Games PC JANE S-FA-18 User Manual

4.3 (4)

F L I G H T M A N U A L

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J A N E ’ S F / A - 1 8 F L I G H T M A N U A L

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1:

FIRST LOOK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Selecting the Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Killing the MiG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Bombing the Target. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Sightseeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

CHAPTER 2:

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

The World in the Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7 The Fleet’s Stinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8 Mailed Fist – The Carrier Battle Group . . 2-10

CHAPTER 3:

INTERFACE OVERVIEW . . . . . . 3-15

General Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Pop-Up Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Loading a Training Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Training Main Briefing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Instant Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18

Instant Action Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Friendly Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Enemy Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Instant Action Debriefing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Single Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Loading a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Main Briefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22

Airframe/Pilot Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25

Pilot Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Squadron Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27

Custom Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Debriefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Detailed Kill Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Detailed Debrief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30

Weapon Stats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31

Pilot Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31

Mission Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32

Time Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Detailed Time Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Select Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Select Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Campaign Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Airframe/Pilot Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35

Direct Serial (Null Modem) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36

Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

IPX/SPX Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

TCP/IP Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38

Chatting With Other Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39

Who’s the Host? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39

Hosting a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Disconnect Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Joining a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Mission Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Squadron/Pilot Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Jane’s Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

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CHAPTER 4:

FLIGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47

Wings of the Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-47

The Cockpit - the Pilot’s Office . . . . . . . . . 4-49

Cockpit Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-49

Engine Fuel Display (EFD) . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-54

Head-Up Display (HUD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55

Basic HUD Symbology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-55

HUD – NAV Master Mode Symbology . . . . . . 4-56

HUD Landing & Steering Symbology . . . . . . 4-56

HUD – A/A Master Mode Symbology. . . . . . . 4-57

Weapon Independent HUD Symbology . . . . . 4-57

HUD – A/G Master Mode Symbology . . . . . . 4-58

Multi-Purpose Display Indicators (MDIs) /

Multipurpose Color Display (MPCD) . . . . . 4-60

Up-Front Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-81

Taking Off and Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-84

Carrier Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-85

Land-Based Takeoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-86

ILS – Instrument Landing System . . . . . . . . . 4-86

Carrier Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-87

Land-Based Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-89

Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90

Basic Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90

TACAN Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-90

Navigating Waypoints & Target Points . . . . . 4-91

Autopilot Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-91 Refueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-91 Managing Your flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-92

CHAPTER 5:

COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Combat – Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Air-to-Air Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Air-to-Air Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-99

Radar Antenna Scan Volumes and Time . . . . 5-99

Multi-Sensor Integration (MSI)

Trackfile Symbology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-100

Launch & Steering Target Designation . . . . 5-100

A/A Radar Sub-modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-101

Automatic Acquisition Sub-modes. . . . . . . . 5-105

Advanced Topics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-106

Air-to-Air Targeting FLIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-110

Air-to-Air Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-111

AIM-120 AMRAAM Medium Range Missile. 5-112

AIM-7 Sparrow Medium Range Missile. . . . 5-114

AIM-9 Sidewinder Short Range Missile. . . . 5-116

Internal A/A Gun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-117

Air-to-Ground Combat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-119

Air-to-Ground Target Designation . . . . . . . . 5-119

Air-to-Ground Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-120

Air-to-Ground Advanced Targeting FLIR 5-124

A/G ATFLIR Pointing Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-124

Air-to-Ground Weapons Employment . . . 5-125

Unguided Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-125

Guided Weapons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-131

CHAPTER 6:

MISSION BUILDER . . . . . . . . 6-147

Design Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-147 Testing Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-147 Mission Builder Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-148 Intro to the Mission Builder . . . . . . . . . . 6-149 Mission Builder Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-150

Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-150

Placement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-151

Function. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-151

Text. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Common Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Edit Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Remove Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Item Info . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

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Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

New Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-152

Open Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Save Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Deleting a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Sample Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-153

Add Aircraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-156

Add Ship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-159

Add Moving Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-159

Add Ground Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-159

Add Waypoint. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-160

Remove Waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-167

Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-167

Remove Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-168

Add Area Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-168

Mission Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-168

Add JSTAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Add Bullseye. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Alternate Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Briefing Summary Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-172

