DCS F-18 - Data Link & Situation Awareness

[VBF-12 Gosling]

Chaps

Another thread on F-18 Systems.... This time Data Link, which will include the Sitiaution Awareness page. Again, this thread has been prompted but the Two good YouTube’s on D/L & SA posted recently.
I’ll
It is difficult to keep up with development as new functionality appears for the hornet... As for getting to the F-14, that’s just not going to happen for me I think. I haven’t committed to buying it yet and even then, although a less complex aircraft the systems are much less interested and will take a lot more description and tuition... So I do not intend to generate thread on it..... This paragraph will be removed in due course, just wanted to explain the slow progress on systems for the hornet....

D01 - Data Link Theory
D02 - Data Link Architecture
D03 - Symbology & Terminology
D04 - Situation Awareness Display
D05 - Sensors - Filtering Information
D06 - Code Words
D07 - ... anything else I haven’t covered ...

I have a feeling once we get full functionality this thread will need a big rearrangement.

[VBF-12 Gosling]

D01 - DATA LINK THEORY

Concept
The mass of intelligence information avaialble on the battlefield became such that a simple, fast system was required to pass that information in a format that could be assimilated by each warfare platform in a way that was easy to use for the operator. Tactical Data Links (TDL) started as a point to point system between two units but soon expanded to include multiple contributors allowing a Recognised Picture of the battlefield in an electronic format. To support this TDLs have developed significantly since first concept.

Type of TDL
The Wikipedia page on TDLs gives the types. However, the ones used by the F-18 are

• Link 4 - Ground to Air Data Link - Point to Point - Provides digital surface-to-air, air-to-surface, and air-to-air tactical voice and data communications. Designed to replace voice comms for tactical aircraft control between surface and airborne platforms
• Link 16 - High Capacity, ECM Resistant, Multifunctional, TDMA Link - Broadcast - Exchange tactical picture in near-real time between military aircraft, ships and ground forces. Supports the exchange of text messages, imagery data and provides two channels of digital voice

Another important one used mainly between surface units is:

• Link 11 - Fast HF Automatic Link - Broadcast - exchanges digital information among airborne, land-based, and ship-board tactical data systems. It is the primary means to exchange data such as radar tracking information beyond line of sight. Relies on a single platform to report positional information on sensor detections. This positional information can be amplified with additional data to qualify the identity of the detected track

Data Formats
The format of the data message defines the capacity and breath of information that can be passed. Link 16 can include imagery for example.

Link 16
Link 16 is a Time Division Multiplex Access based secure, jam-resistant, high-speed digital data link which operates in the radio frequency band 960–1,215 MHz. This frequency range limits the exchange of information to users within line-of-sight of one another, although with satellite capabilities and adhoc protocols, it is nowadays possible to pass Link 16 data over long-haul protocols such as TCP/IP. It uses the transmission characteristics and protocols, conventions, and fixed-length or variable length message formats. Information is typically passed at one of three data rates: 31.6, 57.6, or 115.2 kilobits per second, although the radios and waveform FHSS itself can support throughput values well over 1 Mbit/s

Link 16 information is primarily coded in J.-series messages which are binary data words with well-defined meanings. These data words are grouped in functional areas, and allocated to network participation groups (NPG) (virtual networks), most importantly:

• PPLI (Precise Participant Location and Identification) - NPGs 5 and 6
• Surveillance - NPG 7
• Command - Mission Management / Weapons Coordination - NPG 8
• Aircraft Control - NPG 9
• Electronic Warfare & Coordination - NPG 10

Data Link Detailed Course
The following course is an excellent detailed view of how the Tactical Data Link and in particular Link 16 is here:
Link 16 Presentation

[VBF-12 Gosling]

D02 - DATA LINK ARCHITECTURE

Nets
There an be up to 128 (0-127) in a full TDL system. A single unit only operates on one net except net controllers. For DCS F-18 the default net is 127. However I suspect separate nets could be defined. Nets are divided into Time Slots.

Time Slots
Access is via Time Division Multiplex Access (TDMA). These are Time Slots and there are 1536 per net over the 12 second cycle of the full time (circle). Each unit (terminal) can either transmit (TX) or receive (RX) on one net each time slot.

Network Participation Groups
Network Participation Groups (NPG) that serve various purposes. A unit recieves and contribute to various NPGs over the period of a number of cycles. Some of these NPGs are:

• NPGs 5 & 6 = Precise Participant Location and Identification (PPLI) - Freindlies locations - SA Page PPLI boxed
• NPG 7 - Surveillance - Unknowns and Enemies - SA Page SURV boxed
• NPG 8 - Command - Mission Management / Weapons Coordination
• NPG 9 - Control - Aircraft Control - I think this is SA Page F/F boxed
• NPG 10 - Electronic Warfare & Coordination - Not just EW threats but also Jamming Coordination

Equipment
The equipment in the aircraft is the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) radios of which the F-18 has two. This recieves the radio signals containing the JTIDS-J (Link 16) format message.

