantity of the weaponremaining.8. Display Range. Selected display range of the RADAR. Possible settings are 5, 10, 20, 40,80 and 160 nm.9. Range Increment. Pressing this pushbutton increases the RADAR display range. When atmaximum range, the increment arrow is no longer displayed. The arrow and function isremoved if the RADAR is in STT mode.10. Range Decrement. Pressing this pushbutton decreases the RADAR display range. When atminimum range, the increment arrow is no longer displayed. The arrow and function isremoved if the RADAR is in STT mode.11. SET. Pressing the SET pushbutton will save the RADAR settings for the weapon in priority.This includes display range, elevation bar scan, azimuth, PRF, and target ageing.12. RESET. When pressed, the RADAR settings are returned to the default settings of theweapon in priority.13. Altitude. Ownship altitude.14. DATA. Press this pushbutton to change the RADAR display to the DATA sublevel.[F/A-18C] DCS 22315. Azimuth Scan. The RADAR can have azimuth scan settings of 20, 40, 60, 80, and 140degrees. Pressing this pushbutton cycles between the settings with successive presses.16. Airspeed. Ownship airspeed in IAS and Mach.17. PRF. Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) selection between Medium (MED), High (HI), andINTL (Interleaved). Medium PRF minimizes "blind zones" reduces false targets, better allaspect detection, but has less detection range. High PRF has greater range but has inferiorlow to medium aspect detection. Interleaved alternates Medium and High bar coverage.18. Horizon Line. Mirror of the HUD horizon line.19. Velocity Vector. Mirror of the HUD velocity vector and is displayed at a fixed position andused in conjunction with the moving horizon line to indicate ownship flight path pitch androll.20. RADAR Mode. Indication of the selected RADAR mode.21. Throttle Designator Control (TDC) Cursor. Two vertical lines with radar elevationvolume above and below can be slewed using the TDC when the TDC is assigned to thepage.22. Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR). When under correct parameters, allowsthe identification of the STT-locked aircraft by type. See STT section.Latent Track While Scan (LTWS) ModeThe LTWS option is always displayed on the A/A data sub-level display. LTWS option is initially boxedby default, indicating LTWS is selected. LTWS is only applicable with the radar operating in the RWSmode. In RWS mode, HAFU symbols are not displayed on the radar attack display. Only in LTWS areMSI trackfiles supported by the radar (radar only MSI trackfiles). The only indication of a radar-onlytrackfile is the radar raw hit (brick) or acquisition point cue.Selection of the LTWS option allows HAFU symbol for a radar-only trackfile that is under the acquisitioncursor. If the trackfile under the acquisition cursor is one of the top eight priority trackfiles, its launchzone is displayed. Additionally, the trackfile Mach and altitude are displayed to the left and right of theHAFU.Designating a HAFU in LTWS sets the trackfile as the Launch and Steering (L&S) target, which isindicted by a star HAFU. Once designated, a second trackfile can be designated, and this becomesDesignated Target 2 (DT2), which includes a diamond HAFU. In this manner, two trackfiles can betracked, while a third can also be tracked by placing TDC cursor over the trackfile.It is important to note though that WEAPONS CANNOT BE EMPLOYED IN LTWS MODE. To employ aweapon, the radar must be in STT or TWS modes.Pressing the boxed LTWS option deselects LTWS and unboxes the LTWS option. When LTWS is notselected the hidden radar only MSI trackfile HAFU symbol is not displayed when the acquisition cursoris placed on it.DCS [F/A-18C]224 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Figure 128. Latent Track While ScanWhen both L&S and DT2 are created, they will appear as two separate indicators on the HUD. The L&Sappears as a box and the DT2 trackfile appears as an "X".LTWS SelectMSI SelectDATA sub-levelDT2 TrackfileL&S Trackfile[F/A-18C] DCS 225Figure 129. Latent Track While Scan HUDMulti-Sensor Integration (MSI)An optional component of LTWS mode is MSI, which can be enabled from pushbutton 14. When enabled(boxed), donor information is displayed as HAFUs, even when the TDC cursor is not over an LTWStrackfile. This allows a similar presentation of the Situational Awareness (SA) display on the AA radarformat page and allows a more complete picture of the airspace ahead of you. However, this onlyincludes datalink donor information in front of you, and to the sides and behind.Trackfiles that only detected by ownship sensors (no donor contribution) are displayed as standardRWS hits (bricks).Note that MSI for RWS can only be displayed when the LTWS mode is enabled.L&S Trackfile DT2 TrackfileDCS [F/A-18C]226 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Figure 130. Latent Track Scan with MSISingle Target Track (STT) ModeSTT is entered at the completion of manual or automatic target acquisition.• Pressing the TDC designate button when TDC cursor is over an RWS hit.• Pressing the TDC designate button twice when the TDC cursor is over an LTWS trackfile.• Use of AACQ mode or ACM mode.STT is indicated by the radar attack display. The radar continually monitors the range and angle of thetracked target. This data is used to compute missile or gun attack. The attack display provides interceptcourse and launch/firing envelope based on computed data. ACM mode and STT launch envelope arenot available in navigation aircraft master mode. The AIM-7 requires an STT track for launch unless inHOJ or FLOOD modes.Automatic Range Scale Adjustment is a function of an STT track. Automatic range scale control isenabled when the radar is operating in STT, or if the RSET pushbutton switch is pressed. If the L & S,DT2, or STT target has a valid range and is within the tactical area, then it is used as a range scalecontrol target. The digital data computer automatically adjusts the range scale so that the furthestrange scale control target is displayed at between 40% and 90% of the selected range scale. Whenthe display is expanded about a range resolved L & S target, the digital data computer dynamicallyMSI SelectOwnship-onlytrackfileDonor Trackfile[F/A-18C] DCS 227adjusts the range scale so that the L & S target range is at the center and the display range limits arethat range of 5 nmi. Automatic range scale control increments and decrements the range scale in STT,but only increments the range scale in TWS. If the range scale is manually adjusted, then automaticrange scale control is disabled until the RSET pushbutton switch is pressed.It is important to understand that when in STT mode, the radar is only focused on a single contact andwill not display other contacts.Figure 131. Single Target TrackNon-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) ModeWhen a contact is tracked as the STT L&S target, the NCTR function allows aircraft type identificationunder certain parameters. The NCTR function can be selected from pushbutton 15 on the RWS formatpage.NCTR works on the principle of the engine fan blades having distinct characteristics that can then becorrelated to an aircraft type. This can only be achieved with an STT track of the target and:• Target is within 25 nm.• Target is within 30-degrees nose-on or tail-on.STT as L&S TargetNCTR ModeDCS [F/A-18C]228 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)The identification results are displayed on the SA page when the TDC cursor is placed over the target.The type will then be displayed in the data block located in the bottom right corner of the page.NCTR can be an important function for two-factor target identification.Air-to-Air RADAR HOTAS ControlsWhen flying air combat missions, it is very helpful to keep your hands on the stick and throttle and nothave to take your hands off them to manipulate controls. The Hornet has an excellent set of Hands OnThrottle and Stick (HOTAS) controls. Here are some of the more important HOTAS functions to knowfor air-to-air combat:Control StickOn the control stick, the Sensor Control Switch and the Undesignated Button are vital. When in BeyondVisual Range (BVR) mode, pressing the Sensor Control Switch to the right will set TDC control to theRADAR when on the right DDI. When the display has the TDC assigned to it, a diamond with a dot inthe center is displayed in the top right corner of the display.Pressing the Sensor Control Switch to the right when the TDC is already assigned to it will place theRADAR in Auto Acquisition (AACQ) mode. If the TDC if over a target symbol when AACQ is commanded,it will instruct the RADAR to lock on to that target. If AACQ is pressed with no target symbol under theacquisition symbol, then the RADAR will attempt to lock on to the closest target within the selectedRADAR scan volume.Sensor Control Switch. There are two general modes for this four-way switch. When in air-to-airmode:When in Beyond Visual Range (BVR) mode, it functions as:• Forward: Switch to Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) mode with Boresight being selected bydefault• Aft: Assigned TDC to center, MPCD• Left: Assigns TDC to left DDI• Right: TDC to right DDI or enters RADAR in Auto Acquisition mode if TDC already assignedto the right DDIWhen in ACM mode, the Sensor Control Switch works as:• Forward: RADAR Boresight (BST) mode• Aft: RADAR Vertical Acquisition (VACQ) mode• Left: RADAR Wide Angle Acquisition (WACQ) modeWeapon Select Switch. This is a five-position switch that allows you quickly to set the selected airto-air weapon as priority. In doing so, it will also set the RADAR to default settings to best employthe weapon:• Forward: AIM-7 Sparrow[F/A-18C] DCS 229• Press Down: AIM-9 Sidewinder• Aft: M61A2 20mm Gun• Right: AIM-120 AMRAAM• Left: No FunctionTrigger. Fires forward directed weapons like the gun and air-to-air missiles.Undesignated Button. When in air-to-air mode, the primary function of the Undesignate Button isto un-lock a RADAR-designated targets. It can also be used to return to RADAR search mode when ina RADAR ACM mode.ThrottleFor this Early Access release, the two most important RADAR controls are the Throttle DesignatorController (TDC) and the RADAR elevation control.The RADAR elevation control is a wheel that when rotated back elevates the RADAR scan and whenrotated forward lowers the elevation scan.The TDC is a cursor control with a pressbutton function. When assigned to theRADAR on the right DDI, it controls theTDC acquisition cursor within the RADARtactical display area. When on the air-toair RADAR display, the number above andbelow the TDC cursor indicate themaximum and minimum altitude coverageof the RADAR at the range of the TDC onthe display.When the TDC is moved across the displayboundary, it can be used for RADAR modeand parameter changes. If the TDC ismoved over the boundary into the modeselection area, the mode options willappear on the display. Positioning thecursor over the desired mode anddepressing the TDC will command theRADAR to display the optimumparameters for the mode selected. Otherparameters shown around the perimeterof the display may also be controlled.Figure 132. HOTAS TDC Control ZonesDCS [F/A-18C]230 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Range While Search (RWS) DATAFigure 133. RWS DATA SublevelTarget Ageing. The amount of time a target symbol remains on the display after RADAR contact hasbeen lost can be adjusted with successive presses between 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 seconds.When SIL mode is selected, this field is replaced with the ACTIVE indication.COLOR. Selects the RADAR display to be presented in monochrome or limited use of colors of threecolors. In addition to displaying the TDC cursor in yellow, it also allows track files in LTWS and TWSmodes to be displayed in yellow and red.Latent Track While Scan (LTWS). LTWS provides a Track While Scan (TWS) function while in RWSmode. With LTWS enabled, placing the TDC over a target symbol will display Launch and Steer (L&S)track symbols. However, no "Shoot" cues are displayed. An LTWS target will have its' airspeed in Machdisplayed to the left and its altitude in thousands of feet to the right. Additionally, its range and closureinformation are displayed along the right tactical border.Multi-Sensor Integration (MSI). When enabled, allows data link information to be integrated withLTWS and TWS modes.DeclutterSpeed GateTarget AgeingColorLatent TWS(LTWS)ECCM OptionMulti-SensorIntegration[F/A-18C] DCS 231DATA. Exits the DATA sublevelDeclutter. Allows selection of two levels of declutter form the RADAR display. DCLTR1 removes thehorizon line and velocity vector. DCLTR2 removes all DCLTR1 items, plus target differential altitude,target heading, range rate numeric, and the range caret when in STT mode. The selected mode willbe indicated as boxed DCLTR1 OR DCLTR2.Speed Gate. Selects between Normal (NORM) and WIDE target speed gates to determine the widthof the doppler radial velocity notch. This is used to not detect/filter out slow moving targets like carsand general aviation aircraft. When in WIDE mode, the notch filter is increased, and slow targets willbe detected and displayed. (Coming later in Open Beta)ECCM. Enables or disables Electronic Counter-Counter Measures. When enabled, the jamming effectsof hostile aircraft are less pronounced, but the sensitivity of the RADAR is reduced. (Coming later inOpen Beta)Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) ModesThe ACM RADAR modes are designed for close-in combat with auto acquisition in mind. The ACMmodes can be selected by either pressing forward on the Sensor Control Switch while in air-to-air BVRmode, or by pressing aft on the Weapon Select Switch to set A/A GUN as priority.Except for the Guns Acquisition mode, any air-to-air missile can be used for all ACM modes.How to Use RADAR in Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) Mode1. RADAR control switch on the Sensor Panel to Operate (OPR)2. Master Mode switch to A/A3. Select Attack RADAR (ATTK RDR) from the TAC page on the right DDI4. Press forward on the Sensor Control Switch to enter ACM mode, or...5. Press aft on the Weapon Select Switch to set A/A Gun as priority and place the RADAR inGun Auto Acquisition (GACQ) mode6. Once in ACM mode, use the Sensor Control Switch to select ACM modes: forward forBoresight (BST), aft for Vertical (VACQ), and left for Wide Angle (WACQ)There are four ACM modes:• Gun Acquisition (GACQ) mode is automatically enabled when air to air guns is selected.This mode is represented as a 20-degree, dashed circle on the HUD that encompasses theentire HUD field of view. Unlike the other ACM modes, GACQ can only be used for guns.GACQ searches for targets out to 5 miles.