Flares/chaffs in helicopters

[deMiranda 100]

hey everyone, I'm not new to the game nor to helicopters, but I can't seem to find any source related to the effectiveness of flares and chaffs used by helicopters in-game. So I will leave here a few questions:

1. What load of countermeasures is more reliable in ground RB?

2. Why don't SAM radars seem to be affected by Chaffs nor IRCM? (ik their missiles usually aren't affected by flares tho)

3. Is the PARS missile affected by flares? (IIRC it's IR guided so it would make sense, since I can't find any other reliable way to avoid it) 

 

thank you in advance o7

[WreckingAres283 4,262]

8 minutes ago, deMiranda said:

2. Why don't SAM radars seem to be affected by Chaffs nor IRCM? (ik their missiles usually aren't affected by flares tho)

SAM currently in game are (most of time) manually guided and not by the radar, means chaff as no affect on the SAM missile

 

9 minutes ago, deMiranda said:

3. Is the PARS missile affected by flares? (IIRC it's IR guided so it would make sense, since I can't find any other reliable way to avoid it) 

well, afaik the PARS thermal imagining (in probly very high resolution (as some other modern missiles as AIM-9X, ASRAAM, MICA and IRIS-T, which got a resolution of about 128 x 128 or / and 256 x 256 pixles))

 

[TheCheshireCat 2,578]

24 minutes ago, deMiranda said:

1. What load of countermeasures is more reliable in ground RB?

Something that I think is worth considering is the mixture ratio of flares to chaff. If you go for a pure 1:1 ratio you may only be dispensing one flare and one chaff at a time, as opposed to two flares per chaff as an example. 

 

Considering how strong flares are in game, firing off one at a time as and when you need them is a much more efficient way of handling it.

 

24 minutes ago, deMiranda said:

2. Why don't SAM radars seem to be affected by Chaffs nor IRCM? (ik their missiles usually aren't affected by flares tho)

Are you referring to player controller SAM vehicles? As suggested above they are more often than not mouse guided and do not get spooked by countermeasures

 

24 minutes ago, deMiranda said:

3. Is the PARS missile affected by flares? (IIRC it's IR guided so it would make sense, since I can't find any other reliable way to avoid it) 

It's electro-optically guided, it takes what is effectively like a TV signal similar to the AGM-65 maverick and uses that for guidance reference. This means it can be defeated by driving in front of trees and smoke or anything that blocks LOS, but not by IR signatures or Chaff.

 

[BagelIsMyWaifu 838]

1 hour ago, deMiranda said:

2. Why don't SAM radars seem to be affected by Chaffs nor IRCM? (ik their missiles usually aren't affected by flares tho)

If they use manual guidance or IR-tracking, chaff doesnt work at all.

But I'm not sure if chaff affects their tracking radar, would have to test that myself.

 

IRCM is only effective against infrared homing missiles, which do appear on some ground vehicles, but usually those have ECCM to supress those countermeasures. Only way to avoid a missile with ECCM is extensive flaring to block their seeker ... or hope they just dont hit, the ground based IR SAMs arent really known for their reliability

1 hour ago, deMiranda said:

3. Is the PARS missile affected by flares? (IIRC it's IR guided so it would make sense, since I can't find any other reliable way to avoid it) 

It isnt, the only way to avoid it in helicopters is manouvering at the right moment. PARS is pretty slow and not really manouverable. It also doesnt have a proximity fuse (like a certain russian helicopter), so avoiding it isnt extremely hard ... assuming you know its on the way of course

Edited September 28, 2021 by L963

[llSolitairell@psn 5,730]

1 hour ago, deMiranda said:

hey everyone, I'm not new to the game nor to helicopters, but I can't seem to find any source related to the effectiveness of flares and chaffs used by helicopters in-game. So I will leave here a few questions:

1. What load of countermeasures is more reliable in ground RB?

 

Against IR missiles: Flares Reinforced (dumping sometimes is enough to spoof a MANPADS)

Against SAMs: launching Rockets and/or ATGMs at it in the hopes of triggering it's proximity fuse

 

I use Flare Priority myself, but I can't say for certain the Chaff really helps with anything.

 

1 hour ago, deMiranda said:

2. Why don't SAM radars seem to be affected by Chaffs nor IRCM? (ik their missiles usually aren't affected by flares tho)

 

A lot of the top tier SAMs use IRST instead of Radar Tracking, the missiles themselves using laser or radio guidance, a dev a while back explained why chaff doesn't have much effect on the modern SPAA systems but I can't find the post

 

1 hour ago, deMiranda said:

3. Is the PARS missile affected by flares?

 

Nope.

[deMiranda 100]

I see now, thank you very much guys!