Some diagrams go in here but I cant upload any for an unknown reason...

[VBF-12 Whitey]

[VBF-12 Gosling]

D03 - SYMBOLOGY & TERMINOLOGY

Symbology
The SA page displays a lot of useful symbology and it all needs to be understood to gain the most from the display.
Firstly, it is a plan position display like the HSI. Items seen on the display are:

• Air - Items with vectors
• Ground - Items without vectors
• EW - Items around the periphery of the display in triangles

Types of Item. Items are known as HAFU (Hostile, Ambiguous, Freindly, Unknown) one of:

• Circle - Freindly / Green - recognised SIFF
• Square - Unknown / Amber - yet to be identified
• Diamond - Enemy / Red - Exhibiting emission identified as Threat / Enemy

Each air and ground item is split into:

• Top Half - Items held on own aircraft sensors - Over Hemisphere / Over Bracket / Up Cheveron
• Bottom Half - Items provided by other friendly units - Under Hemisphere / Under Bracket / Down Cheveron

Additional HAFU Information:

• Vector - Air items will have a velocity vector indicating the lateral direction of travel relative to you
• Centre Dot - C2 donor friendly (Command and Control Aircraft - AWACS, E2C Hawkeye etc)
• Centre Letter in Circle - Own Flight designator “B” = Leader’s wingman
• Centre number on Diamond / Square - Enemy / Unknown threat order
• Star within Diamond - Target you have locked
• Additional Chevron above Diamond - Target one of your flight wingman has locked
• Side Dot on Left of Circle - This means they are a Link 16 message donor to you

Electronic Warfare Information:

• EW Triangle - Correlates with EW display. Each item will include a code of the Radar System or platform if identified

Terminology
Code Words are in CAPITALS. Terminology are in Title Case
Link Code Words:

• Net - Channel the MIDS is selected to to recieve the required messages. Default is 127
• JACKEL - Link 16 Surveillance Track from AWACS donor - NPG 10
• TIMBER - Link 16 Air Control from AWACS - NPG 7
• DOLLY - Link 4
• ALLIGATOR - Link 11
• Track - Donor item on Link 16
• DROP Track- Assume Track no longer is correct

RWR Code Words:

• RACKET - An EW intercept
• NAILS - An EW indication of Air Intercept radar in Search
• NAKED - RWR is clear
• MUD - EW indication of a Ground Threat - “MUD 11 O’clock”
• SPIKE - An air intercept EW lock on to your aircraft
• BUDDY SPIKE - A friendly EW lock onto your aircraft

Radar Code Words:

• RAYGUN - Locking an unknown target. Request for “BUDDY SPIKE”
• CONTACT - Radar blip
• CLEAN - No sensor contacts
• FADED - Sensor contact lost
• GADGET - Own radar equipment - “Gadget is Clean”

Display Data
A lot can be gleaned from the items received on Link 16. Making the SA screen active to TDC (diamond - top right) the cursor can be slewed over a track and its information is displayed in the bottom right.

... Prob more to follow...

[VBF-12 Gosling]

D04 - SITUATION AWARENESS DISPLAY

Aircraft Setup:
On UFC:
Switch on D/L ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Press D/L, Press ON/OFF - ON and NET number displayed in scratch pad
On DDI:
Select HSI Page ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... MENU (B3), SUPT (B3), HSI (L4)
Nominate BULLSEYE waypoint ... ... Select Wpt (R2 & R3), DATA (T5), A/A WP (L4) boxed
Select SA page . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... MENU (B3), SA (R3)
Allocate TDC . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Throttle Control, Diamond in top right of SA page



SA Display Information
Brg & Rng from BULLSEYE to TDC Cursor ... ... ... ... Top Left Below MAP Option
Brg & Rng to Selected Waypoint ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Top Right below DCNTR Option
Vert Lines .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... TDC Cursor
TDC Left Figure
TDC Right Figure
BULLSEYE . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Circle with number (of waypoint) and North arrow
Selected Waypoint .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Circle with number (of waypoint)
Route (between sequence waypoints) ... ... ... ... ... ... Dashed Line
Identification of Target under TDC .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Bottom Right - Top Line
G/Spd & Hdg of Target under TDC . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Bottom Right - 2nd Line
Brg, Rng, Alt of Target under TDC . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Bottom Right - 3rd Line
Brg & Rng from BULLSEYE of Target under TDC . ... Bottom Right - 4th Line

HAFUs (Hostile / Ambiguous / Friendly / Unknown) Contacts
Shape - See D03 - Symbology & Terminology
Colour - See D03 - Symbology & Terminology
Numbers within HAFUs indicated level of threat, all except freindlies, 1 being highest based on distance, aspect angle, closure rate, speed etc
Line - Direction of movement of HAFU contact.