Mission Briefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-173

Add Overview Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-173

Mission Debrief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-173

General Mission Information. . . . . . . . . . . . 6-174

Mission Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-175

Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-175

Map Filter Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-175

Mission Builder Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-176

Add GCI Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-176

Add TACAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-176

Add GPS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Add FAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Random Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-177

Rules of Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Add Mission Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Distance Between Two Points . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Destroy This Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

Exit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-178

CHAPTER 7:

CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW . . . . . 7-183

Russia’s Next Millennium . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-183

The Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-185

CHAPTER 8:

APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . A-187

Producer Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-187

Acronyms & Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . A-190

Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-193

Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-197

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-200

Casual Key Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

CHAPTER 1

F I R S T L O O K

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A QUICK WORD FROM THE JANE’S® TEAM

All of us at Jane’s Combat Simulations thank you for purchasing Jane’s F/A-18. Whether this is your first Jane’s product or one of many from the Jane’s Team, you are in for a real treat. Jane’s F/A18 is the latest in a series of highly accurate and challenging combat simulations.

As you maneuver through the exciting world of naval aviation, hold this thought. You determine how to play Jane’s F/A-18; it was designed with you in mind. Whether you immediately jump into The North Cape Campaign or start just a little slower by easing into the action with the Instant Action missions, you are always in the pilot’s seat.

Our only desire is to provide you with an enjoyable experience – quality is our only goal. If you have questions concerning Jane’s F/A-18, or for that matter any comments or questions about any of the Jane’s products, please contact us at:

World Wide Web: Access our Web Site at http://www.ea.com

FTP: Access our FTP Site at ftp.ea.com

This product has been rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. For information about the ESRB rating, or to comment about the appropriateness of the rating, please contact the ESRB at 1-800-771-3772.

CHAPTER 1:

FIRST LOOK

If you wish to jump right into the game with minimal fuss, this First Look mission is made to order. After just a few mouse clicks, you will bag your first MiG and be blowing up ground targets.

Although Jane’s F/A-18 includes most every detail of naval combat aviation in the Super Hornet, this mission is designed to give you a quick “First Look.” For more detailed experiences, we recommend you next tackle the Training Missions.

SELECTING THE MISSION

From the main menu, click SINGLE MISSION found on the right portion of the screen.

Within the Single Mission screen, select the “First Look” mission from the scrollable list on the right side of the screen.

To start the mission, click the airplane icon on the dial found in the lower right portion of the screen.

F I R S T L O O

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KILLING THE MIG

An unwary MiG is right in front of you; let’s shoot him down.

Press 0 to lock him up on radar.

Once he’s locked press M to activate air-to-air attack mode, then press or joystick button 2 to launch a missile.

Shoot cue

Target

BOMBING THE TARGET

Now that that pesky MiG is out of the way, lets put some iron on target by destroying some fuel tanks.

Press M to activate air-to-ground bombing mode.

Fly towards the label in front of you marked “Primary Target.”

As you near the target begin a shallow dive and line it up directly to your front. When you get close, the bomb cross appears at the bottom of the HUD. When the cross is positioned over the Primary Target, press or joystick button 2 to release a bomb.

Target (fuel tanks)

Bomb cross

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SIGHTSEEING

After you’ve bombed the target, fly around a bit and enjoy the scenery. You can select the various views using the function keys. Enjoy the game!

CHAPTER 2

I N T R O D U C T I O N

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CHAPTER 2:

INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

The World in the Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

The Fleet’s Stinger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Mailed Fist – The Carrier Battle Group . . 2-10

I N T R O D U C T I O

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CHAPTER 2:

INTRODUCTION

“The affairs of war, like the destiny of battles, as well of empires, hang upon a spider’s thread.” —Napoleon

THE WORLD IN THE BALANCE

With the demise of the Soviet Union in the last decade of the 20TH Century, the traditional ideological rivalry that had dominated the free world for nearly 50 years has ceased to exist. The cold war mentality of force maximization and massive defense spending are no longer tenable positions. The United States woke up one day to find itself in the unenviable position as the last superpower. Victory has its price.

