User Guide

18-10
Dynamic Launch Zone and Maneuvering Zone Scales
The DLZ (Dynamic Launch Zone) ranging scale appears once a target has been locked up.
The DLZ scale is really two scales that change in size depending on the radar range setting
and the distance, speed, altitude and aspect angle of the locked target.
The outer brackets represent the maximum and minimum range for non-maneuvering targets.
The inner brackets are the maneuver zone markers. They indicate the maximum and minimum
ranges for a successful launch against maneuvering targets. In other words, the brackets for non-
maneuvering targets indicate the range that the missile has the kinetic power to reach. However,
if the target is maneuvering, some of the missile’s kinetic energy is spent following the target and,
thus, its range to successfully track and reach this target is decreased. This effective range,
sometimes referred to as the “no-escape zone,” is represented by the inner brackets.
The range represented by the DLZ corresponds to the selected radar range scale of 80, 40, 20, 10
or 5 nm. This number is displayed above the DLZ. The range will automatically set to 5 nm if the
range to the target is less than 4.5 nm. The size of the DLZ changes according to the radar range
and the distance to the target.
Range Caret and Closure Rate
When a caret is to the left of the DLZ, it indicates that the designated target is within the
maximum non-maneuvering target range. The number to the left of the caret shows the target’s
closure rate. If the caret is above the DLZ, the target is outside the missile’s maximum range.
Active Seeker Range Cue
Appearing on the inside bracket of the DLZ, the active seeker range cue indicates the range
where the AIM-120’s seeker head becomes active after launch. It is the distance measurement
for this event while the Time Until Active readout (below) is the time measurement.
Missile Time of Flight and Time Until Active
When you launch a missile, the time of flight
countdown is displayed in the lower right corner
of the HUD. The time of flight countdown is
labeled with a “T” and counts down in seconds. If
the target is far enough away that the missile’s
own radar seeker won’t be able to lock onto the
aircraft, the missile has to be steered by your
F-16’s radar. The time until the missile seeker head
becomes active is displayed above the time of
flight readout. It is preceded with an “A” and the
number represents the seconds until the seeker
head becomes active.
TARGET
LOCATOR
LINE
MISSILE
TIME
OF FLIGHT