MEZ - Missile Engagement Zones
THe dashed circles are prevbriefed locations and radial engagement ranges of Hostile MEZ. THese are last known positions before launch and NOT the potential current positions. THis particularly applies to mobile units like SA-8s and AAA.

RWR Indicators
RWR Intercept Azimuth ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Triangle
Identified Intercept ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Numbers / Letters within Triangle
The key is that they should align with a contact to assist identification

SA Page Options
T1 - MAP - Map underlay On/Off
T2 - DCLTR - Declutter display
T3 - SCL/nnn - Scale Range
T4 - MK - Mark Point - Take Location of Cursor and Loads it into the UFC
T5 - DCTR - Decentre - Changes display to Aircraft bottom centre with ahead view
L1 - SENSR - Sensor - Switch to Sensor page with options to filter required information - See D05 - Sensors - Information Filtering
L2 - C2 - Command & Control - more to follow
L3 - N/A
L4 - N/A
L5 - N/A
B1 - EXP - Expand - more to follow
B2 - STEP - Step through Target Designations
B3 - MENU -
B4 - TXDSG - Target Designation allows display of designated waypoint of other flight members
B5 - AUTO - Automatic waypoint sequencing
R1 - WPT - When boxed displayed waypoint data in Top Right and HUD
R2 - Up Arrow - Next Waypoint
R3 - Down Arrow - Previous Waypoint
R4 - WPDSG - Designate Waypoint
R5 - SEQ - Sequence Waypoint (1 of 3)


Training Video

[VBF-12 Gosling]

D05 - SENSORS - INFORMATION FILTERING

Sensors Page
The Sensors page (SA Page - L1) allows the filtering of Link 16 data displayed on the SA Page. As described above the HAFU items are:

• Hostile - Red - Top of Diamond (Own Contact) / Bottom of Diamond (Correlating Donor) / Small Diamond (Donor only) - Threat Numbered
• Unknown or Ambiguous - Amber - Top of Box (Own Contact) / Bottom of Box (Correlating Donor) / Small Box (Donor only) - Threat Numbered
• Friend - Green - Top of Circle (Own Contact) / Bottom of Circle (Correlating Donor) / Small Circle (Donor only) - Lettered = Own Flight, Dot = C2, Side Dot = Donor
• EW - Amber - Triangle - Numbered if ID’d

Sensor Page Options
T1 - IFF
T2 - RWR - Display RWR contacts on SA page when boxed
T3 - FRIEND - Display “Freindly” tracks when boxed
T4 - UNK - Display “Unknown” Tracks when boxed
T5 - SA - Return to SA page
R1 - OCS1 - Onboard Countermeasures System 1 - Not yet implemented
R2 - OCS2 - Onboard Countermeasures System 2 - Not yet implemented
R3 - F/F - Display Tracks provided by friendly fighters when boxed
R4 - PPLI - Display of C2 donors when boxed
R5 - SURV - Display Tracks provided by C2 donors when boxed
B1 - N/A
B2 - N/A
B3 - MENU - Select other pages
B4 - N/A
B5 - N/A
L1 - LINK4 - Display track received via Link 4 - Not yet implemented
L2 - FLIR - Display where FLIR is pointing when boxed. Crossed if unavailable - Not yet implemented
L3 - HARM - Display where HARM Seeker is pointing when Boxed. Crossed if unavailable
L4 - N/A
L5 - N/A

Sensor Page Data
Top Left Line 1 - Brg & Rng of TDC cursor from BULLSEYE
Top RIght Line 1 - Selected Waypoint Brg & Rng from you
Top RIght Line 2 - Time to selected Waypoint
Bottom Left Line 1-4 - Stores remaining; Chaff, Flares, Decoys 1, Decoys 2 of Onboard Countermeasure System
TDC Cursor Left - Mach Number of unit under TDC cursor
TDC Cursor Right - Alt of unit under TDC cursor
The information displayed of the unit under the TDC cursor varies depending upon its Criterea
For a Hostile:
Bottom Right Line 1 - ID of unit under TDC cursor
Bottom Right Line 2 - Rel Brg & Rng of unit under TDC cursor from you
Bottom Right Line 3 - Brg, Rng & Alt of unit under TDC cursor
Bottom Right Line 4 - Brg & Rng of unit under TDC cursor from BULLSEYE
For a Friend:
Bottom Right Line 1 - Callsign - First & last letter and Number - (Lancer 51 = LR51)
Bottom Right Line 2 -
Bottom Right Line 3 -
Bottom Right Line 4 -


... more to follow ...