In spite of the dramatic impact stemming from the breakup of the Soviet Union, a period of worldwide peace was in no way inevitable. The localized and regional conflicts, held in check for many years by the looming superpowers, were now free to rear their ugly heads. These nationalistic, religious, and ethnic rivalries, while seemingly non-issues, had in reality continued to churn just below the surface. Once unfettered from their shackles, they were free to pursue individualistic goals.

For the United States, far reaching economic interests mandate international stability. The time of waging war for purely political, religious, or geographic gain is no longer good business. In the world of today, the capacity to capture and maintain regional or global dominance is predominately grounded in economic supremacy. Wars are astronomically expensive. Conflict is now based more on profit and loss rather than ideological conviction.

While the United States struggles to remain neutral on these regional issues, the threat of war, while not on a global scale, remains a real and ultimately an unavoidable consequence of man’s unquenchable need to possess more and more.

Quick reaction to active or potential hot spots is clearly the purview of the Navy. The Air Force will certainly argue this point, but they unquestionably lack the ability to transport their airfields along with their aircraft. They require forward deployment areas within the range of the conflict. This necessitates the cooperation of allied or non-allied nations – never a guarantee. Fixed forward bases are also much more vulnerable to preemptive or in-conflict strikes – it is still much harder to hit a moving target.

The Navy is the only military arm possessing the wherewithal to quickly project the required force against an aggressor. Oceans cover nearly three-fourths of the earth’s surface. Those nations having the potential to threaten, or for that matter act out their aggression, typically occupy or are in close proximity to the coastal regions of the world. The U.S. Navy’s carrier forces are strategically deployed throughout the world to arrive on station within 48 hours or in rare cases 72 hours. During the 1990 Gulf Crisis, the carriers Eisenhower and Independence were both on station in range of Iraqi forces within 48 hours.

The vast majority of all products, whether finished goods or raw materials, are transported over water. The nation with the strongest navy exerts de facto control over the ebb and flow of all these goods. They need not defeat the opposition forces or for that matter exercise significant military force. Simply blockading ports, thereby preventing the inflow or outflow of goods, may be sufficient to bring most nations to their knees. Economics ultimately wins out.

It is inevitable the United States will be drawn into shooting wars – these potential conflicts have been euphemistically dubbed ’Low Intensity Conflicts’ or LICs. The concept of “Global War” is now reserved for conflicts involving the unthinkable use of nuclear weapons. This does not mean that the fighting or magnitude of commitment will reflect a minimal or low level of effort on the part of U.S. forces. Given the low current level of conventional forces, any commitment will require a maximum effort. In any event, the U.S. Navy will undoubtedly play a major role in any future conflict, LIC or otherwise.

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Jane’s F/A-18 models modern naval aviation

 

at its best, highlighting one of the U.S. Navy’s

 

most potent weapons – the F/A-18E Super

 

Hornet. A versatile gem, the single-seat

 

Hornet-E is equally adept at knocking enemy

 

aircraft out of the skies as it is in delivering

 

precision strikes against targets on land or on

 

the sea. Jane’s F/A-18 does not just stop at

 

that, it is a highly detailed and stunningly

 

accurate simulation of naval aviation.

 

What does all this mean to you? You get see

 

all from the cockpit of the Navy’s hottest new

 

multi-role fighter!

 

F/A-18 E Super Hornet

 

 

 

THE FLEET’S STINGER

The F/A-18 Hornet was designed to fulfill a number of different roles, hence its F/A (Fighter/Attack) designation. In the 1970s, the Navy came to the realization that it could no longer afford to develop single-use aircraft. As conceived, the Hornet was to replace the A-7 Corsair II light-attack and F-4 Phantom air superiority aircraft, at that time in service with sea-based Navy squadrons and land based Marine squadrons – do not overlook the fact that the Navy also oversees Marine aviation.

Cost control measures also dictated the method of aircraft selection. Congress and the DOD directed the Navy to join with the Air Force on its ’lightweight’ fighter program and select a common airframe for both services. Two competing designs, General Dynamics/Vought’s YF-16 and Northrop/McDonnell Douglas’ YF-17, were in the running (the ’Y’ designates the aircraft as a prototype). In the past, the Navy and Air Force had worked together in aircraft concept, design, and development, ostensibly to control acquisition costs – buy a large quantity and the per unit cost is less. It also streamlines the flow and cost of spare parts.

