User Guide

As soon as the diamond floats inside the targeting square and begins to flash, you can fire. Getting
a lock on the frontal aspect of a target with a -9J is nearly impossible, so maneuver behind your
target before you shoot.
Medium Range Missile (MRM). MRM mode is used to lock and fire radar-guided missiles like the
AIM-120 AMRAAM. The MRM display is like the SRM display (complete with Target Aspect Angle
indicator), except that there is no diamond. If you have a radar lock on your target, the AMRAAM
has lock. The only difference between aiming a medium range and a short range missile is that the
target of a medium range missile will probably be beyond visible range (BVR).
Continuously Computed Impact Point (CCIP). Continuously-computed impact point bombing is
the way most aircraft put steel on target these days.
The CCIP is a computer in the cockpit that keeps track of where a particular type of weapon will fall,
given the altitude of the plane, its speed and the ballistics of the bomb. Located low in the HUD, the
CCIP is represented by a circle with a center dot (“death dot”). A line extends from the dot to the
velocity vector symbol (“fall line”). The “fall line” indicates the path of the weapon upon release. All
you have to do is to put the “death dot” on the target and release the bombs using the trigger,
spacebar or joystick button #1. It works great if the ground is level. The computer only reads your
current altitude above ground level (AGL), so if the target is not at the same altitude as the ground
beneath your plane, the CCIP will be inaccurate.
Continuously Computed Release Point (CCRP). CCRP bombing is like CCIP bombing, only more
accurate. With this computer, you use a radar to designate a ground target spot. The aiming circle
around the dot is a double line, to distinguish it from the CCIP. When the dot is over the target you
want to hit, release the bombs. After you trigger the bombs, you’ll see the fall line with a bar across
it, which will descend toward another bar coming up from the death dot as you approach the target.
Hold the plane steady, and when the lines meet, the bombs will release automatically. Since range
to target and target altitude are known with great accuracy, it’s hard to miss with CCRP. The
elevation of the target is taken into account by the sight.
If you are at positive pitch when the bombs release, the weapons will be “tossed” towards the target.
Note that the bars on the fall line come together faster if you climb.
Strafe Mode (STRF). Strafe mode is used to aim gunfire and rocket salvos at ground targets. It is
worth noting that gun attacks on ground targets are thought of as something of a last resort by
modern pilots. Selecting Strafe mode causes a simple ring and dot reticle to appear in the HUD. The
dot inside the ring indicates where the rockets or cannon shells will impact on the ground. There is
no radar lock for this sight.
It takes practice to get used to this mode — any pilot who can take out his ground target with
rockets and guns instead of GBUs and Mavericks has earned some bragging rights. Aerial targets
are a different matter, and any pilot who says he can splash other planes with unguided rockets is
either lying or very, very good.
Infrared Mode (I-R). Infrared mode is used to aim Mavericks and GBUs. The target of the missile is
covered by a cross hair on the HUD which moves between the ground targets as you cycle through
them by pressing T. When a missile or guided bomb locks on a target, it will retain the lock as long
as it can, subject to the plane’s maneuvers.
Since Mavericks and guided bombs are not very maneuverable, wait until an in-range message
appears on the HUD to launch your weapon. The best attack profile is to fly straight and level at
high altitude, designate the target and release the weapon. Be advised that this tactic is suicide
against modern air defense installations.
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