• Boresight (BST) by pressing forward on the Sensor Control Switch. When selected, adashed, 3.3-degree circle is displayed on the HUD. This circle indicates the RADAR's autoacquisition search zone. BST searches for targets out to 10 miles.• Vertical Acquisition (VACQ) mode is selected by pressing aft on the Sensor ControlSwitch. Upon doing so, two, dashed vertical line are displayed in the HUD. This vertical autoacquisition search pattern covers from -13 degrees to +46 degrees. VACQ searches fortargets out to 5 miles.DCS [F/A-18C]232 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)• Wide Acquisition (WACQ) is a spaced-stabilized mode and is selected by pressing left onthe Sensor Control Switch. Upon doing so, a rectangle is displayed in the lower right cornerof the HUD. This rectangle represents the auto acquisition scan pattern and can be slewedusing the TDC controller when uncaged. The rectangle is placed on a grid that representsthe complete scan limits of the RADAR. WACQ searches for targets out to 10 miles.At Early Access release, WACQ will include caged mode, but uncaged mode will come laterinto the Early Access process.• Automatic Acquisition Mode (AACQ) is selected from the BVR RADAR modes, like RWS.It is not selected from the ACM modes. When in a BVR RADAR mode and the TDC cursor isnot over a target symbol, the RADAR will attempt to auto lock the nearest target in its searchpattern when the Sensor Control switch is moved right. AACQ searches for targets out torange setting of the RADAR.Track While Scan (TWS) Mode for the F/A-18C HornetOverviewThe Track While Scan (TWS) air-to-air acquisition mode of the radar is the ideal choice maintainingradar situational awareness, track and engage multiple targets, have more azimuth control of the beam,and have the tools to break-out targets in close formation.TWS mode can be selected from pushbutton 5 on the attack radar page. Pressing toggles betweenRWS and TWS search modes. TWS appears like LTWS and includes L&S, DT2, LARs, etc. The primarydifference is the ability to show up to 10 filed tracks, plus raw hits, and more beam control options.The other big difference is that it allows weapon engagement with the AIM-120.In TWS mode, targets are ranked by threat priority. These are indicated with a HAFU and aspect stem(L&S, DT2, and up to eight more Filed Targets). If HITS is enabled, up to 64 contacts can be displayedas a maximum. HITS appear as "bricks" on the radar display.Only targets within the current range display are ranked. However, if a target is ranked and the displayscale is changed such that a contact is no longer displayed, it is kept as a primary or secondary trackfile. In such a case, this target would be at the very top or bottom of the display.The highest priority target is always assigned as the L&S target. An L&S target in TWS can becommanded to STT by designating it. L&S data and symbology is the same as we currently have inLTWS mode. If an TWS L&S target is engaged with an AIM-7, the radar will automatically change toSTT mode when launched.The 2nd highest priority track file is the DT2 target. This is also displayed the same as we have forLTWS mode.When in TWS mode, press right on the Sensor Control switch will place the L&S target into STT. [F/A-18C] DCS 233Target DesignationWhen TWS is first selected, the highest priority, filed target is automatically set as the L&S, but noDT2 is automatically set. To set the DT2 track as the L&S track, manually designate the DT2 track(TDC Designate) and this will swap the DT2 and L&S tracks. The other option is to press theundesignated button to switch the L&S and DT2. If no DT2 is created, pressing the undesignatedbutton will cycle the L&S between the filed targets in order of priority.If there is a DT2, pressing the undesignated button will swap the priority of the L&S and DT2 targets.In this way, you can quickly set the DT2 target as the L&S target.Designating an unfiled target (HIT) will set it as a filed target. The lowest priority filed target wouldthen become an unfiled target.TWS Display FormatHITS Option. When enabled, "raw" hits (bricks) are displayed that are outside the 10 ranked trackfiles. These are essentially RWS contacts that can be displayed in TWS mode. They are also renderedat a lower intensity than the track files.TWS Option. If the radar is in STT mode with AIM-9 or AIM-7 selected, the TWS option is available.If selected, it will exit STT to TWS and make the previous STT target the L&S.Azimuth Option / Elevation Bars Option. When in TWS, there are three bar options withcorresponding azimuth options:• 2 bar = 20-degrees, 40-degrees, 60-degrees, and 80-degrees• 4 bar = 20-degrees or 40-degreesHITS OptionElevation Bars OptionAzimuth Centering OptionsReset OptionTWS OptionAzimuth OptionDCS [F/A-18C]234 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)• 6 bar = 20-degreesFor 4 and 6 bars, the elevation bar spacing is 1.3-dgrees. For 2 bars it is 2-degrees.Azimuth Centering Options. When in TWS mode, the AUTO and MAN options are available on theright side of the display. This allows either manual or automatic scan centering based on whichoption is selected/boxed.• AUTO: The azimuth and elevation TWS scan is centered on the L&S track files. If TWS isentered from an STT rack, AUTO mode is automatically selected.When in AUTO mode, the player should be able to place their TDC cursor anywhere but ona contact and depress the TDC switch to re-center the scan azimuth on that location. Whenthis is done, AUTO is replaced with BIAS on the display. This sets a new scan centroid.BIAS is removed when RESET is pressed, TWS is exited, RAID is selected, MAN mode isselected, or no track file exists.• MAN: The scan center will not change automatically, but rather the azimuth scan centercan be moved with the TDC cursor. If the scan is positioned outside the gimbal limits of theradar, the scan will be repositioned such that the scan will be able to search its entireazimuth. MAN mode is the default.Track files that move outside of the scan volume area will flash for three scan frames beforedisappearing.RESET. When pressed, all manually added track files are dropped and resumes normal tracking andtrack file prioritization.Filed TargetUnfiled TargetL&S TargetLaunch Acceptable Region(LAR)DT2 Target[F/A-18C] DCS 235Expand (EXP). When there is an L&S target in TWS mode and EXP is pressed, the display willchange to a 10 nm range centered on the L&S with a 20-degree azimuth scan. The display range onthe right side of the display will indicate the 10 nm scan area (for example: 30 at the top and 20 atthe bottom). Despite the 20-degree azimuth scan, the legend will still indicate the previous settingand the b-sweep line will freeze on the L&S.This mode simply zooms in on that area, but the TWS scan operation, target rankings, etc. does notchange.Filed tracks that are outside of the display will be on the edge of the display and flash.SCAN RAID Mode. This is selected from the SCAN RAID button on the throttle and it concentratesthe TWS scan to a small area to break out closely spaced targets. When enabled, the scan iscentered on the L&S target. It is displayed in a standard range and azimuth format in 10 nm zoomedin display at 22-degrees of azimuth, with a 2-bar elevation. The b-sweep line is frozen on the L&Starget and SCAN RAID appears at the bottom of the display.Expand (EXP) OptionDCS [F/A-18C]236 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)When in this mode, track files and raw hits are displayed. If a new L&S target is designated, theRAID SCAN will move to that location. Filed tracks that are outside of the display will be on the edgeof the display and flash.When selected, AUTO scan centering is automatically selected and cannot be unselected while in thismode.Hornet Datalink, Situational Awareness Page, andIFFThe F/A-18C for our simulation relies on two Multifunction Information Distribution System (MIDS)terminals that allows the transmission and reception of data over the Link-16 Tactical Data Link (TDL)network. Link-16 allows NATO and other services to share data with each other. In addition to datatransfer, Link-16 / MIDS also supports secure voice (MIDS 1 and MIDS 2 on throttle radio switch). Boththe lower and upper radio antennas support the MIDS terminal.The primary purpose of Link-16/MIDS is to provide a near-realtime picture of the tactical area aroundthe pilot's aircraft. This includes ownship sensors, other friendly fighters on the network, andsurveillance assets like AWACS. All of these sensor sources are then correlated to create a unifiedScan Raid IndicationScan Raid Option[F/A-18C] DCS 237situational awareness picture. This in turn allows a more coordinated engagement and less chance offratricide. It can display up to 16 separate trackfiles.MIDS can receive and display to the pilot three types of track files over Link-16 to the MIDS terminal:• Fighter-to-Fighter (F/F). MIDS can receive up to seven donors (other fighters providingtrack data) and each donor can share up to eight track files. These are all correlated againsteach other to avoid duplicate trackfiles.• Precise Participant Location and Identification (PPLI). This is the data that allows thedisplay the location of the donor, what its sensors are doing, and payload remaining.• Surveillance Tracks (SURV). These are non-fighter aircraft data sources like AWACS andradar ground stations.Trackfiles from each of these three sources (offboard) are then correlated with the sensors of theplayer's aircraft (onboard). This is termed Multi Source Integration (MSI). Trackfiles that correspond tothe player's aircraft is not displayed.Trackfile information can be displayed three ways:• Air-to-Air Radar Display• Situational Awareness (SA) Display• Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS)To simply matters and avoid sensitive areas, all network options will be configured automatically.MIDS Link-16 UFC ControlTo enter MIDS control on the UFC, the D/L button is pressed. Upon doing so, the UFC will appear asseen below:DCS [F/A-18C]238 HORNET AIR-TO-AIR (A/A)Figure 134. Data Link (D/L) UFCTo enable power to the MIDS terminal, ON/OFF button on the UFC must first be pressed. When notpowered on, the scratch pad and all option select windows are blank. Once powered on, ON appearsin the scratchpad and the default indications on the option select windows:• AIC• F/F1• F/F2• VOCA• VOCBTurning MIDS off is done by pressing the UFC ON/OFF button a second time.The option select window of AIC, F/F1, and F/F2 will have no function.Pressing the option select button for either VOCA or VOCB allows the player to enter the MIDS voicechannel for MIDS A and MIDS B. Upon selection, the keypad can be used to enter a channel numberbetween 1 and 126. The entered channel is displayed in the scratch pad and the ENT button is used [F/A-18C] DCS 239enable the set channel to the selected MIDS voice channel select. Selecting 127 turns off VOCA andVOCB.MIDS Secure VoiceIn addition to the ARC-210 radio COMM1 and COMM2, MIDSprovides two additional, secure radio transceivers: MIDS A(forward) and MIDS B (aft).Volume level of MIDS A and MIDS B is controlled by thevolume knobs on the volume panel on the left console. Notethat the CRYPTO switch should always be in the NORMposition. If set momentarily to HOLD or ZERO, it will erase thesecure radio settings for MIDS A and MIDS B.This function will be coming later in early access.MSI TrackfilesMulti-Sensor Integration (MSI) Trackfiles are objects (symbolsand data) which are generated either by external sources (F/F donors and SURV), or by internal sensors(e.g. Radar hits). Trackfiles are radar contacts which have been classified by the Mission Computerand/or the pilot as "onboard" and/or from external donors as "offboard". These tracks are oftenrepresented on the screen by a symbol known as a HAFU.When the Radar sweeps a track for the first time, the track is assigned a rank based on a number ofbasic factors and weighted according to things like range, speed and aspect in order to prioritize it interms of a potential tactical threat.Situational Awareness (SA) Top LevelThe SA page is selected from pushbutton 13 (SA) on the TAC page. Upon selecting the SA page, themain SA page is displayed and, in many ways, duplicates the HSI page pushbutton options. CommonHSI pushbutton elements include:• MAP, pushbutton 6• SCL, pushbutton 7• MK2 (Mark) Point, pushbutton 9• DCNTR (Decenter display), pushbutton 10• WYPT/OAP/TGT, pushbutton 11• Up Arrow (increment waypoint), pushbutton 12• Down Arrow (decrement waypoint), pushbutton 13• WPDSG (waypoint designate), pushbutton 14DCS [F/A-18C]240• SEQ (1-3) (sequence), pushbutton 15• AUTO, pushbutton 16• MENU/TIME, pushbutton 18All the above will function as they do on the HSI page, and changes on the HSI will translate to theSA page and vice versa.Interior to the SA display also has much in common with the HSI display that includes:• Compass