Well, that is all good in theory. In reality, the Navy and Air Force seldom were of one mind on aircraft selection.

Ironically, the A-7 Corsair II and F-4 Phantom were the most recent examples of inter-service cooperation. These two aircraft were originally Navy programs “shared” with the Air Force, now the scales were reversed.

A good part of this single-mindedness can be written off to service pride, but the Navy does have some legitimate arguments. They favor a twin-engine configuration due to the hazards of over-water flight. In addition, carrier landings, affectionately described as controlled crashes, place extreme stress on the landing gear and undercarriage. This requires additional structure and weight, reducing the aircraft’s payload – a price the Air Force is unwilling to pay.

In the end, the Air Force selected the YF-16 and the Navy selected the YF-17. What happened to the single selection process? General Dynamics/Vought asked the same question. After much lobbying the Navy did prevail and managed to convince Congress and the DOD to support their decision. The YF-16 became the highly successful F-

16 Fighting Falcon while the YF-17 evolved into the newly designated F/A-18 Hornet.

The final F/A-18 Hornet was hardly a YF-17 with a new name stenciled on its nose; it was essentially an entirely new design. This evolutionary process experienced its share of pitfalls, but what emerged was a very capable and advanced aircraft.

Although, the production Hornet still had one shortcoming – limited range, or, in military parlance, “short legs”. After the evaluation signoff, production started in

1978; the first operational aircraft entered service with VFA125, the Rough

Raiders, in 1980.

The Hornet looks a like a smaller version of the F-14 Tomcat with its twin-engines and twin-tails. In spite of its strike role, the Hornet is a dogfighter at heart. Its nose houses the multi-mode APG-65 radar (APG-73 in late model ’C’ and later versions) and the 20mm M61 6-barrel Gatling gun. AIM-120 AMRAAM (’C’ and later) and AIM-7 Sparrow AAMs (or the AAS-38 Nighthawk FLIR/laser targeting

pod) are mounted in two recessed wells on the fuselage; the wingtips are reserved for AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs.

I N T R O D U C T I O

2-9

 

 

The centerline station typically carries an external fuel tank. Its wings have six weapons stations plumbed for AAMs and a variety of ordnance including Paveway LGBs, AGM-Maverick (IIR version in ’C’ and later), AGM-88 Harm, AGM-84D Harpoon, AGM-84H SLAM, as well as the full series of ’iron’ bombs.

That is enough about the exterior, how about taking a look where the pilot works. The cockpit is a pilot’s dream. It features a true ’glass’ layout with a series of computer screens replacing the traditional analog gauges. These displays are extremely versatile, allowing the pilot to configure them to suit a multitude of situations. An advancedgeneration HUD complements the ’head-down’ displays. It can be switched from air-to-air to air-to-ground mode with a simple flick of a switch on the HOTAS controls. All this high-tech equipment enables the single-seat Hornet to fulfill the roles previously reserved for two crewmen.

According to naval aviators, a tough audience on a good day, the Hornet is a pleasure to fly. Its FBW flight control system, the first for a carrier aircraft, makes for extremely responsive fight. Hornet jockeys boast that their bird can fly the wings off their Air Force counterparts. If that is not enough, the Hornet can even automatically touch down to a perfect three-wire landing while the pilot sits back and enjoys a day at sea.

After production of 371 F/A-18As, the Hornet continued to evolve and improve with the introduction C/D versions in 1986 (note that F/A-18 ’Bs’, ’Ds’, and ’Fs’ are the two-seat variants of the A/C/E respectively). With the new C/D version, the radar, avionics, self-protection systems, engines, and a number of additional systems were also improved and updated. This was the first of the Hornets to support the AIM-120 AMRAAM AAM and the Imaging-

Infrared (IIR) version of the AGM-65 Maverick.

