0004473: Hellfire missile low accuracy/effectiveness when fired on direct flight path modes

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Summary	0004473: Hellfire missile low accuracy/effectiveness when fired on direct flight path modes

Revision	2018-08-22 17:12 by ricnunes
Description	From my testings it seems that the Hellfire (both variants) when fired on a profile which dictates the missile to fly on a direct flight path towards the target that the missile has an odd spiraling flight behavior, very similar to the Russian Vikhr missile (in real life) or usually associated to Laser beam riding guided missiles. Since the Hellfire is an Active Laser guided missile it should have a more straight flight behavior. Also from my testings I believe that such spiraling behavior when the missile is flying on a direct path - which in the case of the Laser Hellfire happens in LOBL mode - makes the missile much less accurate and/or the changes of hitting a non-vital part of a vehicle (specially if it's heavily armored like a MBT) is much higher which could also and sometimes gives the idea that the missile is "missing the target". This seems to concur with further tests that I did in which modes like LOAL-LO and LOAL-HI seems to be much more precise (and effective) since in these modes the missile doesn't seem to exhibit the "spiraling" flight behavior. Moreover, the difference in precision that I reported on the forums between the AGM-114L (Radar guided) and the AGM-114K (Laser Guided) seems to be "in-line" with what I mentioned on previous paragraphs since by default the AI gunner launches both hellfire variants on LOBL mode but while the LOBL mode on the AGM-114K (laser) makes the missile fly towards the target in that "spiraling" straight flight path, the LOBL mode on the AGM-114K (Radar) makes the missile fly on a "ballistic" flight path similar to what happens on LOAL-LO and LOAL-HI modes. Anyway, my point is that the Hellfire should never fly in a "spiraling" flight path since: 1- It seems to degrade its accuracy and/or (damage) effectiveness. 2- It shouldn't be realistic since afterall the Hellfire is an Active Laser guided missile.

Revision	2018-08-22 17:16 by ricnunes
Description	From my testings it seems that the Hellfire (both variants) when fired on a profile which dictates the missile to fly on a direct flight path towards the target that the missile has an odd spiraling flight behavior, very similar to the Russian Vikhr missile (in real life) or usually associated to Laser beam riding guided missiles. Since the Hellfire is an Active Laser guided missile it should have a more straight flight behavior. Also from my testings I believe that such spiraling behavior when the missile is flying on a direct path - which in the case of the Laser Hellfire happens in LOBL mode - makes the missile much less accurate and/or the chances of hitting a non-vital part of a vehicle (specially if it's heavily armored like a MBT) is much higher which could also and sometimes gives the idea that the missile is "missing the target". This seems to concur with further tests that I did in which modes like LOAL-LO and LOAL-HI seems to be much more precise (and effective) since in these modes the missile doesn't seem to exhibit the "spiraling" flight behavior. Moreover, the difference in precision that I reported on the forums between the AGM-114L (Radar guided) and the AGM-114K (Laser Guided) seems to be "in-line" with what I mentioned on previous paragraphs since by default the AI gunner launches both hellfire variants on LOBL mode but while the LOBL mode on the AGM-114K (laser) makes the missile fly towards the target in that "spiraling" straight flight path, the LOBL mode on the AGM-114K (Radar) makes the missile fly on a "ballistic" flight path similar to what happens on LOAL-LO and LOAL-HI modes. Anyway, my point is that the Hellfire should never fly in a "spiraling" flight path since: 1- It seems to degrade its accuracy and/or (damage) effectiveness. 2- It shouldn't be realistic since afterall the Hellfire is an Active Laser guided missile.