Rose• Lubber Line• Waypoint/OAP/TGT Head and Tail• TDC BRA to A/A Waypoint• Ownship BRA to A/A Waypoint• Aircraft Symbol• TDC assignment symbol• Air-to-Air Waypoint (bullseye)• Selected Waypoint/OAP/TGT bearing, range, and time to (top right)• Selected TACAN bearing, range, and time to (top left)Unique pushbutton functions to the top-level SA page include:• DCLTR (declutter), pushbutton 7. Upon selection, five declutter options are made availablevia pushbuttons 6 to 10.o OFF. All symbols are displayedo REJ1. The following items are hidden: compass rose, lubber line, and SAM ringso REJ2: The following items are hidden: REJ1 items and Waypoint/OAP/TGT data,TACAN data, waypoint head and tail, and TACAN head and tailo MREJ1: Hide air defense symbols (SAM and AAA) and ringso MREJ2: Hide surface unit symbols[F/A-18C] DCS 241Figure 135. SA Page Top-LevelUnique functions in the tactical area of the top-level SA page include:Sensors Sub-Level. Press pushbutton 5 to select the Sensors sub-level page.Countermeasures. In the bottom left corner of the SA page are four bars that graphicallyindicate the number of remaining countermeasures. To the left of each bar, from top to bottom:• C for chaff and remaining number• F for flares and remaining number• O1 for GEN-X and remaining number• O2 for GEN-X and remaining numberEach bar is filled based on the initial loaded. For example: if the mission starts with 60 flaresand 30 have been used, the bar is ½ filled.Air Defense Zones. If a hostile air defense unit is placed in the mission, and not to be hidden,it will appear on the SA display at its geographic location. The system is indicated by twoalphanumeric (same as from EW display) with a ring around it that equates to the engagementrange (same as indicated in the mission editor and F10 view).Sensors Sub-LevelCountermeasuresAir Defense ZonesEW SymbolsDCS [F/A-18C]242EW Symbols. EW information is not correlated with an MSI track, it is only based on ownshipdetection. Only the four highest threats are displayed on the SA page and can only be airborneinterceptor (AI) threats, friendly detections, and unknown detections. At the top of the symbolare 1 to 3 lines that indicate threat level:• One line: Non-lethal threat• Two lines: Lethal threat• Three lines: Critical threat and will flashThe character code in the center of the symbol is the same as displayed on the EW/RWRdisplay.SA Sensor Sub-LevelFigure 136. SA Page Sensors Sub-LevelRWR SelectFRIEND SelectReturn to SAUnknown FilterFighter DonorsPPLISurveillanceDonors[F/A-18C] DCS 243Upon pressing the SENSR pushbutton on the SA Top Level, the player is moved to the SA Sensor page.On this page, the player can filter the sources of information that go into creating the MSI picture.RWR Select. Pushbutton 7. Successive presses of pushbutton 7 cycles through the options of thelethality level of RWR contacts will be displayed on the SA page. In addition to the three boxed options,there is a fourth un-boxed option in which no threat RWR is displayed.• RWR ALL. All displayed under RWR option that includes non-lethal, lethal and criticaldetections displayed.• RWR CRIT LETH. Only lethal and Critical detections displayed.• RWR CRIT. Only critical detections are displayed.FRIEND Select. Pushbutton 8. Successive presses of pushbutton 8 cycle the presentation of friendlyRWR detections:FRIENDOFFFRIENDNO IDFRIENDRWR IDReturn to SA. Pushbutton 10. Returns the display to the SA Top Level.Unknown Filter (UNK). Pushbutton 9. Pressing pushbutton 9 removes all unknown HAFU symbolsfrom the SA page.Fighter Donors (F/F). Pushbutton 12. When selected and boxed, track information from otherfighters with JTIDS/MIDS will be displayed. If not selected, no information from donor fighter aircraftwill be displayed.PPLI. Pushbutton 13. When selected and boxed, location and information about other flight membersand other friendly aircraft with JTIDS/MIDS terminals will we be displayed. If not selected, noinformation from these aircraft will be displayed.Surveillance Donors (SURV). Pushbutton 14. When selected and boxed, track information fromAWACS aircraft will be displayed. If not selected, no information from AWACS aircraft will be displayed.HAFU SymbologyContacts on the SA page are displayed as HAFUs (Hostile, Ambiguous, Friendly, or Unknown). Theyconsist of multiple components that can include:DCS [F/A-18C]244• Color: Green for Friendly, Yellow for Unknown, and Red for Hostile• Top Half: The top half of the symbol indicates identification from your onboard sensors• Bottom Half: The bottom half of the symbol indicates the identification by offboard sensors(donors)• Threat Rank: If the contact is detected by your sensors and is an Unknown or Hostile, itsthreat rank is displayed as a number in the center of the HAFU• Vector: A line leading from the HAFU indicates the contacts direction of travel• Shape: The top and bottom elements of the HAFU can have three shapes:o Hemisphere: Friendlyo Bracket: Unknowno Caret: HostilePPLI SA SymbolsAircraft that incorporate Link-16 data link equipment (MIDS or JTIDS radios) can broadcast theirlocation to other aircraft over the same network. The Precise Participant Location and Identification(PPLI) indicator on the SA page shows their location, and a TDC cursor over the contact displays itsinformation in the lower, right data block.Based on the ability of the unit to share data over the network, its symbol will vary:Basic PPLI symbol. Basic location with no sensor sharing.Command and Control PPLI symbol (AWACS). Location with surveillance (SURV) sensorsharing.PPLI donor symbol. Location with fighter (F/F) sensor sharing.Notes:• PPLI symbols have a stem indicating heading.• The PPLI symbol with dot in the center for a C2 unit is in regards to AWACS aircraft (E-2 orE-3).• All AI aircraft with JTIDS or MIDS terminals can act as donors (indicated as dot on left sideof circle).• Only player flight will have a wingman on-channel identifier in the center of the symbol.Player is A, Wingman 2 is B, Wingman 3 is C, and Wingman 4 is D.[F/A-18C] DCS 245• Display of PPLIs can be toggled by pressing pushbutton 14 on the sensors sub-level of theSA page. This can be used to help declutter the display.Onboard Sensor SA SymbolsInformation pertaining to contacts that are only detected by your onboard sensors (radar) is indicateby the top half of the symbol. Color and shape indicate its "side". There are two ways to identify acontact just using onboard sensors:• Mode 4 Identify Friend or Foe (IFF). This function uses the Hornet's built-in IFF systemto interrogate the contact with a coded pulse interrogation. If the contact returns the correctreply, the contact is deemed friendly (green and hemisphere). If the contact does not returna correct interrogation, then the contact is deemed unknown or hostile (if NCTR prints thecontact as hostile).• Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR). Once an STT lock is made on the contactand NCTR is enabled from the radar RWS format page, an NCTR print can be made if thecontact is within 25 nm and within 30-degrees off the contacts nose or tail.In order to classify a contact as hostile BOTH identifications be made. A truly hostile contact that isjust identified with one identification will be displayed as unknown.Friendly (green and hemisphere) contact only using onboard sensorsUnknown (yellow and bracket) contact only using onboard sensorsHostile (red and caret) contact only using onboard sensorsBecause onboard sensors are involved in the identification, the threat rank is included in the center ofthe HAFU. This is used for target sorting priority and determine the order in which a contact is lockedusing the AACQ mode.As noted, a truly friendly contact only requires a Mode 4 identification to be classified as friendly, itdoes not also require an NCTR print.DCS [F/A-18C]246Offboard Fighter-to-Fighter SA SymbolsDonor F/F symbols that can be displayed on the SA page include both hostile, friendly, and unknownelements. These are part of the lower half of the HAFU. If it is a F/F only contact, there will be nothreat rank displayed.The HAFU includes a stem that indicates the contact's direction of travel.F/F donor friendly symbolF/F donor hostile symbolCorrelated Onboard Sensor and Offboard F/F and SURV TracksContacts that detected by both your onboard sensors and offboard sensor(s) will have both upper andlower elements to the HAFU symbol. This is termed a correlated contact. The color of the contact isbased on the onboard sensor identification and includes a threat rank, unless the contact is determinedfriendly.Note that if the onboard identification is different than an offboard identification, then the HAFU canbe mixed. This is termed an ambiguous contact. For example: if the player has a contact on their radarthat they have no IFF identification, then the HAFU will be unknown. If an offboard donor (F/F or SURV)classifies the contact as hostile though, the HAFU would have a rectangular top but a triangle bottom.In this way, there are many potential HAFU combinations.Ambiguous contact, onboard seen as unknown and offboard seen as friendlyAmbiguous contact, onboard seen as unknown and offboard seen as hostileCorrelated friendly contact[F/A-18C] DCS 247Correlated hostile contactOffboard Surveillance (SURV) SA SymbolsAn additional HAFU type are contacts only detected by a surveillance (SURV) asset. These contacts areseen by an AWACS but not by you. These can be useful when you wish to run radar silent.Contacts appear as either friendly (green circle) or hostile (red diamond) with a vector stem. Thesesymbols are ¾ the size of the other HAFUs.SURV donor friendly symbolSURV donor hostile symbolNotes:• For aircraft, the symbol also has a stem to indicate direction of travel.• If a SURV track correlates to an F/F track, the F/F track symbol is displayed.• If a SURV track correlates to an onboard only sensor track, an F/F symbol is displayed thatindicates onboard and offboard tracking.• SURV symbols are only displayed if not correlated with PPLI, F/F, or onboard sensor.• If SURV tracking is lost on a contact, the symbol flashes at 3 Hertz for six seconds. If trackingis not re-established, the contract is removed from the SA page.Ranking of Target SymbolsEach trackfile HAFU is ranked from 1 to 16 if tracked by ownship sensors. The greater the potentialthreat, the lower the rank number. Factors that affect the rank include:• Range• Aspect• AirspeedTarget Under Cursor (TUC) DataWhen the TDC cursor is placed over a symbol on the SA page, information about the symbol isdisplayed in bottom right corner as seen below:DCS [F/A-18C]248If friendly:• Aircraft type. For example: F15• Unit callsign (first and last letter of the name and number) / remaining fuel• Unit bearing and distance to player aircraftFigure 137. Friendly TUC Data[F/A-18C] DCS 249If hostile:• Aircraft type. For example: SU27. On offboard or STT/NCTR print are required• Unit ground speed / bearing• Unit bearing and distance to player aircraftFigure 138. Hostile TUC DataIf unknown:• Unknown (UKN) identification• Unit ground speed / bearing• Unit bearing and distance to player aircraftDCS [F/A-18C]250Figure 139. Unknown TUC DataCorrelated HUD IndicationWhen an aircraft is locked in STT with data link enabled, the HAFU "hat" will be drawn over the top ofthe TD diamond, if there is correlation of identify of the target from on offboard source.[F/A-18C] DCS 251Figure 140. Correlated Hostile HUD IndicationM61A2 Gun, Air-to-Air Mode (A/A GUNS)The A/A-49A1 M61A1/M61A2 20MM automatic gun system provides the pilot with a formidable A/Aweapon capability. The system has a capacity of 578 rounds of ammunition. The rate select switchprovides for the selection of either 4,000 or 6,000 shots per minute.The gun is used for close-in engagements and can either be RADAR-directed or not.A/A GUNS is selected by an aft press on the Weapon Select Switch or [Left Shift + X]. To fire thegun, press the Trigger on the Control Stick [Spacebar].Correlated HostileIndicationDCS [F/A-18C]252A/A GUNS SMS PageRegardless of which air-to-air gun mode you select, the air-to-air gun (A/A GUNS) SMS page will remainthe same. The SMS page is accessed through the TAC menu DDI page, or it can be automatically calledup by selecting A/A GUNS.The A/A GUNS SMS page allows you to configure the following weapon settings:Mission Practice: AA Gun and AIM-9 SidewinderHow to Use the Gun Summary1. Master Arm switch to ARM2. Weapon Select switch to A/A GUNS3. Fly to place target in dashed circle on the Head Up Display (HUD) to lock it on RADARwhen at 5 nautical miles or closer4. Fly to place the dot in the center of the gun reticle over the target and squeeze thetrigger when you see the SHOOT cue on the HUD.