MLC is main lobe clutter filter. Basically, you can turn it on (always on), auto (F-14 turns it off when radar looking more than 3 ° up over the horizon, or off (always off). With filter on you get no ground returns, but targets can notch. With filter out targets cannot notch, but can hide in the ground clutter. MLC filters all returns within plus/minus 133 knots of the F-14 ground speed out (= classifies as "ground return"). Slow targets as ships would not even have to beam in order to notch. The relative slow speed of ships (max around 35 knots) means that ships would be always filtered out if the MLC is on. E.g. if ship is heading towards F-14 with 30 knots and F-14 ground speed is 300 knots: "ground" closure speed is 300 knots, ship's closure speed is 330 knots. Unless it reaches 433 knots it would be well within the MLC notching speed range. AdurianJ: I think doppler can detect also stationary targets: as long as the F-14 moves there is a closure and therefore a doppler shift. But game engines treat "static" objects sometimes different. E.g. if you place a carrier as "static" object you can place it over land / on a lake. But a non-static carrier needs to be placed on sea (non-static means units added with the "add ships button" rather than "add static object". Basically, a non-static ship which is stationary (zero knots) should also be visible in the test.
“Too many good planes” Yes you are so right, would love to fly more planes, but I also wants to be good at what I’m doing (like not forgetting the ANF).
To add to the commentary, one of the reasons you can get away with having the MLC filter disengaged is that seawater isn't a particularly good reflector of RADAR energy, unless you're pointing straight down at the surface of the water (RADAR altimeter) or there's so much wave action, there are surfaces that will reflect straight back. (Wavelength of the RADAR pulse and polarization also plays a factor, but whatever) When over water, you can safely leave the filter out, as the sea surface won't even return as ground clutter. Some tweaking of clutter threshold settings may be necessary, but "NORM" on the dials should work in this case. This allows you to better track targets over the water, regardless of speed or aspect ratio. Heck, I'm willing to bet you might also be able to use pulse search mode in this environment, just like a Viggen's RADAR.
The Mainlobe is just what everyone talks about when referring to a radar beam, a radar actually has multiple lobes like side lobes and back lobes; the better the antenna the smaller those side and back lobes are. What you want is the main lobe. Clutter is normally just ground clutter that you use different methods to reduce. A Pulse doppler radar like the one in the F14 famously only sees moving targets, this would explain why you can't see a stationary ship because there is no phase shift in the return signal. Aside from that a doppler radar usually has a filter that removes echoes in speeds that are not relevant, you can assume an air target is traveling at least at a certain speed so you can filter out anything below for the air to air role. I suspect this is the filter you turned off !
Wow awesome vid man! Have to say after ages flying the FA18, I bought the F14 and I now havent touched the FA18 in weeks... I find the F14 way more fun to fly !
Really is an awesome plane. They did a really nice job modelling it. It probably will be the next plane I purchase, unless the F-8 pops out I get around to it.
The reason why the carrier was detected and then "lost" on the radar was because the F-14's radar was set to a multi-bar scan. The radar is like a typewriter that when it reaches the horizontal end it moves up or down slightly. What happened is when it moved to the end the radar moved up and it was no longer looking at the carrier.
As a note, like it was noted on the Tawara, they're the same missile. You can do the same thing in real life with the Sea Sparrow also, although the warhead isn't that great to damage a warship with. Generally not the first option you'd use, especially since you're burning point defenses to do some less effective damage. Granted, in DCS that Sparrow did manage to take out a respectable amount out of that carrier.
Ship must moving because u are in pd mode. U can do a second test with still ships 1 try to shoot a early version of the sparrow that used to support CW without radar lock 2 or in rws mode try to acquire a lock. Very difficult but if you fly very low and set mlc button you have a chance
@@iltgdellosportivo2066 no, PLM is more like a boresight radar and it may also be a CW mode, analogue to the F-15C's flood mode. PAL is more like (if memory serves) 20 degrees left and right, 4 bar scan pattern and i think it's a 15 or 17 NM restricted pulse mode. It"s meant tobe used at medium ranges, shorter then 20NM where AWG9 has a hard time acquiring targets
Um CAP your comment that its unrealistic to fight stationary ships is a bit iffy ! ships resupply all the time, at port, at sea and are often anchored or at least stationary....... Very good time to get them with their pants down....Pearl Harbour anyone?
MLC is main lobe clutter filter. Basically, you can turn it on (always on), auto (F-14 turns it off when radar looking more than 3 ° up over the horizon, or off (always off). With filter on you get no ground returns, but targets can notch. With filter out targets cannot notch, but can hide in the ground clutter.
MLC filters all returns within plus/minus 133 knots of the F-14 ground speed out (= classifies as "ground return").
Slow targets as ships would not even have to beam in order to notch.
The relative slow speed of ships (max around 35 knots) means that ships would be always filtered out if the MLC is on.
E.g. if ship is heading towards F-14 with 30 knots and F-14 ground speed is 300 knots: "ground" closure speed is 300 knots, ship's closure speed is 330 knots. Unless it reaches 433 knots it would be well within the MLC notching speed range.
