DCS F-18 - Basic Bombing

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Guys

Here’s a guide on basic bombing.

For this we will be covering Bombing Modes, Simple Fuzing settings, Programming the bomb sequence using the basic Unguided Bombs which are:

• BDU 76 Practice Bomb - Code = 76
• Mk82 General Purpose Bomb = Code 82B
• Mk83 General Purpose Bomb = Code 83
• Mk84 2000lb General Purpose Bomb = Code 84

Initial Setup:
To power the weapons systems set the following:
Master Arm ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ARM
Master Mode . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... A/G for Air to Ground weapons
DDI . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Stores Page - MENU (B3) / TAC / Stores (L1).

STORES Page Details
Top Row - A/G Weapns available (loaded)

Wing Form display -
- Position of weapons on stations:

• <> - If there is a diamond below a wing station this indicates a Carrier for multiple munitions
• No. - The number below the diamond is the number of munitions loaded two that carrier
• Code - The code below the number is the type of munition (76)
• [__] - The box around the code indicates that the munitions on that carrier are selected for release

- Cannon Rounds remaining
- Master Arm state (ARM)

Lower potion of the page - Programme Number and Settings including
- MODE - Selected Delivery Mode
- MFUZ - Mechanical Fuze setting
- EFUZ - Electronic Fuze setting
- DRAG - Drag setting for bombs like Mk 20 Snakeye
- QTY - Number of Bombs to Release during one press of the Weapon Release on the Control Stick - Hold until all weapons have gone
- MULT - The number of simultaneous weapons to be released at each distance interval
- INT - Distance interval (in ft) between drops during one release

Left Column -
- MODE (L1) - Delivery Mode Selection including:

• AUTO (L1) - Automatic release on a designation - Diamond in the HUD (This is Continuously Computed Release Point (CCRP) for level bombing)
• FD (L2) - Flight Director -
• CCIP (L3) - Continuously Computed Impact Point - “Ladder” in HUD allowing manual “Pickle” when the cross passes the target allowing correction from a designated point
• MAN (L4) - Manual release

- MFUZ (L2) - Settings for the Mechanical Fuzing dependant on where the fuse is fitted to the bomb including:

• OFF (L1)- Off
• NOSE (L2) - When the weapon has a nose mounted fuse
• TAIL (L3) - When the weapon has a tail fuzing system
• N/T (L4) - When the weapon has nose and tail fuzing

- EFUZ (L3) - Settings for and electronic fuze if fitted which allow delayed detonation etc, including:

• OFF (L1) - Off or not fitted
• V/T (L2) - Varible Time or Proximity fuzing
  [li]INST (L3) - Instantaneous so that the weapon detonated or deploys (Cluster Bombs) as the mechanical fuze operates
• DLY1 (L4) - Short delay before detonation to allow kinetic penetration
• DLY2 (L4) - Longer delay, length not known

- DRAG (L4) - Settings for Drag fitted weapons

• FF (L1) - Free Fall, ie not drag fins fitted
• RET (L2) - When retard fins are fitted to the weapon

-Bottom Row - Programming

• PROG (B1) - Selection of one of up to 5 release programmes
• TONE (B2) -
• nnnn (B3) -
• DATA (B4) -

Right Column

• GUN (L1) - Select Gun
• SETP (L3) - To select weapon station for release
• UFC (L4) - Link to UFC to allow input of setting for multiple munition release: QTY, MULT & INT

Weapon Delivery Programme Setting
.......

Use of CCIP Mode
.......

Use of MAN Mode
.......

More to follow....





I’ll add notes to this later.

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Use of MAN Mode Delivery Method

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[VBF-12 Gosling]

Use of CCIP Mode Delivery Method

Placeholder....

APPLICABLE WEAPONS
BDU 76 Practice Bomb
Mk 82 General Purpose Bomb
Mk 83 General Purpose Bomb
Mk 84 General Purpose Bomb
Mk 20 Rockeye Cluster Bomb
CLU-99 Cluster Bomb

SETUP
Master Arm ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ARM
Master Mode . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... A/G for Air to Ground weapons
DDI . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Stores Page - MENU (B3) / TAC / Stores (L1).
Select Weapon ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Select 84 (T1)
Select Delivery Mode . ... ... ... ... MODE (L1) / CCIP (L3)
Fuze the Weapon ... ... ... ... ... ... MFUZE (L2) / NOSE (L2)
All other setting remain default to drop one Mk84 bomb

DESIGNATE TARGET
There are two methods to designate a target, Waypoint (Pre-planned) & HUD View (Target of Opportunity):

Waypoint - Pre-planned Method:
DDI . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... HSI Page - MENU (B3) / SUPT (B3) / HSI (L4)
Select Waypoint to designate . ... WPT (R1) to box it / Up Arrow (R2) cycle to desired waypoint within navigation sequence
Designate Waypoint ... ... ... ... ... WPDSG (R4). This will cause the WPT (L1) label changes to TGT (L1) label.

