While yes, it would respond to the F-15 radar, I believe they were employing the AMRAAM using TWS. In such a case, the only hard lock signal would come when the AMRAAM went pitbull.
The engagement above, is it the same one
Mike Shower described?
Colonel Jeff Hwang did use HD TWS when he fired two AMRAAMs and Mike Shower criticized him for not going STT inside 10 NM.
https://groups.google.com/g/rec.aviation.military/c/_6LIMZA_Ge4/m/XW9wTWrg6KIJ?hl=en
Message-ID: <
[email protected]>
From: [snip]
To: [snip]
Subject: Timing is everything!
Date: Mon, 31 May 1999 15:57:22 -0600
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Boomer and I continued west for a total of 60 sec (about 10 nm) before I
directed the formation to turn back hot, again turning through south in
an attempt to get some cut-off. Boomer was on the northside of the
formation (left side as we rolled out heading east). We both got contact
BRAA 070 for 37 nm, 23k', target now heading west (hot towards us).
AWACS finally woke up and starting seeing the same thing. Now, I'm
starting to think SHIT IS GONNA HAPPEN (evident with the increase of
about two octaves in my voice!). It was fairly obvious this guys
originated from FRY, and there were no OCA missions at the time. Checked
AAI for friendly squawk: nobody home! We still needed to get clearance
from AWACS to engage, so I requested (codeword) and got no reply from the
controller (pretty sure he had no 'freakin clue what that codeword meant!)
About this time both Boomer and I got good ID on the target in our own
cockpit and with threat hot towards us inside 30 nm decided to blow off
the AWACS/clearance to engage restriction and go for it! Target was now
inside 30 nm and I directed Boomer to target the single group. I broke
lock and went back to search in 40 nm scope and 120 sweep. The target
check turn towards north west (about 14L aspect) and descend to high
teens. Boomer and I checked about 30 deg left to northeast for cutoff.
This check turn slung me aft in the formation so I stroke it up to full
AB to get more line abreast. I called "COMBAT 1, ARM HOT" and saw Boomer's
wing tanks come off with bright flames under the wing. Pretty impressive!
I was well over the Mach when I punched my tanks off and the jet jumped up
abruptly (you can see it in the HUD). Took a quick look back to check and
see if my stabs were still intact... I rolled my elevation coverage
looking from about 5K' to 21K' and no kidding stay in search for at least
one full frame (believe me, I wanted to go back to single target track
SO DAMN BAD !!!) AWACS started calling out two contacts, lead trail.
[editors note: AWACS has now finished moving to "his" battle]
Sure enough, I was starting to see the break out on my scope! At about 20nm,
Boomer called "FOX 3, 18K' !". I saw the cons/smoke came from his jet and
thought: SONOFABITCH!!!! I gotta get me some!!!
I commanded miniraster
on the leader and as soon as the radar lock (about 17nm), immediately thumb
forward to HDTWS. My first shot came off inside 16 nm from the leader.
When I pressed the pickle button, it seemed like an ETERNITY before the
missile actually launched, but when it did...WOW!!!! I have never shot
an AMRAAM or AIM-7 before at WSEP (and I don't think I have a chance in
hell of shooting more missiles at WSEP after this!). The missile came
off with such a loud roar/whoosh, I not only heard it clearly in the
cockpit above the wind noise, radio comm, ear plug, and helmet, I
actually FELT the rocket motor roar! In the HUD, you can see the flames
shooting out from the tail end of the missile, and the smoke and cons
following it!
Stepped immediately to the trailer in HDTWS and press and
held the pickle button for at least 3 seconds. Again, thinking: COME
ON, DAMN IT! LAUNCH!!! The second missile came off just as impressive as
the first after the same painful delay. I yelled "Dirk 1, Fox 6, lead
trail!" ("Cricket" Renner later critique my comm as incorrect 3-1
terminology... EAT ME!!!) Since Boomer was the primary shooter, I
assumed he was locked to the leader, so I kept the trailer as the PDT.
Didn't want to screw with a good thing, I stayed in HDTWS inside 10nm
("Dozer" Shower, our WIC dude, promptly critic me for NOT going STT
inside 10nm upon reviewing my VSD tape, thus I still have to pass my
IPUG Tac Intx ride!). Both targets started a check turn to the
southwest (14L to H to 16R aspect) and continued to descent to low
teens. Approaching 10nm, checking RWR to make sure we weren't
targeted:
"Dirk 1 naked !"
"Dirk 2 naked !"
"Dirk, let's go pure!"
From 30K', both of us rolled our jets inverted and pointed nose low
directly at the TD box on the HUD, and pulled throttle to idle. I
think my heart rate at this time was reaching my aerobic limit for my
age (you know, that formula: 220 minus age...)! Against a broken
cloud background, I saw a tiny dot in the TD box about 7 to 8 nm out.
"Dirk 1, tally ho nose 7 nm, low !"
Realizing I saw the trailer, I was praying Boomer would soon follow up
with a tally call on the leader. Approaching 5 nm, I'm scanning in front
of the trailer for the leader but no joy. Shit! The trailer continued
his left turn to southwest and I was looking at approx 14R aspect.
Inside of 5 nm, thumb aft to AIM-9 and tried twice to uncage but the tone
Was not there. Just then, between the HUD and the canopy bow (about
right 12:30 to 1 o'clock position), I saw the leader explode! The best
visual description I can think of is if you held a torch from one of those
Hawaiian Luau party, and swing it through the air. The flame with a
extended tail trailling the torch is exactly what I saw! Turning my
attention back to the trailer, the trailer exploded into a streaking flame
seconds later just as I tried to uncage the missile the third time!
Never mind!
"DIRK 1, SPASH TWO MIG-29s, B/E 360/35 !!!"
Heater, I'm ashamed... I was screaming like a woman! Didn't really
bothered to keep an eye on the fireballs, so I didn't see any chutes.
Later report confirmed both pilots ejected safely. Not that neither
Boomer nor I would've felt bad if they morted. Anyway, I called for
Boomer and I to reference 080 heading and short range radar. Thumbed
aft to AUTOGUNS and plug in full AB and accelerated to 460 kts at 20K'.
My cranium was on a swivel and breathing like I just ran a full sprint!
"Dirk 2, blind!"
Crap!!!! I looked north and it took me a few seconds to find Boomer
(about 3.5nm left and stacked high). Tried to talk his eyes back to me,
but Boomer called out to west in a right turn. I waited a few seconds
to sanitize and turned west as well. During the turn, I immediately
pulled into double beeper due to airspeed and Gs (looking back, I
should've over G so the mission would've been more impressive...
Rolling out, I was 3 nm in trail of Boomer, so I had him shackled to
the south to pick up line abreast. The fun wasn't over yet. Boomer
got an AUTOGUN snap lock less than 10 nm south of us, low alt, with
no ID. I told him to press for VID while I followed him 3 nm in trail.
We were diving back down to the low teens and I saw ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
on my radar! Boomer all of a sudden pulls up and yells
"Dirk 2, unable ID!" That's BAD!!! I just about shit in my pants!
I saw nothing and after a few seconds I asked Boomer if he saw ANYTHING
at all. Boomer said he didn't see anything, so we just stroke it up
and separate to the northwest for a while, then came back for a second
look. Nobody home! Boomer thought it may have been a bad radar lock.
I sure hope so!
