Defence against SAMs

[Blackpearl]

I need to ask and discuss something:---

What is the best defense an aircraft have against a SAM. The options available with an aircraft may be one or a combination of following:--
1. Chaff
2. Flares
3. ECM (jamming enemy radar, but it may only be good for radar controlled SAMs, what about IR SAMs???
4. Evasive manoeuvre.

Experts!! your comments please!
If this topic has already been discussed, please direct it to appropriate location
Thanks

 

[Blackpearl]

 

[maqsad]

5. Eject...

 

[Blackpearl]

5. Eject...

Very right
but only when first 4 options have failed!!!!!!!!

 

[maqsad]

Very right
but only when first 4 options have failed!!!!!!!!

Actually I think it depends on the capabilities of the SAM itself, how maneuvarable it is. Probably it is least maneuvarable when it is climbing up at a 90 degree angle because all the force is spent trying to make it go up against gravity. I think most of the SAMs are fired at 45 degrees for that reason?

So here is an idea..if a SAM is detected coming from far away then the best position of defence would be as far above the SAM as possible, best case 12 oclock over the SAM. So as a first step the jet should climb and move to a point of intercept where it will be as far over the SAM as possible, in order to be able to turn down. Then, about 30 seconds before impact if pointed away from the SAM, the plane releases heat decoys and any other decoys. After releasing the decoys which will be headed towards the SAM to confuse it the plane does a 360 and and does a powerdive towards the SAM, following the decoys already headed towards it.

So now we have the SAM working against gravity and the plane with gravity and the engines on its side and at this point it opens fire with the canons and releases any anti-SAM missiles also. So at this point the SAM has decoys headed towards it, the plane headed towards it and also bullets and perhaps a mini missile too, so a decent chance of destroying the SAM.

In case the SAM is undamaged then to confuse the SAM further the plane also starts into a spiral so the SAM has to predict the spiraled position at pount of impact. Then maybe 3-5 seconds before impact the jet pushes as much as possible in one direction to evade it and escape damage. Then the plane has to come out of the power dive and decide what to do next depending on the capabilities of the SAM, the plane and whatever terrain is below.

 

[shehbazi2001]

Dealing with SAMs is not an easy game and every fighter SHOULD not do it unless forced to do so.

The best approach is that only specialist SEAD aircrafts should deal with SAMs instead of every aircraft.

It's far better in the first instance NOT to allow SAM to get off the ground. Once in the air, SAM is a serious threat to the aircraft.

Its the job of SEAD/DEAD (Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defences) aircrafts. If we get AGM-88 HARM and HTS (HARM Targeting System) with new F-16Cs, then they shall be SEAD aircraft of PAF.

SEAD fighters shall use their HARMs to take out air defence radars and shall open window for attack formation to come in.

Standoff Jamming and Escort Jamming is also used to jam the air defence radars and provide a safe corridor for the rest of aircrafts to come in. Effective Jamming shall render the SAMs useless.

Another effective method is to launch standoff weapons like JSOW and like Pakistani Raad on the air defences.

Ballistic and Cruise missile strikes on SAM sites can also pave the way for an attack formation to complete their task.

BUT another scenario is that of CAS (Close Air Support) missions. During CAS, fighters shall have to deal with mobile air defence elements with moving army units. These are short range systems that can be deadly at low altitude. HARMs and Jamming can still be effective against them.

Here by jamming I also mean Infra-rad jamming devices in addition to radio/radar jamming.

HARMs and RF Jamming dont work against MANPADS or shoulder-fired VSHORADs but IR jamming may work against them. PA AH-1 Cobras do have IR jammers.

Outcome of the last ditch battle between a fighter aircraft and a SAM depends on many factors such as technology, skill and knowledge of pilot about weapon systems and latest recce/intell of the target and its defences.

Route Planning is also important and even USAF stealth planes do route planning to avoid flying directly over key SAM and radar sites.

 

[Blackpearl]

Radar guided SAMs may be dodged by ECM, nomatter they are launched.
Either such SAMs are guided by ground based radar or an onboard radar, effective ECM may blind the guidance radar.

For IR SAMs, flares are the best defence, other defence options are reducing engine heat emmisions.

Now lets talk about aircarft providing close air support. It requires passing low over the target area to deliver ordnance. Now a person fires SA-7/SA-19 type of SAM on the aircarft as soon as the aircarft has passed over and exposes its tail hot section.

How much time a pliot has to know about threat and then exercise options to evade the following SAM. Here i also invite experts to comment on downing of USAF F-16 in Bosnia (piloted by Capt Scott O Grady), in 1994/95. How Serbs were able to shoot down an advanced aircarft like F-16.