AdurianJ: I think doppler can detect also stationary targets: as long as the F-14 moves there is a closure and therefore a doppler shift.
But game engines treat "static" objects sometimes different. E.g. if you place a carrier as "static" object you can place it over land / on a lake. But a non-static carrier needs to be placed on sea (non-static means units added with the "add ships button" rather than "add static object".
Basically, a non-static ship which is stationary (zero knots) should also be visible in the test.
Nice one. I often pick up surface ships when in PAL mode, but it never occurred to me that i could actually engage them with air-to-air weapons!
“Too many good planes”
Yes you are so right, would love to fly more planes, but I also wants to be good at what I’m doing (like not forgetting the ANF).
lol yes
Makes me love the F-14B even more.
To add to the commentary, one of the reasons you can get away with having the MLC filter disengaged is that seawater isn't a particularly good reflector of RADAR energy, unless you're pointing straight down at the surface of the water (RADAR altimeter) or there's so much wave action, there are surfaces that will reflect straight back. (Wavelength of the RADAR pulse and polarization also plays a factor, but whatever) When over water, you can safely leave the filter out, as the sea surface won't even return as ground clutter. Some tweaking of clutter threshold settings may be necessary, but "NORM" on the dials should work in this case. This allows you to better track targets over the water, regardless of speed or aspect ratio.
Heck, I'm willing to bet you might also be able to use pulse search mode in this environment, just like a Viggen's RADAR.
Cheers RC for always helping cap with these videos, you are the mostly silent hero.
It is my pleasure, Cap and I always have a lot of fun!!
2:10 "Fox...three?" ahaha
The Mainlobe is just what everyone talks about when referring to a radar beam, a radar actually has multiple lobes like side lobes and back lobes; the better the antenna the smaller those side and back lobes are. What you want is the main lobe.
Clutter is normally just ground clutter that you use different methods to reduce.
A Pulse doppler radar like the one in the F14 famously only sees moving targets, this would explain why you can't see a stationary ship because there is no phase shift in the return signal.
Aside from that a doppler radar usually has a filter that removes echoes in speeds that are not relevant, you can assume an air target is traveling at least at a certain speed so you can filter out anything below for the air to air role.
I suspect this is the filter you turned off !
thx AJ
Wow awesome vid man! Have to say after ages flying the FA18, I bought the F14 and I now havent touched the FA18 in weeks... I find the F14 way more fun to fly !
Really is an awesome plane. They did a really nice job modelling it. It probably will be the next plane I purchase, unless the F-8 pops out I get around to it.
The reason why the carrier was detected and then "lost" on the radar was because the F-14's radar was set to a multi-bar scan. The radar is like a typewriter that when it reaches the horizontal end it moves up or down slightly. What happened is when it moved to the end the radar moved up and it was no longer looking at the carrier.
As a note, like it was noted on the Tawara, they're the same missile. You can do the same thing in real life with the Sea Sparrow also, although the warhead isn't that great to damage a warship with. Generally not the first option you'd use, especially since you're burning point defenses to do some less effective damage.
Granted, in DCS that Sparrow did manage to take out a respectable amount out of that carrier.
HARPOON: Am i a joke to you???
USS Simpson SM-2: Hold my beer.
lol
That’s a great tip Cap! Thank you!!
Fox...3? RC cracked me up with that.
Here's another test. What will CBUs do to stationary ships?
Ship must moving because u are in pd mode. U can do a second test with still ships 1 try to shoot a early version of the sparrow that used to support CW without radar lock 2 or in rws mode try to acquire a lock. Very difficult but if you fly very low and set mlc button you have a chance
PAL uses a pulse mode if memory serves?
@@ilejovcevski79 what s for PAL? Plm?
@@iltgdellosportivo2066 no, PLM is more like a boresight radar and it may also be a CW mode, analogue to the F-15C's flood mode. PAL is more like (if memory serves) 20 degrees left and right, 4 bar scan pattern and i think it's a 15 or 17 NM restricted pulse mode. It"s meant tobe used at medium ranges, shorter then 20NM where AWG9 has a hard time acquiring targets
@@ilejovcevski79 a yeah gotcha
Yes it acquires a pulse lock but it searches in pulse doppler
Time to try the TomCat again!
Since an AIM-54 Phoenix is an Air To Air Missile,How do you even get it to be an Air To Ground Missile? I ask because of the AIM-54 vs. The Ships.
So- playing in MP while flying solo, does the F-14 really limit the amount of smart weapons you're able to use- since you only have Jester?
Is there a way to do this alone 😅
Cracking a slow one with the boys
An AIM-54 Phoenix Vs.a ship?
This thing should work also in f 18
Um CAP your comment that its unrealistic to fight stationary ships is a bit iffy ! ships resupply all the time, at port, at sea and are often anchored or at least stationary....... Very good time to get them with their pants down....Pearl Harbour anyone?
YEs that's a good point.
Is this still relevant in 22?
Yup shot a ship yesterday
@@grimreapers it all of a sudden stopped for me after an update in the summer last year and never realy started working again for me
how far away can the radar lock a ship?
First¿