[VBF-12 Gosling]

D06 - CODE WORDS

There are a lot of code words related to air combat and reiterating them will greatly help us all understand, not only the mission driven AWACS calls, but other players we may work with. Once we are better at using code words it will also greatly help us work well together as well.

Link Related Code Words:

• JACKEL - Link 16 Surveillance donor Track from AWACS
  - ”SKYBOLT 5-2 MARKING JACKEL BRA 270 for 16” - I am locking the track from the AWACS at a position 270 BULLSEYE 16nm
• TIMBER - Link 16
  - ”SKYBOLT 5-1 is TIMBER SWEET” - My Link 16 is working
• DOLLY - Link 4
  - Not yet implemented - ”SKYBOLT 5-3 is DOLLY SOUR” - My Link 4 is not working
• ALLIGATOR - Link 11
  - Not implemented - For information
• DROP Track- Assume Track no longer is correct
  -

RWR Related Code Words:

• BLOTTER - RWR Equipment
  - ”My BLOTTER is BENT” - My RWR is unserviceable
• RACKET - An EW intercept
  - ”New RACKET 270 or 10 o’clock” - I m detecting a new RWR intercept on bearing or relative bearing
• NAILS - An EW indication of an Air Intercept radar in search mode
  - ”NAILS 270” - I am detecting and AI radar on bearing
• NAKED - RWR is clear
  - ”SKYBOLT 5-1 is BLOTTER NAKED” - There is nothing on my RWR
• MUD - EW indication of a Ground Threat
  - ”MUD 090” - I am detecting a ground radar on bearing
• SPIKE - An EW indication of an Air Intercept radar lock on to your aircraft
  - ”SPIKE 040” = I am being locked from bearing
• BUDDY SPIKE - A friendly EW lock onto your aircraft
  - ”BUDDY SPIKE” - I am being locked by a friendly radar

Radar Related Code Words:

• RAYGUN - Locking an unknown target. Request for “BUDDY SPIKE”
  - ”SKYBOLT 5-2 is RAYGUN” - I am locking a target is it you?
• CONTACT - Radar blip
  - ”New CONTACT BULLSEYE 350 for 22” - I have a new radar contact at Brg and Rng from BULLSEYE
• FADED - Sensor contact lost
  - ”My CONTACT FADED” - I have lost radar contact with that track
• GADGET - Own radar equipment
  - “My GAGET is SWEET” - My radar is serviceable
• CLEAN - No sensor contacts
  - “My GAGET is CLEAN” - I have no radar contacts
• PAINT - Analysis of radar contact using Non Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR - R4 boxed on Radar Display)
  - ”Request you PAINT CONTACTS to west” - Request you use NCTR on radar contact to the west

Electronic Warfare (EW) Related Code Words wrt Radars:

• CANYON - Commence jamming against a specific target
  -
• POND - Commence jamming plan
  -
• SNOW - Sweep jamming detected
  -
• GRIDIRON - Radar jamming detected prevents Brg and Rng
  -
• SPOKE - Jamming on a fixed bearing
  -
• STROBE - Noise jamming on radar detected
  -
• PHANTOM - Target location derived form triangulation of two or more SPOKEs
  -

C2 (AWACS) Related Code Words:

• PICTURE - Request of information on Hostile / Unknown air contacts held by C2 relative to Air-to-Air Waypoint (BULLSEYE)
  -
• BOGEY DOPE - Request of information on Hostile / Unknown air contacts held by C2 relative to your aircraft
  -
• BRAA - Bearing, Range, Altitude and Aspect information of contact or track relative to A2A Wpt (BULLSEYE)
  -
• POP UP - Report of new air targets previously not seen by C2 relative to A2A Wpt (BULLSEYE)
  -
• COLD - Aspect call that track is moving away from you
  =
• FLANKING - Aspect call that track is moving to the side of you (not closing)
  -
• HOT - Aspect call that track is closing you
  -
• JUDY - A call to the C2 that you have radar or visual contact and are taking over the intercept - C2 will minimise transmissions
  -

Note:
- Other than “BOGEY DOPE” all report are relative to BULLSEYE - This helps others listening form their own SA from your request