[F/A-18C] DCS 253Figure 141. A/A GUNS SMS PageGun rounds Remaining. Displayed when available. If no rounds remain, XXX is displayed. A full gunload is 578 rounds.Gun Round Options. RND M50/PGU option is provided to select the type of 20MM ammunition whichis loaded. The selected ammunition type is boxed. The M50 option represents MK-50 series ammunitionand the PGU option represents PGU-28 ammunition.Gun Firing Rate Option. High rate (HI) is initialized on power up, pressing the Option Select Buttonselects the alternate gun fire rate (LO). Gun fire rate legend is boxed when selected. HI = 6,000 roundsper minute, and LO = 4,000 round per minute.Master Arm Cue. The status of the Master Arm switch (ARM, SAFE) or the selection of simulationmode (SIM) is displayed.Expected Target Wingspan. The UFC is used to program the wingspan size for the expected target.This selection is then used to properly adjust the Funnel Cue. The selectable wingspan values are wholenumbers between 10 to 150 with a default of 40 feet. The wingspan value is entered by selecting theUFC Option Select Button 14 on the A/A GUNS SMS page. The current wingspan value is displayed asWSPN XXX. With WSPN displayed, the pilot enters a wingspan value using the keypad, followed by theENT key.UFC Option. Press to enable manual wingspan entry using the UFC.Gun rounds RemainingMaster Arm CueGun Round OptionsGun Firing Rate OptionExpected TargetWingspanUFC OptionDCS [F/A-18C]254A/A GUNS HUDThe Hornet has three functional A/A GUN modes:• Radar Not Tracking Mode• Radar Tracking Mode• Training Mode with FEDS cueRadar Not Tracking ModeThe Radar Not Tracking Mode, also called the Funnel Mode, is obtained immediately upon A/A GUNSselection if the RADAR is not already tracking a target or at any time if RADAR track is lost or broken.To use the funnel, fly to place the target aircraft's wings between the funnel such that its wing tips justtouch the sides of the funnel.A fixed range of 2,000 feet is used for the radar not tracking mode lead angle computations. A 12.5-mil diameter stadia metric reticle, corresponding to a target wingspan of 25 feet at this range, isdisplayed on the HUD.Specific symbology to the Radar Not Tracking gun HUD includes:Figure 142. A/A GUNS HUD, Radar Not Tracking Mode[F/A-18C] DCS 255Gun Cross. Displayed when A/A gun is selected. The Gun Cross is centered in azimuth and 2°aboveaircraft waterline to indicate gun boresight.Funnel Cue. The funnel mode is displayed if the RADAR is not tracking the L&S target, or if lock-on isbroken.1,000 Foot Range Cue. A range of 1,000 feet is represented by the pipper.2,000 Foot Range Cue. A range of 2,000 feet is represented by this pipper.GUN Selected and Armed Cue. Indication of the gun being the selected weapon.Gun Round Remaining Indication. Number of gun round remaining.When A/A GUNS is selected, and the RADAR is operating, the RADAR will automatically enter the airto-air Guns Auto Acquisition mode (GACQ). This is a 5-bar elevation scan with 20 degrees of elevationcentered 4 degrees below the RADAR boresight. This scan covers the entire HUD field of view. Thismode also places the RADAR in a 5-mile range setting. When any aerial target flies within this scanzone, it will automatically be locked on to in Single Target Track (STT).Figure 143. A/A GUNS Auto Acquisition AreaGACQ Scan AreaDCS [F/A-18C]256Figure 144. A/A GUNS Acquisition RadarAt any time, you can also select one of the ACM RADAR sub modes. ACM sub modes are selected bypressing the Sensor Control Switch forward. Once in ACM mode, the Sensor Control Switch can selectthree ACM sub modes.• Boresight (BST) Sensor Select switch forward• Vertical Acquisition (VACQ) Sensor Select switch aft• Wide Acquisition (WACQ) Sensor Select switch leftNote 1: When the RADAR is at a 5 nm range setting, ownship airspeed and altitude are displayedinside the RADAR display.Note 2: When in a turning fight, VACQ can often be a good choice to lock up a target above your liftvector.To return to GACQ, select GUNS on the Weapon Select Switch.Radar Tracking ModeRadar Tracking Mode is the primary air-to-air gun mode of the Hornet. Radar Tracking Mode is obtainedimmediately upon gun selection if the RADAR is tracking an aerial target. Valid range, range rate, andangle tracks are required for Radar Tracking Mode operation.ACM Mode Indication GUN in Priority[F/A-18C] DCS 257Once the RADAR is locked on, the Target Designator (TD) indicates the position of the target beingtracked, and target range is displayed on an analog bar on the 50-mil diameter gun reticle along witha maximum firing range cue. Maximum gun firing range corresponds to a maximum bullet time of flightof 1.5 seconds and a minimum impact velocity (bullet Vc) of 500 feet per second or a minimum bulletvelocity (Vb) at impact of 1,000 feet per second, whichever range is less. Maximum firing range ismuch greater head-on than tail-on.An advantage of the Radar Tracking Mode is the use of RADAR track data. The use of track data makesthe lead angle computation dependent only on target motion and the encounter geometry. Thecomputed lead angle is essentially independent of aircraft attitude. The Radar Tracking Mode obtainsfiring solutions quickly since rapid attitude changes have little short-term effect on the required leadangle. As a result, the pilot's task is solely flying to aim the gun reticle since the target tracking functionis being performed by the RADAR.As a further aid to the pilot and for consistency with the missile modes, a SHOOT cue appears if thetarget is within maximum firing range. If the predicted miss distance is less than 20 feet, and all otherfiring constraints (master arm, weight off wheels) are satisfied, the SHOOT CUE comes on. The SHOOTcue includes a 0.5 second anticipation needed for pilot reaction time plus gun delay time. The SHOOTcue remains on until the predicted miss distance exceeds 30 feet.Radar Tracking Mode is automatically selected if A/A GUNS is selected while there is a RADAR lock. Ifthere is no RADAR lock, it will go to Radar Not Tracking Mode.Elements of the A/A GUNS Radar Tracking Mode on the HUD include:DCS [F/A-18C]258Figure 145. A/A GUNS HUD, Radar Tracking ModeGun Reticle. This circle indicates predicted gun impact location based on aircraft maneuvering. RADARlock provides target range data that is included in the reticle. A maximum gun firing range cue isdisplayed on the gun reticle display. It indicates the maximum effective gun firing range. The targetanalog range bar inscribed in the gun reticle shows the current target range as indicated by RADAR ispresented as a circular arc about the gun reticle, the length of which represents the target rangeincreasing clockwise about the reticle. When the arc's clockwise length is less than the position of theGun Maximum Range Cue, the target is within the range of the gun.1G and 9G FORESIGHT Cues. Fluid Omni-Range/Rate Sight (FORSIGHT). The FORSIGHT cuesindicates the targets potential to maneuver. It is made up of two horizontal lines with center tick marks.The upper or longer line represents the targets 1G left or right out-of-plane maneuver capability under1G in-plane loading. The lower or shorter line represents the targets 9G left or right out-of-planemaneuver capability under 9G in-plane loading. The distance between the two FORSIGHT cue linesrepresents the 1G to 9G in-plane maneuver potential for the target. The separation between the 1Gand 9G maneuver potential lines is not limited beyond Rmax (Gun Maximum Range cue). The 1Gmaneuver potential line is limited to the HUD field of view at the same distance from the HUD centerused for the gun reticle. When the 1G maneuver potential line is HUD limited, it is displayed flashing.Gun Cross. The Gun Cross is centered in azimuth and 2°above aircraft waterline to indicate gunboresight.Target Designator (TD)1G Foresight CueGun ReticleTarget Closure andRange9G Foresight CueGun Rounds RemainingGun Cross[F/A-18C] DCS 259Target Designator (TD). This is an indication of target location. If the target is identified as hostile,the box is rotated 45-degrees to create a diamond symbol and an inverted "V" symbol is placed overthe diamond.Target Vc and Range. When a valid RADAR STT track is established on the target, the target rangeand closing rate are displayed in nautical miles (NM) and feet/second. These are displayed in the samelocation as displayed when a missile is the selected weapon. When the target comes within 1NM, therange display reverts to a display of target range in 100's of feet.Gun Rounds Remaining. Gun rounds remaining is displayed next to the GUN legend. XXX is displayedwhen the MC receives the last rounds signal from the SMS.Not pictured:SHOOT Cue. The shoot cue is displayed until target miss distance exceeds 30 feet. The shoot cue isprovided when the below criteria have been satisfied:• A/A Gun is selected• All firing constraints are satisfied• RADAR is in STT on the target• Target is inside gun Rmax for the selected round type (MK-50 or PGU-28)• Target center is within 20 feet of an imaginary line connecting the 1G and 9G pippers of theForesight cue (maximum 20 feet miss distance)BATR Cue. Bullet At Target Range (BATR). The BATR cue displays the real time position of a bullet attarget range. The BATR cue serves as a post-fire or hypothetical bullet hit position cue. The cue isupdated for each bullet fired as the bullet reaches the applicable target range. The cue is displayed onthe HUD when the gun is firing or in SIM mode with the trigger held. The cue is displayed using thegun boreline offset from the target LOS.Target Locator Line. Attached to gun cross, this arrow will point in direction of TD box when TD boxis off the HUD field of view. The number of degrees to the target is also displayed next to the arrow.When the RADAR is locked on to the target while in A/A GUNS in Single Target Track (STT) mode, theRADAR picture will appears as shown below. Note that the GACQ is indicated on the left side as theselected RADAR mode and that your airspeed and altitude are displayed inside the B-scope.While in STT mode, the RADAR will automatically change scale based on the range to the locked target.DCS [F/A-18C]260Figure 146. A/A GUNS Radar, Radar Tracking ModeACM Sub mode Indication. This is a reminder that if an RTS is commanded, it will return to thelast ACM mode.GUN Priority. When gun is the priority weapon, GUN is placed in the top right field of the RADARdisplay.Return To Search (RTS) Indication. When the RADAR is in STT mode, the search mode that isentered when an STT lock is disengaged is displayed.Ownship Airspeed. This is displayed when at a 5 nm RADAR range.Ownship Altitude. This is displayed when at a 5 nm RADAR range.L&S Target. When the target is locked in STT and set as the Launch and Steering (L&S) target, itsair speed in Mach is left and of the star symbol and altitude in thousands of feet to the right. Whentracked in STT, its aspect pointer is displayed as a line coming from the target symbol.Target Range and Closure. The target closure velocity and range is displayed along the right siderange scale.Target ASL. The L&S target will have an Azimuth Steering Line (ASL) running vertically through thetarget symbol.Not pictured:SHOOT Cue. The shoot cue is displayed until target miss distance exceeds 30 feet. The shoot cue isprovided when the below criteria have been satisfied:• A/A Gun is selectedACM Sub modeIndicationGUN PriorityOwnship AirspeedL&S TargetOwnship AltitudeTarget Range and ClosureTarget ASLReturn To Search (RTS)Indication[F/A-18C] DCS 261• All firing constraints are satisfied• RADAR is in STT on the target• Target is inside gun Rmax for the selected round type (MK-50 or PGU-28)• Target center is within 20 feet of an imaginary line connecting the 1G and 9G pippers ofthe Foresight cue (maximum 20 feet miss distance)Training Mode with FEDS CueWith Master Arm set to SAFE and SIM selected from the GUN SMS format, the FEDS cue can bedisplayed on the HUD to provide an indication of where the rounds would land when using funnelmode.Firing Evaluation Display System (FEDS). The FEDS display consists of 2 electronic tracer streamsseparated by target wingspan. The streams are displayed when the gun trigger is depressed to thesecond detent with the Master ARM in TRAIN and it continues as long as the trigger is depressed. FEDSprojects out to a 2 second TOF.Figure 147. FEDS CueFEDS CueDCS [F/A-18C]262AIM-9 Sidewinder Air-to-Air MissileThe AIM-9 is a short-range, infrared-guided missile best used in a dogfight. It is fire-and-forget andcan be used with and without a sensor-slaved lock. The primary indication of a seeker lock is a higherpitched lock tone and the SHOOT cue. The seeker can also be uncaged to ensure the seeker is trackingthe target when it has first been sensor-slaved to the target.Note that the AIM-9 can be decoyed by flares and it's a good idea to ensure you have a good seekerlock before launching an AIM-9 with flares in the seeker field of view.To select the AIM-9, press down on the Weapon Select Switch on the Control Stick [Left Shift + S].Doing so will also automatically activate A/A Master Mode. To launch an AIM-9, press the Trigger onthe Control Stick [Spacebar].AIM-9 on the SMS PageRegardless of which AIM-9 version the pilot selects, the SMS page will appear the same when the AIM9 is selected. The SMS page is accessed through the TAC menu DDI page, or it can automatically becalled up by selecting AIM-9 from the Weapon Select Switch. The selected AIM-9 on the SMS page isindicated by the SEL indication above or below the station. In the case of a dual launcher, it will beindicated as either the L (left) or R (right) rail. For example: L SEL would indicate the left rail in theindication as the priority station.For this Early Access release of DCS: F/A-18C Hornet, we have four versions of the AIM-9. Each has aunique alpha numeric indication on the SMS page.• CATM-9M. This is a training version of the AIM-9 with an inert motor and warhead.Mission Practice: Hornet AIM-9 SidewinderHow to Use the AIM-9 Summary1. Master Arm switch to ARM2. Weapon Select Switch to AIM-93. Select ACM RADAR sub mode4. Flying to place target in the ACM RADAR scan mode, as displayed on the Head-UpDisplay (HUD), over the intended target to lock it on RADAR when at 5 nautical milesor closer5. Fly to place the Steering Dot inside the ASE/NIRD Circle and squeeze the trigger whenyou see the SHOOT cue over the Target Designation (TD) box on the HUD[F/A-18C] DCS 263• AIM-9L = 9L. The first true all-aspect AIM-9 with a more sensitive seeker and limited forwardquarter engagement capability.• AIM-9M = 9M. An improved version of the AIM-9L with improved seeker ability to detect andtrack medium to low aspect targets and improved counter-counter measure capabilities.