The new APG-73 radar markedly improved the Hornet’s air-to-air and air-to-ground signal processing with its fully programmable digital architecture. In both modes the radar is used to search for targets and then lock onto and track them for attack. In fact, it was so good that there was never a thought of upgrading it for the new F/A18E Super Hornet. The C/Ds fixed the shortcomings of the initial A/Bs, with the exception of the fuel issue. Remember that was the knock against the first model. This was the aircraft envisioned by the Navy planners from the very beginning.

The Marine Corp actually focused its attention on the two-seat ’D’ model. It acquired six squadrons of 72 aircraft enhanced for night precision strikes to replace the A-6 Intruder in their all-weather attack squadrons. Equipped above and beyond the normal two-seat Hornets, this improved version was originally dubbed the F/A-18D+.

The rear cockpit can be configured in one of two ways: “missionized” – where it lacks a flight control column, replacing it with two side-mounted weapon/system stick controllers; or “trainer” – where the it has full flight controls.

The E/F models promise to be the most capable Hornets yet. They were originally proposed in 1991 as a replacement for the disastrous A-12 Avenger program. The Super Hornet is a major step improvement over the previous models. This was the opportunity to produce an airframe that would serve well into the 21st Century, and the designers decided to take this to the max.

The Super Hornet took the basic ’C’ airframe and stretched it an additional 34 inches. This resulted in a 25% increase in wing surface as well as an enlarged horizontal stabilizer – the tail. This size increase solved what had been the biggest knock against the Hornet since its inception – limited internal fuel. The Super

Hornet can carry 33% more fuel for a whopping 40% increase in range. With the larger wing, the designers were able to attach one additional weapon station per wing just inboard of the wingtips. The Super Hornet also gets two new powerful F414-GE-400 high-output afterburning turbofans.

 

F/A-18 E

 

33% additional

 

 

35% higher

 

 

Super Hornet

 

 

 

 

 

 

internal fuel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thrust engines

 

 

2 additional multimission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

weapon stations

 

 

 

 

25% larger wing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

90% common F/A-18C/D avionics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Together, the two new engines produce 35% more thrust than the F404s in the C/Ds. However, the new design retains 90% of the avionics suite from the C/Ds, anchored by the highly capable APG-73 radar.

On the self-protection side, the Super Hornet is the first naval aircraft to employ extensive radar and IR signature reduction in the form of reshaped engine inlets and radar absorbent coatings. The engine nozzles are designed to cool the jet exhaust, thereby reducing the aircraft’s infrared signature. The Super Hornet is also the first to carry the new ALE-50 towed decoy system.

2-10 J A N E ’ S F / A - 1 8 F L I G H T M A N U A L

A proposed version of the ’F’ model is earmarked to replace the four-seat EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare platform. The two-seat EF-18G ’Electric’ Hornet will probably lead future strike aircraft to their targets, blinding enemy radar and suppressing enemy air defenses with AGM-88 Harm anti-radiation missiles.

CVW OF TODAY – 2001

14

– F/A-18 Super Hornet

Air Superiority & Strike

14

– F-14 Tomcat

Fleet Air Defense, Strike & Recon

 

 

 

24

– F/A-18 Hornet

Air Superiority & Strike

 

 

 

4

– EA-6B Prowler

Electronic Warfare & SEAD

 

 

 

4

– E-2C Hawkeye

AEW

 

 

 

6

– S-3B Viking

ASW, ELINT & Aerial Refueling

 

 

 

6

– SH-60R Seahawk

ASW

 

 

 

2

– CH-60C Seahawk

CSAR

 

 

 

74 aircraft

CVW OF TOMORROW – 2011

36

– F/A-18 Super Hornet

Fleet Air Defense & Strike

10

– JSF

Air Superiority, Strike & Recon

 

 

 

4

– EF-18G Electric Hornet

Electronic Warfare & SEAD

 

 

 

4

– CSA AEW

AEW

 

 

 

6

– CSA Sea Control

ASW & Recon

 

 

 

2

– CSA ESM

ELINT & Aerial Refueling

 

 

 

6

– SH-60R Seahawk

ASW

 

 

 

2

– CH-60C Seahawk

CSAR

 

 

 

70 aircraft

The Hornet is the cornerstone of the Navy’s present and future plans. For a program once under fire from all sides, it has now emerged as the premier aircraft in the Navy’s arsenal. It currently represents half of the aircraft in every

Carrier Air Wing (CVW). The future holds even more promise for the Hornet and its variants.