HUD View - Target of Opportunity Method:
Undesignate previous target (if Req’d) ... ... Undesignate Button on Control Stick
Set HUD Control . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Sensor Select switch Forward - Note “Ball & Chain” in HUD
Aquire the target . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Visually
Centre the target . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Fly the reticule over the target
Designate ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Select Weapon Release. A diamond ( <> ) appears over the target
If not accurate . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Use TDC Cursor to “slew” the diamond over the target

SYMBOLOGY
In the HUD, the “Ball & Chain” is a dot in the Velocity Vector ( —O— ), a dashed reticule and a dashed line between the two.
A diamond <> will appear on the HSI on the bearing to the target.
On the right hand side of the HUD is the:
- Mode (CCIP)
- Time to release (nn REL) in second with a max of 99 seconds
- The distance to the target (dd.d TGT) in nm.
In the centre of the HUD is the:
- Display Impact Line (DIL) ( | ) also known as the “Bomb Fall Line“
- A Diamond <> showing the line of sight to the target which flashes if the Line-of-sight is outside the field of view.
- A Heading que diamond ^ below the compass (with a bearing off figure if not centred)
- The Pull Up que ( \__ __/ ). The Pull Up que will cause a ground proximity X if the aircraft vector ( —O— ) is below the pull up que.
- The Reflected Release que ( —-— ) will appear when close to the target (<4nm) and travel down the DIL to its base.
- The Release que ( —|— ) replaces the Refelected Release que at the base of the DIL during the diving attack and progresses up the DIL to the target at which point the weapon release should be held until the bomb release program completes.

ATTACK PROFILE
The aircraft should be flown, with an IAS of about 500kts in a dive. In level flight fly, to and centre the DIL line and to keep the velocity vector ( —O— ) over it with smooth control movements. Approaching the target dive at about 10 -20 degrees Nose Down. Once the Reflected Release que ( \__ __/ ) appears keep it over the target until it falls away to the base of the DIL. Once the Release que ( —|— ) appears, from the bottom of the DIL, allow it to slide up the DIL to the target. Hold down the Weapon Release on the control column until the bombing program completes. The more stable the flight at time of release (ASI & Attitude), the more accurate the impact. Attack complete.

Training Video:

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Use of AUTO Bomb Delivery Mode
The AUTO will deliver a weapon accurately to a designated target point. The point is defined as either a Lat & Long waypoint within the navigation plan to be designated as a target or target designation by some other sensor like a laser designator pod or 3rd party designation. It is mainly used for Laser or GPS guide weapons, but can be used with unguided bombs. Here is a Training video:

The designated target point will then bring up a diamond in the HUD. Once the Bombs have been fuze, either manually or by using one of the 5 programmes, the target can be over flown in level flight with the Weapon Release button pressed and the weapons will release automatically at the right time. The following sequence should be followed to use AUTO delivery method:

APPLICABLE WEAPONS
BDU 76 Practice Bomb
Mk 82 General Purpose Bomb
Mk 83 General Purpose Bomb
Mk 84 General Purpose Bomb

SETUP
Master Arm ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ARM
Master Mode . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... A/G for Air to Ground weapons
DDI . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Stores Page - MENU (B3) / TAC / Stores (L1).
Select Weapon ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Select 84 (T1)
Select Delivery Mode . ... ... ... ... MODE (L1) / AUTO (L1)
Fuze the Weapon ... ... ... ... ... ... MFUZE (L2) / NOSE (L2)
All other setting remain default to drop one Mk84 bomb

DESIGNATE TARGET
There are two methods to designate a target, Waypoint (Pre-planned) & HUD View (Target of Opportunity):

Waypoint - Pre-planned Method:
DDI . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... HSI Page - MENU (B3) / SUPT (B3) / HSI (L4)
Select Waypoint to designate . ... WPT (R1) to box it / Up Arrow (R2) cycle to desired waypoint within navigation sequence
Designate Waypoint ... ... ... ... ... WPDSG (R4). This will cause the WPT (L1) label changes to TGT (L1) label.

HUD View - Target of Opportunity Method:
Undesignate previous target (if Req’d) ... ... Undesignate Button on Control Stick
Set HUD Control . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Sensor Select switch Forward - Note “Ball & Chain” in HUD
Aquire the target . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Visually
Centre the target . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Fly the reticule over the target
Designate ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Select Weapon Release. A diamond ( <> ) appears over the target
If not accurate . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Use TDC Cursor to “slew” the diamond over the target

SYMBOLOGY
In the HUD, the “Ball & Chain” is a dot in the Velocity Vector ( —O— ), a dashed reticule and a dashed line between the two.
A diamond <> will appear on the HSI on the bearing to the target.
On the right hand side of the HUD is the:
- Mode (AUTO)
- Time to release (nn REL) in second with a max of 99 seconds
- The distance to the target (dd.d TGT) in nm.
In the centre of the HUD is the:
- Display Impact Line (DIL) ( | ) also known as the Bomb Fall Line
- A Diamond <> showing the line of sight to the target which flashes if the Line-of-sight is outside the field of view.
- A Heading que diamond <> below the compass (with a bearing off figure if not centred)
- The Pull Up que ( \__ __/ ). The Pull Up que will cause a ground proximity X if the aircraft vector ( —O— ) is below the pull up que.
- The Reflected Release que ( —-— ) will appear when close to the target (<4nm) and travel down the ASL to the Velocity Vector ( —O— ).

ATTACK PROFILE
The aircraft should be flown, with IAS between 450 and 500kts. Fly to and centre the ASL line and to keep the velocity vector ( —O— ) over it with smooth control movements. Once the Release que appears, hold down the Weapon Release on the stick & keeping the velocity vector ( —O— ) over the ASL. The more stable the flight at time of release (ASI & Attitude), the more accurate the impact. As the Release que (—-— ) passes the Velocity Vector ( —O— ) the weapon will automatically drop. Attack complete.

Training Video: