Usually the stigla.īoth flares and ECM recycle every 10 seconds. However, if done incorrectly– is what leads to a failed counter and a missile hit.
While the electronics aspect is pretty straight forward, there is a method to using ECM’s chaff function as a countermeasure post-launch, which, if done correctly leads to 100% success in countering incoming projectiles. This part is about the Electronics and the Chaff. We’ll cover proper Masking elements in the dogfighting articles! Each of these 3 things have their own unique attributes that when combined, make the ECM jammer a VERY effective asset to the jet.įirst we’ll talk about ECM’s Electronics and Chaff and it’s use against projectile weapons. Electronics refers to the blocking of all locks, chaff refers to the white cloud that confuses incoming projectiles/destroys them, and masking refers to the smoke trail/radar-drop. Obviously these three things correlate with the purposes I’ve listed above. The ECM jammer itself is an “Electronic Counter-Measure” but I like to think of it as this… Electronics, Chaff, Masking. It blocks locks, it confuses and destroys incoming missiles, it masks you from enemy radars, and it can even be used to block the view of an opposing jet as it’s following you – again, if used correctly. In the end, you will realize that it’s cycle rate is what makes it far superior to flares, and that the added advantages of multi-purpose usage is the cherry on top. To use ECM correctly, you’ll first need to understand the mechanics of it. Unlike flares, which are pretty much a “fire and forget” solution to “fire and forget” missiles, the ECM jammer requires knowledge and a little bit of skill to use correctly. Those who say ECM is unreliable or “doesn’t work at all” just don’t understand how it’s different from flares. The Flare/ECM debate has been going on for a long while and comes mostly from lack of knowledge about ECM and it’s proper usages. The Flare/ECM Debate – Busting the myths.