As more and more Super Hornets enter service, the venerable F-14 Tomcat will retire from service. The Hornet will then pull double duty as the fleet defense aircraft as well as the primary strike platform. The new Joint Strike

Fighter (JSF), another one of those cooperative Navy and Air Force development programs, will serve as the medium strike aircraft, though it will also possess a degree of air-to-air capability. The “Electric” Hornet will replace the EA-6B Prowler while a new design, the Common Support Aircraft (CSA), is scheduled to replace the versatile E-2 Hawkeye and S3 Viking.

Depending on the outcome of the JSF program, and there is some doubt that it will ever see the light of day, the

Hornet may actually be called upon to fill all offensive and defensive roles.

The Super Hornet first took flight in late 1995. Production commenced in 1998; the first deliveries are expected in early 2001.

MAILED FIST –

THE CARRIER BATTLE GROUP

As the Navy’s primary conventional weapon, naval surface warfare centers on the carrier battle group (CVBG).

Today, there are ten active carrier battle groups, each with its assigned CVW. At any one time, any number of these

CVBGs (CV is the military designation for a large conventional take-off and landing carrier) are strategically deployed throughout the world. As would be expected, its accompanying carrier air wing (CVW) is the primary offensive and defensive weapon system.

While certainly the most important unit, the carrier is still just one component of the battle group. It is composed of the carrier, its aircraft, and a number of escorts and support elements. Think of it in terms of trying to sit on a one or two-legged stool. The aircraft need the carrier, the carrier needs the escorts and support elements, and they need the carrier and its aircraft. Any one element is ineffective without the others – they are mutually supportive.

The battle group’s CVW is commanded by the “CAG,” short for commander, air group. This individual holds the rank of Captain, the same as the carrier’s commanding officer. Do not confuse the rank of Captain and the title of captain. The rank of Captain is a Navy ’four-striper’, equivalent to the rank of Colonel in the Army or Marines. The title of captain is bestowed upon the individual, regardless of rank, who commands a naval vessel.

The “CAG” and the carrier’s captain work together as peers reporting to the battle group’s commander, a two-star Rear Admiral. Right about now you are probably wondering why is an air group commander commanding an air wing. The “CAG” is a traditional title, held in the highest of regard, which has carried over from the time when the air wing was called an air group. The air group became an air wing in 1975 with the addition of integrated support and ASW helicopter squadrons.

I N T R O D U C T I O

2-11

 

 

The typical CVW includes about nine squadrons of combat and support aircraft including the helicopters. Over fifty of the seventyfour aircraft are found in the four F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet squadrons. As the predominate aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet VFA (strike fighter) squadrons now outnumber their F-14 Tomcat VF (fighter) counterparts three to one. The remaining fixed-wing squadrons consist of the EA-6B Prowler, E-2C Hawkeye, and S-3

Viking squadrons (in both ASW and ELINT roles).

The CVW is no longer just a Navy show. A shortage of aviators necessitated a change in the once exclusive community. It is now quite common to find carrier-capable Marine squadrons serving as one of the F/A-18 Hornet squadrons or as the EA-6B Prowler squadron.

The third ’leg’ of the battle group is the escorts and support elements. Here you will find much more diversity than that found in the composition of the CVW. Vessels are attached and released from the battle group depending on the immediate situation. For example, MCM (mine counter-measures) ships could be attached to

a battle group if it is to operate in relatively shallow waters or must traverse a predictable track or narrow channel.

In general, a carrier battle group includes one or two cruisers, two or more destroyers, one or two frigates, one or two submarines – yes submarines – and a replenishment ship.