• AIM-9X = 9X. The current version of the AIM-9 adds high off boresight capability, thrustvectoring, high flare resistance, and greater range.You can cycle through all AIM-9 loaded stations with repeatedly selecting AIM-9 on the Weapon SelectSwitch.Unlike the other air-to-air weapons, there are no unique AIM-9 functions on the SMS page.The SMS page presents the following indications:Figure 148. AIM-9 SMS Page• Missile Form• Selected (SEL) Missile Indication• Unselected Missile Indication• SAFE / ARM Indication• Missile DesignationAIM-9 HUDThere are three primary presentations of the AIM-9 HUD:SAFE / ARM / SIMIndicationSelected (SEL) MissileIndicationMissile DesignationMissile FormDCS [F/A-18C]264• Not locked and no RADAR acquisition mode• Not locked but in a RADAR acquisition mode• RADAR lockedNot Locked and No RADAR Acquisition Mode (Seeker Boresight Mode)When the AIM-9 is selected without a RADAR lock and no RADAR acquisition mode is active, the AIM9 seeker boresight reticle is indicated on the HUD. To use the AIM-9 in this manner, the pilot will flythe aircraft and place the seeker boresight reticle over an aerial target until the audio threshold isexceeded and; the angle of coincidence is no more than 15 degrees of aircraft boresight; and theseeker is uncaged. a high-pitched lock tone is heard. With seeker lock acquired, pulling the trigger onthe Control Stick will launch the missile.When the AIM-9 seeker is locked on a target, it can be uncaged by pressing the Cage/Uncage buttonon the Throttles to allow the seeker lock on and follow the target within the confines of the missileseeker's field of view. This is a useful tool to ensure the seeker is tracking the desired target.Figure 149. AIM-9 HUD, Seeker Boresight1. AIM-9 Seeker Boresight Reticle2. AIM-9 Selected and Armed Cue3. Number of remaining AIM-9This is a stealthy way to conduct an AIM-9 attack as it can be done without use of RADAR.Number of remainingAIM-9AIM-9 Seeker BoresightReticleAIM-9 Selected andArmed Cue[F/A-18C] DCS 265Not Locked but in RADAR Acquisition ModeWhen employing the AIM-9 in close range combat, one of the RADAR Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM)auto acquisition modes can be used to lock a target and then slave the AIM-9 seeker to that target. Toselect the ACM modes, press the Sensor Control Switch forward. Once in ACM mode, three ACM modesare available:• Boresight (BST) Sensor Select switch Sensor Select switch forward• Vertical Acquisition (VACQ) Sensor Select switch aft• Wide Acquisition (WACQ) Sensor Select switch leftThese are explained in greater detail in the RADAR Air-to-Air Modes section of this Early Access Guide.When in an ACM mode, the RADAR will indicate that it is in ACM mode and the specific ACM acquisitionmode.When a target is within the scan zone of the select auto acquisition mode, it will automatically be lockedin a Single Target Track (STT) mode and the HUD will change to the AIM-9 sensor locked target mode.Use the best ACM acquisition mode to match the combat situation.Please refer to the RADAR chapter for an explanation of the RADAR ACM modes.RADAR Locked ModeUpon locking a target with the AIM-9 as the priority weapon, the HUD will change to provide usefulinformation regarding target location, weapon ranges, and other data to assist in a successfulengagement. While the RADAR is in Single Target Track (STT) mode, the RADAR range scale willautomatically be adjusted based on the range to the locked target.Elements of the AIM-9 HUD with RADAR lock include:DCS [F/A-18C]266Figure 150. AIM-9 HUD, Radar Locked Target1. Normalized In-Range Display (NIRD) / Allowable Steering Error (ASE) Circle. TheNIRD circle is centered on the aircraft waterline and relative range markers are displayedinside and outside of the circle. Relative range is calculated from the 12 o'clock position andincreases clockwise. Rather than changing in size of the NIRD/ASE circle based on targetintercept changes, the Steering Dot rate of change is adjusted.2. Relative Target Range. Relative range of the target on the NIRD circle in relation to themissile range cues.3. Minimum Launch Range. Computed minimum launch range for the priority AIM-9.4. Gun Maximum Range. Indicated the maximum range for a valid gun shot and more than12,000 feet. (Coming later in Open Beta)5. No Escape Range (Rne). This is the calculated range at which the target will remain withinmaximum range even if the target turns instantaneously 180 degrees aspect.6. Maximum Launch Range (Rmax). Computed maximum range of the missile against thelocked target.7. Raero. Maximum aerodynamic range is displayed when the launch aircraft has more velocitythan the missile, but the missile is still capable of a 5 G maneuver.8. Target Aspect Angle Pointer. Displays relative target heading.2318914765101113412[F/A-18C] DCS 2679. Steering Dot. The Steering Dot in conjunction with the NIRD/ASE circle indicates lead anglesteering to the locked target. The pilot should fly to place the Steering Dot inside theNIRD/ASE circle to satisfy lead angle computations. The Steering Dot will flash when within15 degrees of the RADAR's azimuth limit and when within 5 degrees of the RADAR's elevationlimit.10. AIM-9 Time of Flight. Displays the calculated time in seconds before launch for missile toreach locked targets. After launch, Time To Go (TTG) and SW suffix are added indicatecalculated missile time to impact.11. ACM Sub mode Cue. ACM is displayed when the system is in an ACM sub mode.12. Target Designator (TD). This box indicates the line of sight between the aircraft and theprimary locked target. If the locked target is outside the HUD field of view, the TD boxflashes. If the target is identified as hostile, the box is rotated 45-degrees to create a diamondsymbol and an inverted "V" symbol is placed over the diamond.13. AIM-9 Seeker Circle. Indicates the seeker head position of the AIM-9. If the seeker ispointed outside the HUD field of view, the circle flashes. When the AIM-9 is slaved to thelocked RADAR target, the TD box and AIM-9 Seeker Circle will coincide.14. Shoot Cue. The word "SHOOT" is displayed above the TD box/diamond when AIM-9 shootconditions are satisfied. If the locked target is in the no escape zone (Rne), the Shoot Cueflashes.With a RADAR lock on the target for an AIM-9 launch, several pieces of important information arepresented on the RADAR display. Much of the information on the RADAR mirrors that on the HUD.Note that when the target is outside the HUD field of view, the Target Locator Line appears and pointsin the direction of the target. Additionally, degrees to the target is displayed next to the arrow.DCS [F/A-18C]268Figure 151. AIM-9 RADAR, RADAR Locked Target1. Return to Search (RTS) indication with RWS to be the return mode2. Priority weapon and number remaining3. Rmax4. Rne5. Rmin6. ASE Circle7. Steering Dot8. Target Closure Velocity and Range9. Breakaway "X"10. Shoot Cue11. Locked target in STT RADAR mode with airspeed in Mach to the left, altitude in thousandsof feet to the right, and velocity vector line. The Star symbol indicates that is the Launchand Steering (L&S) target12. Altitude Differential134952611871012[F/A-18C] DCS 269Note that the range cues on the HUD and attack RADAR mirror each other, but use a differentpresentation format:Figure 152. Weapon Range Cues DCS [F/A-18C]270AIM-7 Sparrow Air-to-Air MissileThe AIM-7 Sparrow is a Semi-Active RADAR Homing (SARH) missile that requires the RADAR to betracking the target in Single Target Track (STT) mode the entire missile time-of-flight (Home-On-Jambeing the exception). The AIM-7 has a large warhead and can engage targets beyond visual range aswell as in close combat. The AIM-7 can be a deadly missile in close combat when combined with theRADAR ACM sub modes.The AIM-7 also has the FLOOD mode that allows it to launch and guide on a non-locked target, and ithas a LOFT option for extended range.To select the AIM-7, push forward on the Weapon Select Switch on the CONTROL STICK [Left Shift+ W]. Selecting AIM-7 will automatically place the Master Mode in A/A.The RADAR must be in Single Target Track (STT) mode in order to support guidance for an AIM-7.This can be done by pressing the Cage/Uncage button less than .8 seconds when there is an L&Starget. Alternatively, you may press right on the Sensor Control switch when the RADAR is on the rightDDI and the target TDC is already over the target on the RADAR.Mission Practice: Hornet AIM-7 SparrowHow to Use the AIM-7 Summary1. Master Arm switch to ARM2. Weapon Select switch to AIM-73. Set TDC to attack RADAR page4. Designate target on RADAR to Single Target Track (STT) or select ACM RADAR submode and fly to place target in ACM RADAR scan mode, as displayed on the Heads UpDisplay (HUD), over the intended target to lock it on RADAR when at 5 nautical milesor closer5. Fly to place the Steering Dot inside the ASE Circle and squeeze the trigger when yousee the SHOOT cue over the Target Designation box on the HUD.[F/A-18C] DCS 271AIM-7 SMS PageWhen selected as the priority weapon, the Stores pages includes the following information andoptions for the AIM-7:Figure 153. AIM-7 SMS PageMissile Symbol. Missile shape indicating AIM-7 loaded on the station.Weapon Type. AIM-7 alphanumeric, which will either be 7F or 7M. The priority AIM-7 will havea SEL below this indication.Target Size Select. Allows selection of missile fuzing based on intended target size. This can becycled between SML, MED, and LRG. When this option button is pressed, each option is shown asa separate Option Select Button across the top of the page.Sparrow Special Mode. This mode is only used for engagement of helicopters. When enabled,HELO appears below the Option Select Button. When disabled, an "X" is through the HELO legend.Sparrow Test. All Sparrows must be tuned before they are employed. The initial tune occurs atthe end of the RADAR Operational Readiness Test and after the SMS has applied power to themissile for approximately three minutes. The three-minute warm-up time begins at the completionof the SMS BIT and weapon inventory. When the tune process begins, the TEST portion of the SPTEST option is boxed. The RADAR provides a missile compatible PDI sample to the missile. TheSMS receives a Missile Ready Signal from each missile that has been successfully tuned. Successfultune of a Sparrow is indicated by the removal of the "X" overlaying the 7F or 7M on the SMS page.(Coming later in Open Beta)Target Size SelectSparrow SpecialModeMissile SymbolWeapon Type Sparrow TestDCS [F/A-18C]272AIM-7, No RADAR TrackingWhen an AIM-7 is the priority weapon and no target has been designated with a sensor, the AIM-7HUD includes the following indicators in addition to the standard air to air mode HUD indications:Figure 154. AIM-7 HUD, No TargetAIM-7 Field of View Circle. Displayed when AIM-7 is in priority but no target has been designated.This also delineates the FLOOD antenna coverage field of view.AIM-7 Type and Quantity. Displays the type of AIM-7 in priority (7M or 7F) and the number of themissile type remaining.FLOOD Indication. If an AIM-7 is launched with no radar lock, the radar and missile will automaticallyenter FLOOD mode as indicated on the HUD. Note that this indication is only visible if an AIM-7 hasbeen launched with no radar lock.FLOOD ModeWith an AIM-7 launch with no radar lock, the radar will change to FLOOD mode and use the illuminationhorn on the radar to illuminate the airspace delineated by AIM-7 ASE circle on the HUD. By flying tokeep a target within this circle, the seeker of the AIM-7 will attempt to lock on to and guide on thenearest target. This is effective out to 10 nm.AIM-7 Field of ViewCircleFLOOD IndicationAIM-7 Type andQuantity[F/A-18C] DCS 273Note that FLOOD mode forces the AIM-7 into pure-pursuit guidance and can be very inefficientagainst crossing targets. FLOOD mode is best used against very high or very low aspect targets.FLOOD mode can be a useful mode in a dogfight when you cannot gain a radar lock.To exit FLOOD mode, press the Undesignate Button.AIM-7 Default Radar SettingsWhen AIM-7 is selected as the priority weapon, the RADAR will default to the followings settingsunless a SET profile was already created:• 140-degree azimuth• 4-bar elevation scan• 40 nm range• 8 seconds aging• Interleaved PRFWhen the AIM-7 is the priority weapon but no target has been designated, the RADAR includes thefollowing information:DCS [F/A-18C]274Figure 155. AIM-7 Radar, No LockAIM-7, RADAR TrackingWith an L&S trackfile created for a target, additional engagement information is displayed on the HUDand RADAR. As with the AIM-9 sensor-locked mode, this additional information includes multipleweapon range cues, target closure and aspect, target range, and other information to help provide asuccessful AIM-7 engagement.If though the target is being tracked but not in Single Track Target (STT) mode, a "GO STT" cue isdisplayed on the HUD to remind the pilot to achieve an STT lock before launching the missile.Components of the AIM-7 HUD with a RADAR-locked target include:Range While Search Mode AIM-7 in Priority, SAFE[F/A-18C] DCS 275Figure 156. AIM-7 HUD with L&S Target1. Normalized In-Range Display (NIRD) / Allowable Steering Error (ASE) Circle. TheNIRD circle is centered on the aircraft waterline and relative range markers are displayedinside and outside of the circle. Relative range is calculated from the 12 o'clock position andincreases clockwise.Rather than changing in size of the NIRD/ASE circle based on target intercept changes, theSteering Dot rate of change is adjusted.12634105798111213DCS [F/A-18C]2762. Relative Target Range. Relative range of the target on the NIRD circle in relation to themissile range cues.3. Minimum Launch Range. Computed minimum launch range for the priority AIM-7.4. No Escape Range (Rne). This is the calculated range at which the target will remain withinmaximum range even if the target turns instantaneously 180 degrees aspect.5. Maximum Launch Range (Rmax). Computed maximum range of the missile against