Unguided Weapons Employment
Air-to-ground delivery is initiated by pilot selection of the A/G mode on the display control panel. After tape read-in (about 30 seconds), the WCS initiates the air-to-ground mode and enables relevant symbology on the displays.
The weapon selection automatically switches to ordnance (ORD on the HUD) unless the pilot has selected another weapon. All other options are set by the RIO in the back seat.
The available attack modes in the F-14 are set by the ATTK MODE selector in the RIO pit and are:
- CMPTR TGT: Computer target, a semi-automatic computer-guided mode similar to a CCRP mode in newer aircraft.
- CMPTR IP: Computer initial point, an extended CMPTR TGT mode using a known initial point (IP) as a reference for store delivery. Mostly used in situations where the actual target is expected to be hard to locate visually and is located closely to an easily identifiable reference point/landmark.
- CMPTR PLT: Computer pilot, a manual computer and pilot-guided mode using the WCS for store impact point indication on HUD. Similar to a CCIP mode in newer aircraft.
- MAN: Manual, manual backup mode in which the HUD displays a pipper (crosshair) on the HUD at the deflection set by the pilot. Used in case of a systems failure prohibiting the other modes.
- D/L BOMB: Data-link bomb, an automatic mode in which the pilot is steered via data-link cues for remotely controlled store delivery. (Not implemented in DCS at this point in time.)
For a complete discussion of unguided bombing modes refer to the Weapon Delivery chapter.
Computer Pilot
The computer pilot mode uses the WCS to continually calculate and display an impact point for the configured store on the HUD.
When selected, the HUD displays the current store impact point in real-time using the pipper (crosshair). The target designation diamond is used when the WCS is configured for rockets and overlays the pipper to indicate that the configured store is out of range when displayed. As in the Computer Target and IP modes, the pull-up cue is used to indicate aircraft below safe store release altitude when at or above the velocity vector.
To correctly engage the desired target, the pilot flies the impact point pipper on the HUD over the target and then depresses the bomb release button.
When using rockets, the pilot should wait until the diamond disappears, indicating that the selected store is within range and then use the control stick trigger to fire the rockets.
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Manual
The Manual (MAN) air-to-ground mode serves as a backup delivery mode when the computer-assisted attack modes are unavailable or when no Air to Ground Radar Ranging is desired. In principle, it functions similarly to Computer Pilot (CPTR) mode, requiring the pilot to fly the HUD pipper onto the target during the attack. Unlike CPTR mode, however, the pipper is not updated by the WCS. Instead, it is displayed at a fixed depression below the Aircraft Datum Line (ADL), calculated for the planned delivery profile.
The required pipper depression is set using the Elevation Lead Panel on the pilot's right-side vertical console. The appropriate setting is determined from weapon delivery tables or estimated by the pilot based on the intended release altitude, dive angle, and airspeed.
When an A/G program is loaded and MANUAL is selected on the Attack Mode Selector of the ACP, the AWG-9's air-to-ground radar ranging function is disabled while the selected A/G program remains active. This allows the AWG-9 to continue operating in all air-to-air radar modes while still permitting the employment of air-to-ground stores that do not require radar ranging.
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