With the retirement of the last remaining nuclear powered-cruiser, the mantel passed to the Ticonderoga class of

Aegis (Greek for shield) guided-missile cruisers (military designation – CG). Even though they possess a considerable offensive punch with their Tomahawk and Harpoon cruise missiles and two 5-inch guns, the CGs are there for one purpose – defense. Their highly sophisticated SPY-1 phased-array radar system simultaneously tracks and engages a multitude of airborne targets. They also automatically control the weapons from the other ships in the battle group, creating an integrated defensive umbrella. These ships are so effective that the Admiral may elect to command the battle group from the deck of a Ticonderoga rather than from the traditional spot on the carrier.

The destroyer element draws its force from the old and the new. The new takes form in the Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers (military designation – DDG). In fact, the Burkes are the newest class of combat ships in the Navy’s arsenal. These well-designed ships also utilize the Aegis system with its SPY-1 radar. Though they are similar in capability to the Ticonderoga class, the Burkes carry fewer missiles and a single 5-inch gun.

The other destroyer option is drawn from the older Spruance class (military designation – DD). These ships were designed at the height of the cold war for anti-submarine (ASW) operations. As the Soviet deep-water submarine threat waned, their offensive punch was enhanced with the addition of Tomahawk cruise missiles to complement their Harpoons and two 5-inch guns.

The frigates are from the Oliver Hazard Perry class of guided-missile frigates (military designation – FFG). Even though these frigates hauled down their sails a long time ago, they are more than able to fulfill a number of important roles. Their size disguises very capable offensive and defensive capabilities. With a limited number of Harpoons and a single 3inch gun, they are best suited for escort duty and shallow water operations. Nevertheless, frigates are the most common class of warships in service today with the world’s navies.

The last combat support element is the submarine. Now what are submarines doing in a surface battle group? They serve a very important role in keeping with their unique abilities. Their far ranging and stealth abilities make them well suited for maritime reconnaissance and strike missions. More importantly, they are the battle group’s most potent anti-submarine weapon, since the best defense against a submarine is another submarine. While the surface escorts maintain relatively close contact with the carrier, the subs range far ahead and abeam of the battle group. The

SIZE DOES MATTER

During World War I and II displacement, armor and gun size were used to classify warships. The four primary classes of modern warships are loosely grouped by length since displacement is no longer a direct indication of combat strength and guns have given way to missiles as the primary armament.

Modern cruisers are 150m or longer. Destroyers are 95 to 140m long. Frigates are similar to destroyers in length but are more lightly armed. Corvettes are 60 to 100m in length.

2-12 J A N E ’ S F / A - 1 8 F L I G H T M A N U A L

Improved Los Angeles class, the 688Is, are the most modern boats available (military designation – SSN, note that subs are call boats). They are also able to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles from their vertical launch system and Harpoons from their torpedo tubes.

Lastly, the battle group is supported by at least one fast combat support ship. While the carrier and subs do not require fuel, the remainder of the battle group needs oil for propulsion, and in any event, everyone needs to eat. The Wichita and Sacramento classes (military designation – AO) are floating shopping centers. These ships triple their basic displacement with loads of fuel oil, aviation gas, food, spare parts, general supplies and ammunition. The only

ship larger is the carrier.

Together, the battle group is much stronger than the capabilities of the individual vessels – a perfect example of the sum being greater than its parts. However, the whole carrier concept has been under extreme pressure due to its high price tag. A battle group costs nearly $20 billion to build and equip, and another $1 billion annually to operate. So expensive, few countries can afford to build or even operate such a costly weapon system.

The advent of cruise missile has applied additional pressure. The critics compare the $1 million price tag for a Tomahawk cruise missile with the $58 million for a single F/A-18E Super

Hornet, and the dollars are just one part of the argument. On an even more important note, the unmanned Tomahawk does not place a pilot’s life in danger.

Though, cruise missiles are great at hitting fixed points, they are limited in hitting moving targets, especially ships at sea.

An aircraft’s pilot is also able to evaluate a situation before dropping the bombs; the cruise missile obediently and blindly attacks its target. Even more notable, a CVW can deliver about 450 tons of ordnance in a day – the equivalent of 900 Tomahawks!