alocked, non-maneuvering target.6. Raero. Maximum aerodynamic range is displayed when the launch aircraft has more velocitythan the missile, but the missile is still capable of a 5 G maneuver.7. Target Aspect Angle Pointer. Displays relative target heading.8. Steering Dot. The Steering Dot in conjunction with the NIRD/ASE circle indicates lead anglesteering to the locked target. Fly to place the Steering Dot inside the NIRD/ASE circle tosatisfy lead angle computations. The Steering Dot will flash when within 15 degrees of theRADAR's azimuth limit and when within 5 degrees of the RADAR's elevation limit.9. AIM-7 Time of Flight. Displays the calculated time in seconds for missile to reach thelocked target. After launch, Time To Go (SP TTG) suffix is added indicate calculated missiletime to impact.10. Target Designator (TD). This box/diamond indicates the line of sight between the aircraftand the primary locked target. If the locked target is outside the HUD field of view, the TDbox flashes. A "GO STT" cue is displayed below the TD if the RADAR is not tracking the targetin Single Track Target mode.If RADAR tracking on the target is lost, the TD box will be hashed to indicate the RADAR isin memory (MEM) mode and extrapolating its position to reacquire it.If the target is identified as hostile, the box is rotated 45-degrees to create a diamond symboland an inverted "V" symbol is placed over the diamond.11. Breakaway X. Displayed when range to target is less than Minimum Range Cue.12. Gun Maximum Range. Indicates the maximum range for a valid gun shot and more than12,000 feet. (Coming later in Open Beta)13. Shoot Cue. The word SHOOT is displayed above the TD box when AIM-7 shoot conditionsare satisfied. If the locked target is in the no escape zone (Rne), the Shoot Cue flashes.Note that when the target is outside the HUD field of view, the Target Locator Line appears andpoints in the direction of the target.Additionally, degrees to the target is displayed next to the arrow.AIM-7 with L&S TargetWith an AIM-7 as the priority weapon and the target locked in STT on the RADAR, the RADAR providesthe following useful information that is pertinent to an AIM-7 engagement:[F/A-18C] DCS 277Figure 157. AIM-7 RADAR with L&S Target1. Return to Search (RTS) Indication. Single Track Target (STT) mode with Return ToSearch (RTS) indication.2. FLOOD Indication. This field will display the FLOOD indication when the AIM-7 iscommanded to FLOOD mode. (Coming later in Open Beta)3. Selected Weapon and Number Remaining. AIM-7 as Priority Weapon and RemainingNumber.4. Target Range and Closure Indication. The range of the target is indicated in referenceto the range scale and selected RADAR range display setting. Left of the caret, closurevelocity (Vc) is indicated.5. Memory Mode indication and Memory Track Time. If the RADAR loses track on thetarget, it will automatically enter memory (MEM) mode. During this period, the RADAR willattempt to reacquire the target and the amount of time the RADAR is in memory mode isdisplayed in seconds to the right. (Coming later in Open Beta)6241978111591213101323181716142021225DCS [F/A-18C]2786. Shoot and Lost Cue. When the target is within Rmax range, the Shoot Cue appears assolid. When the target range is within Rne, the Shoot Cue flashes.7. Missile Time of Flight. This indicates the estimated Time Of Flight for the un-launchedmissile to reach the locked target. Once the missile has been launched, the missile fly-outindication displays missile time to go.8. Rmin. Calculated minimum launch distance.9. Rne. Calculated no escape distance.10. Rmax. Calculated maximum range distance.11. AIM-7 Fly-Out indication and Time to Go. Graphically displays the fly-out of the AIM-7and the estimated Time To Go (TTG) until target intercept.12. AIM-7 Max Seeker Range Cue. This small circle appears on the azimuth steering linewhen the AIM-7 is in STT and LOFT is selected. The cue indicates the range at which theAIM-7 Semi-Active RADAR Homing (SARH) seeker can guide of RADAR illumination off thelocked target. If LOFT is not selected, the cue only appears when the SARH seeker range isless than the target range and the target is between Rmin and Rmax. (Coming later in OpenBeta)13. Locked Target. Around the L&S star symbol, target information is displayed that includesAcceleration Vector, Target Aspect Angle Pointer, Tracked Target indication, Target Altitudein thousands of feet, and Target Airspeed in Mach.The Acceleration Vector is displayed in the direction of acceleration, perpendicular to thetarget heading vector when the target exceeds 3 Gs. The length of the Acceleration Vectorlengthens with greater target G.14. Allowable Steering Error (ASE) Circle. Static ASE circle for the AIM-7.15. Steering Dot. In conjunction with the ASE circle, the Steering Dot indicates lead anglesteering to the locked target. Fly to place the Steering Dot inside the ASE circle to satisfylead angle computations. The Steering Dot will flash when within 15 degrees of the RADAR'sazimuth limit and when within 5 degrees of the RADAR's elevation limit.16. Air-to-Air Waypoint with North Arrow. This is only displayed when selected from theHSI A/AWP option and the waypoint is within the RADAR's field of view. (Coming later inOpen Beta)17. Target Bearing and Range to Air-to-Air Waypoint. If an air-to-air waypoint has beencreated from the HSI/DATA/A/C sublevel, the bearing and range to that waypoint is indicatedin this field. (Coming later in Open Beta)18. Target Heading. Flight heading of the L&S target.19. Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR). When enabled, the RADAR will attemptto identify the L&S target based on unique RADAR reflections. (Coming later in Open Beta)20. Rloft. Maximum range using a LOFT launch.21. Pulse Doppler Illuminator (PDI) indication. When the AIM-7 is launched, it requiresPDI illumination to track the target. PDI is displayed when this illumination occurs.22. Target Altitude Differential. Displays the difference in altitude between the target andownship in thousands of feet.[F/A-18C] DCS 27923. Maximum Aspect Cue. This cue can range from 1 to 18 and indicates shot quality. Thehigher the number, the great probability of missile intercept.AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-AirMissile (AMRAAM)The AIM-120 AMRAAM is an Active Radar-Homing (ARH) air-to-air missile that can self-guide to a targetusing the miniaturized-radar in its nose cone. The missile can also be guided by the Hornet's radar inboth Single Target Track (STT) and Designated Track While Scan (DTWS) modes. Because of the activeseeker, the Hornet pilot can engage multiple targets at once and not be restricted to supporting themissile its entire time of flight.The AIM-120 is a medium range missile and can engage targets outside 20 nm. However, engagementrange is highly dependent on target aspect, engagement altitude, launch speed, and post-launchmaneuvers of the target. As such, the engagement range of the AIM-120 can be less than 10 nm insome situations.In close range air combat, the AIM-120 can also be launched in VISUAL mode with no need of supportfrom the Hornet's radar. Once the missile is launched, it will seek out the first target it detects withinthe AIM-120 reticle on the HUD. Be careful of friendlies!To select the AIM-120, push right on the Weapon Select Switch on the CONTROL STICK [Left Shift+ D]. Selecting AIM-120 will automatically place the Master Mode in A/A.Mission Practice: AIM-120B/C PracticeHow to Use the AIM-120 Summary1. Master Arm switch to ARM2. Weapon Select switch to AIM-1203. Set TDC to attack RADAR page4. Designate target on RADAR to Single Target Track (STT) or select ACM RADARsub mode and fly to place target in ACM RADAR scan mode, as displayed on theHeads-Up Display (HUD), over the intended target to lock it on RADAR when at 5nautical miles or closer5. Fly to place the Steering Dot inside the ASE Circle and squeeze the trigger whenyou see the SHOOT cue over the Target Designation box on the HUD.DCS [F/A-18C]280AIM-120 SMS PageWhen selected as the priority weapon, the Stores pages includes the following information andoptions for the AIM-120:Figure 158. AIM-120 Stores PageMissile Symbol. Missile shape indicating AIM-120 loaded on the station. Up to two AIM-120 can beloaded on stations 2, 3, 7, and 8. Below the symbol(s), the type of AIM-120 is indicated as AB for AIM120B and AC as AIM-120C.Selected Station. The selected AIM-120 is indicated by "SEL" displayed below the missile symbol(s)and name. If a dual launcher station is selected, the selection indication is displayed as "R SEL" forselection of the right missile rail on the station, or "L SEL" for the left missile rail.Step Selected Station. Successive pressing of pushbutton 13 cycles each station an AIM-120 isloaded. Upon reaching the last station, the selection process wraps back to the currently selectedstation.Target Size Select. Allows selection of missile fuzing based on intended target size. This can becycled between SML (small), MED (medium), and LRG (large). When this pushbutton is pressed, eachoption is shown as a separate pushbutton across the top of the Stores page.Target Size SelectTarget Radar CrossSectionSelected StationWeapon SymbolStep SelectedStation[F/A-18C] DCS 281Target Radar Cross Section. Allows selection of missile radar seeker priority based on the radarcross section of the intended target. This can be cycled between SML, MED, and LRG. When thispushbutton is pressed, each option is shown as a separate pushbutton across the top of the Storespage.In addition to STEPPING through stations to select and AIM-120, repeated presses of the AIM-120select switch on the control stick via the Weapon Selection switch will cycle through AIM-120 stations.AIM-120, No RADAR TrackingWhen an AIM-120 is selected and no target has been designated with a sensor, the AIM-120 HUDincludes the following indicators in addition to the standard air to air mode HUD indications:Figure 159. AIM-120 HUD, No TargetAIM-120 Field of View Circle. Displayed when AIM-120 is selected but no target has beendesignated. This also delineates the field of view of the AIM-120 antenna for a VISUAL launch.AIM-120 Type and Quantity. Displays the type of AIM-120 in priority (AB or AC) and the number ofthe missile type remaining.AIM-120 VISUAL Mode Indication. When there is no target being track by a sensor that can slavethe AIM-120, the system is in VISUAL mode as indicated in the bottom center of the HUD. Whenlaunched in this mode, the AIM-120 will engage the first target detected by its onboard radar uponleaving the launch rail.AIM-120 VisualMode IndicationAIM-120 Type andQuantityAIM-120 Field ofView CircleDCS [F/A-18C]282When AIM-120 is selected, the RADAR will default to the followings settings unless a SET profile wasalready created:• 140-degree azimuth• 2-bar elevation scan• 40 nm range• 4 seconds aging• Interleaved PRFWhen the AIM-120 is selected but no target has been designated, the RADAR appears as shown below.The only unique element is the weapon name and quantity indication.Figure 160. AIM-120 Radar, No LockAIM-120, RADAR Tracking Pre-LaunchWith an L&S trackfile created for a target, additional engagement information is displayed on the HUDand RADAR to support an AIM-120 launch. As with the AIM-7 sensor-locked mode, this additionalinformation includes multiple weapon range cues, target closure and aspect, target range, and otherinformation to help provide a successful AIM-120 engagement. The primary difference being that theAIM-120 Type andQuantity[F/A-18C] DCS 283AIM-120 does not require an STT lock during the entire missile fly-out to intercept. Instead, once theAIM-120 seeker goes active, the player no longer needs to keep a radar lock on the target.Let's take a look at the HUD and RADAR when a target has been locked with an AIM-120 selected.Figure 161. AIM-120 HUD with Radar Lock, Pre-Launch1. Normalized In-Range Display (NIRD) / Allowable Steering Error (ASE) Circle. TheNIRD circle is centered on the aircraft waterline and relative range markers are displayedinside and outside of the circle. Relative range is calculated from the 12 o'clock position andincreases clockwise. Rather than changing in size of the NIRD/ASE circle based on targetintercept changes, the Steering Dot rate of change is adjusted.2. Relative Target Range. Relative range of the target on the NIRD circle in relation to themissile range cues.3. Minimum Launch Range (Rmin). Computed minimum launch range for the priority AIM120.4. No Escape Range (Rne). This is the calculated range at which the target will remain withinmaximum range even if the target turns instantaneously 180 degrees aspect.5. Maximum Launch Range (Rmax). Computed maximum range of the missile against alocked, non-maneuvering target.6. Target Aspect Angle Pointer. Displays relative target heading.7. Steering Dot. The Steering Dot in conjunction with the NIRD/ASE circle indicates lead anglesteering to the locked target. Fly to place the Steering Dot inside the NIRD/ASE circle to613457928DCS [F/A-18C]284satisfy lead angle computations. The Steering Dot will flash when within 15 degrees of theRADAR's azimuth limit and when within 5 degrees of the RADAR's elevation limit.8. AIM-120 Time to Active (ACT) / Time To Go (TTG). Displays the calculated time inseconds for missile to be in range to track the target with its onboard seeker. Upon reachingACT, this fields changes to Time To Go until it is estimated the AIM-120 will reach the target.9. Target Designator (TD). This box/diamond indicates the line of sight between the aircraftand the locked target. If the locked target is outside the HUD field of view, the TD boxflashes.a. If RADAR tracking on the target is lost, the TD box will be hashed to indicate theRADAR is in memory (MEM) mode and extrapolating its position to reacquire it.b. If the target is identified as hostile, the box is rotated 45-degrees to create adiamond symbol.Not pictured:Raero. Maximum aerodynamic range is displayed when the launch aircraft has more velocity thanthe missile, but the missile is still capable of a 5 G maneuver. This appears as a diamond symbolon the outside of the NIRD circle (not pictured).Breakaway X. Displayed when range to target is less than Minimum Range Cue.Shoot Cue. The word SHOOT is displayed above the TD box when AIM-120 shoot conditions aresatisfied. If the locked target is in the no escape zone (Rne), the Shoot Cue flashes.Target Locator Line. When the target is outside the HUD field of view, the Target Locator Lineappears and points in the direction of the target. Additionally, degrees to the target is displayednext to the arrow.