[Molon Labe]

A quick update on changes to the Radar/ESM model for LWAMI 3.10.

• ESM sensitivity has been increased significantly. This allows counterdetection of much more distant emitters than previously possible. Stock DW through LWAMI-3.09 "featured" ESM sensitivity that could not detect a missile's seeker outside of that seekers acquisition range; LWAMI 3.10 will allow counterdetection out to the radar horizon for seaskimmers and out to at least 50nm for more powerful high-altitude radars.
  • ESM counterdetection range is now greater than missile acquisition range, which means players now have a good reason to be careful about their RunToEnable setting when shooting missiles.
• LWAMI 3.10 will be to missile seekers what LWAMI 3.0 was to torpedo seekers. Missiles will no longer all have the same seeker, but will have a seeker appropriate to their class and generation. A few weapons have unique sensors where the designation of the seeker is publicly known (e.g. ARGS-54, AN/DSQ-28). Many weapons now have backup IR or Anti-radiation sensors. Some weapons are also being made in both Radar and IR homing versions. Maximum acquisition ranges vary from 30km in modern weapons to 10km in older ones, smaller targets are detected at closer ranges, and IR sensors generally have a slightly shorter range than the corresponding radar sensor.
• The Anti-radiation seeker has been adjusted and now works fairly reliably. So weapons like the HARM work much better now, as do long range ASCMs with Anti-radiation backup seekers. (I am going to attempt a new ARM doctrine that drops contacts that turn their radars off, but no promises.)
• New missile doctrines have been written for High-Diver and Hi-Low profile missiles. Previously, these weapons used the regluar Missile and MissileSkim doctrines, respectively.
  • Highdiver weapons (e.g. AS-4 Kitchen) will now cruise at 40,000ft instead of the previous 300ft. These weapons give plenty of advance warning and are vunlerable to shootdown at medium range.
  • Hi-Low profile weapons (e.g. Shipwreck, BrahMos) will now cruise at about 15,000 feet, acquire a target, and then dive to seaskimming altitude to attack. These weapons provide ESM and sometimes radar warning, allowing CMs to be deployed, but are hard to shoot down before they get below the radar horizon.
  • Both families of weapons can acquire targets up to 100km away, have a preference for larger ships, and have rather narrow acquisition cones to help prevent neutral kills. Mission designers should take note that these weapons will require fairly good initial targeting data because of the narrower cone.
  • Many of these weapons have backup A-R seekers and will pounce on the ships with the most powerful air search radars. (No, turning your radar off won't help, because it still has the active radar seeker to finish the deal).
• A few new missileskim doctrines have been added to account for greater differentiation of cruise missile altitudes and behaviors.
• Changes to ship and air radars (and IR sensors)
  • Designations updated. More ships/aircraft will now be correctly identified on ESM than previously.
  • Detection curves have been significantly reworked. Contacts will no longer all show up near maximum display range. Large contacts will be detected further out; smaller, closer in. When available, individual sensors have had their detection curves built around non-classified performance data.
    • Ship and aircraft radar and IR source levels have been adjusted in concert with ranges to radar and IR detection curves.
    • Surface radars can generally detect other warships out to the radar horizon. Smaller or (stealthier) boats may get closer without being noticed. (Pirate mission designers will likely appreciate this)
    • 10nm remains the rule of wrist for detecting seaskimmers. Older radars might not be as good; modern phased array radars will detect them out to the radar horizon (about 20nm).
    • Missile size and speed makes a significant difference in detection range. Expect a significant increase in the effectiveness of small seaskimming ASCMs (provided they don't give themselves away by enabling too soon).
  • Radar RPM has been adjusted to be in line with real rates, within reason. I will be testing this to check to see if it causes significant slowdown if there are many radars running, but at a minimum the changes to the Perry will stick. This should reduce the frequency of missiles hitting the ship without ever being detected (along with the ESM sensitivity increase and doctrine changes).