[F/A-18C] DCS 285Figure 162. AIM-120 Radar with Radar Lock, Pre-LaunchTarget Range and Closure Indication. The range of the target is indicated in reference to therange scale and selected RADAR range display setting. Left of the caret, closure velocity (Vc) isindicated.AIM-120 Minimum Range. Calculated minimum launch distance.AIM-120 No Escape Range. Calculated no escape distance.AIM-120 Maximum Range. Calculated maximum range distance.Locked Target. Around the L&S star symbol, target information is displayed that includesAcceleration Vector, Target Aspect Angle Pointer, Tracked Target indication, Target Altitude inthousands of feet, and Target Airspeed in Mach.The Acceleration Vector is displayed in the direction of acceleration, perpendicular to the targetheading vector when the target exceeds 3 Gs. The length of the Acceleration Vector lengthenswith greater target G.Allowable Steering Error Circle. Static ASE circle for the AIM-120. Fly to place the steeringdot within the ASE circle to increase probability of a kill.AIM-120 MaximumRangeAIM-120 No EscapeRangeAIM-120 Time ofFlightLocked TargetAllowable SteeringError CircleMaximum AspectCueAIM-120 MinimumRangeTarget AltitudeDifferentialTarget Range andClosureSteering DotDCS [F/A-18C]286Target Altitude Differential. Displays the difference in altitude between the target and ownshipin thousands of feet.Maximum Aspect Cue. This cue can range from 1 to 18 and indicates shot quality. The higherthe number, the great probability of missile intercept.AIM-120 Time of Flight. This indicates the estimated Time Of Flight for the un-launched missileto reach the locked target. Once the missile has been launched, the missile fly-out indicationdisplays missile time to go.Steering Dot. This small, solid dot provides a reference to required target lead based on the ASEcircle. Flying to place the Steering Dot inside the ASE circle allows the AIM-120 to pull less G atlaunch and thereby have more energy to intercept the target.Not pictured aboveShoot and Lost Cue. When the target is within Rmax range, the Shoot Cue appears as solid.When the target range is within Rne, the Shoot Cue flashes.AIM-120, RADAR Tracking Post-LaunchUpon launch of an AIM-120 against a designated target, additional information becomes available onthe HUD and RADAR as described below.[F/A-18C] DCS 287Figure 163. AIM-120 Radar Tracking, Post Launch HUDAIM-120 Time To Go (TTG). Displays the calculated time in seconds for missile to be in range totrack the target with its onboard seeker. Upon reaching ACT, this fields changes to Time To Go until itis estimated the AIM-120 will reach the target.AIM-120 Time ToGoDCS [F/A-18C]288Figure 164. AIM-120 Radar Tracking, Post Launch HUDFly-Out and Time to Go. Graphically displays the fly-out of the AIM-120 and the estimated TimeTo Go (TTG) until target intercept. This appears as a pyramid on the Azimuth Steering Line to thetarget. Prior to AIM-120 seeker activation, the time is seconds until activation is displayed. Uponseeker activation, an "A" is displayed.Range While Search Return. Pressing the RWS on pushbutton 5 discontinues the Single TargetTrack (STT) and returns the radar to the RWS mode. You may also exit the lock to search bypressing the Undesignate button [S].Not pictured:Memory Mode indication and Memory Track Time. If the RADAR loses track on the target,it will automatically enter memory (MEM) mode. During this period, the RADAR will attempt toreacquire the target and the amount of time the RADAR is in memory mode is displayed inseconds to the right.Fly-Out and TimeTo GoRange While SearchReturn[F/A-18C] DCS 289Helmet Mounted Display (HMD)The Joint Helmet Mounted Cuing System (JHCMS) is a bolt-on kit to the flight helmetthat always allows the pilot to view aircraft and weapon information. It also allows theslaving of sensors and weapons to the helmet's line of sight. This is a particularly effectivesystem when paired with the AIM-9X high off-boresight dogfight missile. The helmet canslave weapons and sensor up to 80 degrees off boresight.HMD POWERPower to the HMD is selected from the HMD control knob on the right instrument panel.Rotating the knob clockwise from the OFF position to BRT (brightness) provides powerto the HMD. Continued clockwise rotation increases HMD brightness.HMD BIT TESTThe JHMCS BIT test is activated from the DISPLAYS BIT by pressing pushbutton 11.Once the HMD BIT is started, IN TEST is displayed for the HMD BIT status indication.This and the four test patterns will be displayed until the BIT STOP pushbutton ispressed.• If STOP is pressed before all patterns are displayed, DEGD will be displayed.• If STOP is pressed after all patterns are displayed, GO will be displayed.Note that the HMD BIT is not required. Upon being turned on, the HMD will operate normally.DCS [F/A-18C]290Figure 165. HMD Built in Test (BIT)HMD Format DDI PageOn the Support (SUPT) the HMD legend is located at pushbutton 13. Upon selection, the HMD FormatPage is displayed with the following functions:HMD BIT [F/A-18C] DCS 291Figure 166. HMD SUPT PageBRT (Brightness) Control. Pushbutton 11 controls the brightness of HMD (in conjunction with theHMD knob). Successive presses of this pushbutton cycle through DAY, NIGHT, and AUTO.• DAY. Full brightness• NIGHT: ½ brightness• AUTO: Automatic adjustment of brightness for best visibilityHMD REJECT. As with the HUD, the pilot can declutter the HMD display with successive presses ofpushbutton 7. They cycle through NORM, REJ 1, and REJ 2. The selected reject option is displayed asthe legend below pushbutton 7.With the switch placed to NORM, the normal amount of symbology is provided for all HUD displays.Placing the switch to REJ 1 removes aircraft Mach number, aircraft G's, bank angle and pointer, airspeedbox, altitude box, peak positive G, and required ground speed cue from the HUD. Placing the switch toREJ 2 removes all REJ 1 symbology plus the heading scale, current heading indication (caret/T),command heading marker, NAV/TACAN range, and the ET / CD timer.The reject settings can further be modified with the Reject Setup sub-level.HMD AUTOMATIC BLANKING. When enabled, automatic blanking is enabled. This is done by boxingthe BLNK at pushbutton 12.To avoid duplication of HMD symbology when the player is also looking through the HUD, much ofthe HMD symbology is removed in such a circumstance. This is termed automatic blanking.HMD Reject HMD BrightnessHMD Auto BlankingDCS [F/A-18C]292• When in air-to-air master mode, only the following is displayed:o AIM-9 seeker reticleo Radar boresight circleo Aiming crosso HMD line of sight elevationo Target designation boxo Locator lineThis will result in some "ghosting" of duplicate symbology. This can be removed with manualblanking.• When in air-to-ground mode, all HMD symbology is removed except the aiming cross andHMD line of sight elevation.• When in navigation mode, only the HMD aiming cross is still displayed.Additionally, HMD manual blanking can be toggled by pressing the RECCE button on the control stick.When enabled, all HMD symbology is hidden.REJECT SETUP. From pushbutton 19, the pilot can further filter the information displayed based onthe reject level selected. Up and down arrows at pushbuttons 4 and 5 allow the selection of HMDelements. The selected element becomes boxed for reject editing. When selected pressing 1 atpushbutton 2 sets the item to appear in reject level 2, pressing pushbutton 2 sets the item to rejectlevel 2, and pressing pushbutton 3 enables the item to be visible on all reject levels.[F/A-18C] DCS 293Figure 167. HMD Reject Setup Sub LevelBASIC HMD INFORMATIONThe basic features of the HMD can be illustrated in the non-designated mode. All features apply to allHMD modes:DCS [F/A-18C]294Figure 168. NORMAL HMD Mode1. Helmet heading. Digital heading indication (XXX) of where helmet is pointed. As with theHUD, command heading marks and steering diamond are displayed along the heading tape.2. Aircraft heading. Mirrors HUD heading.3. LOS elevation. Indication line of sight above the horizon in degrees. + and – indicationsare used before the value.4. Altitude and Vertical Velocity. Duplication of the HUD barometric or radar altitude withthe vertical velocity value above.5. Calibrated Airspeed. Duplication of the HUD airspeed.6. Angle of Attack, Mach, and G. Duplication of the Angle of Attack, Mach, and current/peekG.7. Dynamic Aiming Cross. While in A/A mode in the HMD, the aiming cross can be in one ofthree location on the HMD, based on HMD view angle.• When HMD LOS is 0 degrees of less above the stabilized horizon, the aiming cross iscentered in the HMD.• When HMD LOS is between 0 and 30 degrees above stabilized horizon, the aiming crossis centered between the airspeed and altitude indicators on the HMD.• When HMD LOS is greater than 30 degrees above stabilized horizon, the aiming crossis centered above the heading tape on the HMD.A/A AIM-9 Undesignated TargetWhen A/A mode is selected and an air to air missile is selected, much of the symbology is consistent:1275634[F/A-18C] DCS 295Figure 169. HMD A/A, No Target1. Seeker FOV. This 5-degree reticle indicates the seeker FOV that it will search if uncaged.2. Dynamic Aiming Cross.3. Weapon and quantity. The SMS code of the selected weapon and number remaining.A/A AIM-9 Self-TrackTo visually designate a target for the AIM-9 seeker, adjust your view to place the seeker FOV over thetarget and press and HOLD the Cage/Uncage button on the throttle [C]. Once an AIM-9 seeker istracking a target and the seeker is uncaged, the seeker reticle will self-track the target. This is indicatedby the smaller seeker FOV reticle and the higher-pitched lock tone of the AIM-9 seeker.AIM-120 and AIM-7 UndesignatedAs with the HUD, the AIM-120 and AIM-7 field of view reticles are displayed on the HMD when theweapons are selected. These are in reference to FLOOD (AIM-7) and VISUAL (AIM-120) modes.Neither weapon seeker can be slaved to HMD line of sight.312DCS [F/A-18C]296HMD ACM ModesWhen in an ACM mode and the HMD is active, the radar will use either Helmet Acquisition (HACQ)mode or Long-Range Helmet Acquisition (LACQ) mode. The ACM mode must first be selected toBoresight (BST) mode. These are selected by:• HACQ: Sensor Control Switch forward for less than 800ms• LACQ: Sensor Control Switch forward for greater than 800msFigure 170. HMD ACM ModeUsing the HMD line of sight, the radar will center its scan on this location. As the HMD line of sightmoves, this is reflected on the radar page elevation caret and azimuth indicator B-sweep line. This isin reference to the horizon, not the aircraft.• HACQ: Auto acquisition of targets out to 10 nm that are within the reticle using MPRF.• LACQ: Auto acquisition of targets out to 40 nm that are within the reticle using MPRF.HACQ / LACQIndicationHACQ / LACQReticle[F/A-18C] DCS 297If attempting to slew the radar outside of radar gimbal limits, the HACQ/LACQ symbol will flash.To break an ACM HMD lock, press the undesignated button.A/A Designated TargetOnce an AA target has been locked on radar, new data becomes available:Figure 171. HMD A/A. Locked Target, Outside FOV1. Target Designator (TD) box. Displays line of sight to location of locked target. If outside theHMD FOV, the TD box will be clamped to the end of the FOV that is closest to the center cross.2. Closure and Range of Target. Closure can is displayed as a Vc (XXX) value that can be negative.Below is the range to target in nm as X.X RNG.3. Target Locator Line (TLL). When the designated air target is outside the HMD display, the TLLwill be drawn from the aiming cross to the target, with angle off to the target displayed above theaiming cross. The length of the TLL is proportional to the angle between target location and HMD line15423DCS [F/A-18C]298of sight (angle as indicated above the aiming cross). The greater the angle, the longer the TLL. TheTLL is not displayed with the angle is less than 10 degrees.4. Sensor. Indication of the sensor being used to track the target, will indicate RADAR.5. Normalized in Range Display (NIRD) circle. This is a 6-degree diameter circle that is centeredin the HMD. Outside of the circle are indications of the missile range envelope. If target tracking isapproaching radar gimbal limits, the NIRD will flash. If the target is closer than the Rmin, an X willflash over the NIRD. Same as NIRD on HUD, including target aspect indication.Once the target is inside the HMD FOV:Figure 172. HMD A/A. Locked Target, Inside FOV1. Seeker LOS. The seeker LOS reticle will overlay the TD box, indicating that the seeker is locked tothe same radar target.SHOOT cue. If the target is in valid shot parameters (indicated on NIRD), then the SHOOT cue willappear over the seeker LOS reticle. Same logic as HUD. Not pictured.1[F/A-18C] DCS 299HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMSAs this is Digital COMBAT Simulator, you will often find yourself as the target of enemy weapon systems.The Hornet includes several defensive systems to assist you in your fight to keep alive that includesexpendable countermeasures of chaff and flares and Electronic Countermeasures (ECM).The lower console instrument group is dominated by the countermeasures dispensing system. Thissystem provides protection against tracking RADAR, air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. Protection isprovided by ejecting chaff, flare, or jammer payloads (GEN-X).The ALQ-165 Airborne Self Protection Jammer (ASPJ) is the onboard Electronic Countermeasure (ECM)system. The ALQ-165 detects and deceives threat pulse fire control and guidance RADARs and has fouroperating modes: standby, receive, transmit, and built in test. This ECM system detects, processes,and transmits a simulated target echo for deception when a RADAR signal is received. The simulatedechoes are recognized by the enemy RADAR as true target returns. Tracking RADAR then tracks a falsetarget and breaks lock from the true target. Threat RADAR indications are indicated as both lights andthe RADAR Warning Receiver.Mission Practice: Hornet Defensive SystemsDCS [F/A-18C]300 HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMSIntegrated Countermeasures Control Panel(ICMCP)The ICMCP replaces the old ALR-39 panel and moves many of the control functions to the DDI EWpage.Figure 173. Integrated Countermeasures Control PanelElements of the ICMCP include:Dispenser Jettison Button. Pressing this button releases all chaff and flares onboard. This switchonly works with no weight on wheels and the button will illuminate when pressed.Dispenser Mode Select Switch. This switch has three positions:• OFF: Turns the CMDS power off and ALE-47 legend on the EW page has an X through it.However, the ECM JETT button will still function.• BYPASS. This selection bypasses the countermeasure programmer and will release a singlechaff or single flare based on the HOTAS countermeasure release command. When set tobypass, the ALE-47 indication on the DDI EW page will have a dash through it and the EWpage BIT element will indicate NOT RDY.Dispenser JettisonASPJ Power and mode SelectorDispenser Mode SelectSwitch[F/A-18C] DCS 301• ON: When set to on, there is a five second warm up period and a BIT is conducted. Afterfive seconds, it is ready for operation. When in ON mode, the release modes of STBY,MAN, SEMI, and AUTO can be selected.o When first set to ON, SF TEST will appear for five seconds below the EW legendson the DDI EW page. After which, PBIT GO will be displayed for ten seconds. Oncethat is complete, OFF or the selected mode will be displayed.Figure 174. ASPJ annunciator panel DCS [F/A-18C]302 HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMSEW PageFigure 175. EW PageAt the bottom of the countermeasure panel is the control indicator. This panel has the followingfunctions:ASPJ Power and Mode Indicator. Based on the setting of the ALQ-165 ASPJ Power and ModeSelector, the ASPJ legend will an OFF below it when the ASPJ is set to OFF. When set to one of theother four modes, the mode is displayed below the ASPJ legend: XMIT, REC, STBY, or BIT. (Cominglater in early access)Chaff Indicator. This field indicates the number of chaff bundles remaining. A box is placed over thenumber when a chaff bundle is released.Flare Indicator. This field indicates the number of flares remaining. A box is placed over the numberwhen a flare is released.ALE-47 Power and Program Indicator. When the dispenser switch is set to ON, the selected releaseprogram type is displayed below the ALE-47 legend. There are 6 manual (MAN) programs that can bestored and edited. Semi-Automatic (S/A) and Automatic modes (AUTO) are also available that willASPJ Power Mode IndicatorChaff IndicatorFlare IndicatorEW PowerALE-47 Power and ProgramIndicatorArmEW ModeHUD EWALE-47 Program STEP[F/A-18C] DCS 303select a program to match the threat and allow the pilot to initiate a program (S/A) or have the CMDSinitiate a program automatically (AUTO). To select manual (MAN) programs, successive presses of theSTEP OSB will cycle through the programs and the name of the selected program will be displayedbelow the ALE-47 legend (i.e. MAN 5). If semi-automatic mode is selected, S/A will be displayed and ifautomatic mode is selected AUTO will be displayed.If the ALE-47 is powered off from the ICMCP panel, then OFF will be displayed below the ALE-47legend.When first set to ON, SF TEST will appear for five seconds below the EW legends on the DDI BIT page.After which, PBIT GO will be displayed (EW BIT complete). Once the BIT is completed, the OFF legendis removed.Pressing the ALE-47 OSB should box the ALE-47 legend and the C, F, O1, and O2 indications shouldappear on the along the top of the EW DDI page with the following values: C 14, F 18, O1 14, and O214.When the dispensers are set to Bypass, the legend will have a dash through it.EW Power. Indicates power status of the ALR-67(V) system based on the Control Indicator Panelpower button. When un-powered, the EW legend has OFF below it. Also, when disabled, the EW mode,offset, limit, and HUD status indications on the EW page are removed.HUD EW. Displays EW contact symbols to the HUD when boxed.EW MODE. Successive presses of the mode OSB will cycle through the EW mode options:• STBY. The CMDS has power but cannot dispense countermeasures except for EW JETT.• MAN. Up to six manual programs can be selected and programmed using the PROG sublevel. Only on MAN mode are the STEP and PROG OSB options visible.• S/A. The CMDS will choose from a library to select the best program against the primarythreat. The pilot though must consent to initiate the program. (Coming later in Open Beta)• AUTO. The CMDS will choose from a library to select the best program against the primarythreat. The CMDS will automatically initiate the program. (Coming later in Open Beta)ARM. When the ALE-47 OSB is pressed and boxed, the ARM legend is displayed. When the ARM OSBis pressed, the SAVE OSB will appear next to the STEP OSB. Additionally, new manual programmingoptions will appear. To create a manual program, pressing the ARM OSB displays the CMDS PROG sublevel. Successive presses of the STEP OSB will cycle through the five, manual programs. The selectedprogram can be seen in the center of the page (CMDS PROG x). Along the left side of the page, OSBsto select chaff (CHAF), flares (FLAR), GEN-X decoys (OTH1 and OTH2), release repeat (RRT), andrelease internal (INT) parameters are displayed. Pressing one of these OSBs will box the legend andthereby select it for programming. Using the up and down arrows on the right side of the page, youmay adjust the value of the selected program element. The value for each program element is displayedin the center of the page. Once complete, pressing the SAVE OSB will have the parameters to theselected program and pressing the RTN (return) OSB will return to the main EW page.DCS [F/A-18C]304 HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMSFigure 176. EW ProgramsALE-47 Program STEP. Manual programs can be cycles through (1-6) with successive presses of theSTEP OSB. The selected program number is indicated below the ALE-47 legend at the top of the page.The primary means for dispensing chaff and flares is with the countermeasures dispense switch on thethrottle.• Flare / Rear. Releases one flare from each of the left and right dispensers that contain aflare in a group of 10.• Chaff / Forward. Released one chaff burst.Azimuth IndicatorDetected RADARs by the ALR-67(V) are displayed on the Azimuth Indicator (aka RADAR WarningReceiver) and on the HUD when enabled.[F/A-18C] DCS 305Figure 177. Azimuth IndicatorWhen a RADAR emitter is detected, the ALR-67(V) Azimuth Indicator visually indicates the RADARsignal source with a coded symbol. The coded symbol indicates the type of emitter detected, and itsposition on the azimuth indicator indicates the relative bearing to the emitter. The ALR-67(V) systemdetects multiple emitters and provides relative bearing to each emitter. Audio tones are produced asan advisory for emitter, or BIT status change. This will mirror the DDI EW page.The emitter and status display is shown on the azimuth indicator when power is applied to the ALR67(V) system. When an emitter is detected and analyzed by the ALR-67 system, an alphanumericsymbol representing the emitter is displayed. Certain types of emitters, when detected, are assignedunique alphanumeric symbols for display.The azimuth position of the displayed emitter symbol represents the relative bearing of the emitterwith respect to the nose of the aircraft. As an example, the image above shows a naval threatenhancement (boat symbol) at 40 degrees.The display area of the azimuth indicator is divided into four unique areas listed below:• Critical band• Lethal band• Nonlethal band• Status circleDisplay EdgeLethal BandCritical BandNon-Lethal Threat BandSystem Status Circle(With Areas I, II and III)DCS [F/A-18C]306 HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMSThe critical band is the outermost band in which specific threats or modes of lethal threats aredisplayed. Azimuth tic marks are engraved in the outer most portion of the critical band. The tic marksare in 30-degree increments. The lethal band is the second band in from the outer most portion of thedisplay. Emitters displayed in the lethal band are threats that have been determined to be lethal. Thenonlethal band is the innermost band of the display. Emitter symbols in the nonlethal band representunknown and friendly emitters. Known emitters that have been determined to be nonlethal are alsodisplayed in the nonlethal band.The status circle is in the center of the azimuth indicator and displays ALR-67(V) system status. Thestatus circle is divided into three areas of display:Upper left quadrant of circle (area I)Upper right quadrant of circle (area II)Bottom half of circle (area III)• Area I displays the priority setting of the EW Mode as set on the EW page (N, I, A, U or F).• Area II is either blank when ALR-67(V) system is operating in the full display mode, ordisplays the character L when operating in the display limit mode.• Area III displays current ALR-67(V) Built-In Test (BIT) status. Area III is blank when thereare no ALR-67(V) system failures. The character B is displayed when a failure is detected.The character T is displayed when a thermal overload has been detected in CountermeasuresComputer or RADAR Receiver.Any time a new emitter symbol is displayed on the azimuth indicator or an emitter symbol goes froma less lethal to a more lethal band, a status change tone is generated by the ALR-67(V) system. Specialtones are also generated for specific threats or critical threat modes of operation. Threats no longertransmitting or going from a more lethal to a less lethal band do not cause a status change tone.[F/A-18C] DCS 307Right Instrument Panel Warning / Advisory /Threat Display PanelFigure 178. Right Instrument Panel Warning / Advisory / Threat Display PanelWorking as part of the ALR-67, green warning lights at the top of the right instrument panel alert thepilot of the type of radar energy painting the aircraft:• AI: Hostile air intercept radar in lock mode (lethal band)• CW: Hostile radar in continuous wave mode and probably guiding a missile (critical band)• SAM: Surface-to-Air Missile radar that has locked on (critical band)• AAA: Radar directed anti-aircraft artillery.• DISP. The ALE-47 has a program ready for the detected threat and is waiting for startconsent. In addition, a DISPENSE cue will be displayed on the HUD. (Coming later in OpenBeta)• GO and NO. BIT test result from when the Dispense switch is set to ON or BYPASS. BIT willtake five seconds. (Coming later in Open Beta)DCS [F/A-18C]308 HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMSBITWhen conducting an EW BIT, both graphical and audio tests will be run.On both the EW page and azimuth indicator, the following test images will be displayed with threeseconds between each.Figure 179. EW BIT Test ImagesIn parallel, each of the ALR-67 tones would be played. These include:• New Contact (waterfall)• AAA• Missile Launch• Radar Lock• Power Up[F/A-18C] DCS 309Control Indicator PanelFigure 180. Control Indicator PanelAt the bottom of the countermeasure panel is the control indicator. This panel duplicates the functionson the DDI EW page. This panel has the following functions:POWER. Turns the ALR-67(V) system on and off. When pressed to the on position, the POWER,DISPLAY, SPECIAL, OFFSET AND BIT light will illuminate.LIMIT. When pressed, LIMIT light on DISPLAY pushbutton switch comes on and emitter display islimited to the six highest priority emitters. An "L" will be displayed in status circle area II on azimuthindicator. Pressing again deselects the option.OFFSET. When pressed, ENABLE light on OFFSET pushbutton switch comes on, and overlappingsymbols on azimuth indicator are separated to ease reading of display. Pressing again deselects theoption. (Coming later in Open Beta)BIT. When pressed, enables current BIT status to be displayed on the azimuth indicator. FAIL light onBIT pushbutton switch will come on whenever periodic BIT detects a failure. Pressing again deselectsthe option.Dimmer. Controls brightness of the lamps on the control-indicator. Clockwise rotation increasesbrightness, counterclockwise rotation decreases brightness.HOTASOn the throttle, there is a three-place switch for countermeasures.Offset PowerLimitBITDimmerDisplay TypeDCS [F/A-18C]310 HORNET DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS• Center. This is the OFF position and no dispense action is taken.• Aft. When in BYPASS mode, this will release one flare. If not in BYPASS mode or OFF, AUTO,S/A, or MAN mode will initiate the program.• Forward. When in BYPASS mode, this will release one chaff bundle. If not in BYPASS modeor OFF, it will initiate manual program 5.[F/A-18C] DCS 311Good hunting!The Eagle Dynamics SA teamEAGLE DYNAMICS SA © 201920 June 2019