Today, the carrier and its air wing are the most mobile and flexible striking force in the United States arsenal. Whether called upon to carry the action to the enemy or hold one at bay, its ability to project military presence makes it the ultimate weapon system.

Games PC JANE S-FA-18 User Manual

CHAPTER 3

I N T E R F A C E O V E R V I E W

3-14 J A N E ’ S F / A - 1 8 F L I G H T M A N U A L

CHAPTER 3:

INTERFACE OVERVIEW . . . . . . 3-15

General Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Pop-Up Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16

Loading a Training Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Training Main Briefing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Instant Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18

Instant Action Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Friendly Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19

Enemy Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Instant Action Debriefing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20

Single Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Loading a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21

Main Briefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-22

Airframe/Pilot Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25

Pilot Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Squadron Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-27

Custom Arming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Debriefing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Detailed Kill Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29

Detailed Debrief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30

Weapon Stats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31

Pilot Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31

Mission Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32

Time Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Detailed Time Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Select Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Select Squadron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Campaign Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Airframe/Pilot Selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Fly Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34

Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35

Direct Serial (Null Modem) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-36

Modem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

IPX/SPX Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-37

TCP/IP Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38

Chatting With Other Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39

Who’s the Host? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-39

Hosting a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Disconnect Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Joining a Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41

Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Mission Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Squadron/Pilot Edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

Jane’s Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43

I N T E R F A C E O V E R V I E W 3-15

CHAPTER 3:

INTERFACE OVERVIEW

Starting the game. After completing the installation, double-left click on the Jane’s F/A-18 shortcut icon on your desktop, or select Programs/Jane’s Combat Simulations/F/A-18 from the Windows START menu.

You can bypass the Introduction by pressing s.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Jane’s F/A-18 utilizes a cursor-driven, mouse controlled interface. Unless otherwise indicated, “click” refers to a single left-click of the mouse on an option.

In the lower-right corner of nearly every screen, except the MAIN menu, is a circle divided into four distinct controls – three around the other edge and one smack in the middle. They include a right pointing FORWARD control, a left pointing BACK control, a HELP question mark control, and a rotating “artificial horizon” in the middle.

Think of FORWARD and BACK as if they were web controls: FORWARD moves you to the next screen in the sequence and BACK returns to where you just came from. Note on some screens the FORWARD control is “grayedout,” as there is no next screen.

HELP displays a window with information pertinent to the current screen.

In most cases, clicking on the artificial horizon displays an OPTIONS screen.

The screen may also include one or more small circular controls along the bottom.

POP-UP WINDOWS

Often, pop-up windows appear. Selections are made and information entered from these windows.

OK saves any selections or changes you’ve made in the window and returns you to the original screen.

CANCEL returns you to the original screen without saving any of the changes you made.

3-16 J A N E ’ S F / A - 1 8 F L I G H T M A N U A L

MAIN MENU

The first thing you see after the introductory video is the MAIN menu screen. It’s divided into eight areas controlling one or more functions and a centrally located artificial horizon. You select a control by moving the cursor into its area to highlight it, and click.

Fly a Training Mission

Fly an Instant Mission

Multiplayer Setup

The Tools

(Mission Builder, Pilot/Squadron Fly a Single Mission

Edit, and Jane’s Reference)

Game Options

Exit the Game

Fly in a Campaign

Notice that it is not necessary to click on the control word – click anywhere in the highlighted area to proceed.

First-time Hornet pilots begin playing using novice settings. Gameplay options can be set in the OPTIONS (the artificial horizon) menu.

TRAINING

Jane’s F/A-18 includes a variety of training missions covering the basics of flying this sophisticated fighter from takeoff, through combat, to landing on the deck of a carrier.

It’ll be well worth you taking some time to fly at least the first few training missions. If you’re unfamiliar with carrier operations, the take-off and landing procedures are quite different from land-based operations.

Mission Summary

 

 

 

Available Missions

 

 

Mission Objective

Chat Control

(Multiplayer Only)

I N T E R F A C E O V E R V I E W 3-17

LOADING A TRAINING MISSION

The MISSIONS list is a scrollable window on the right side of the screen.

Click on the mission name (listed in Missions window) to display a summary of the mission.

Double-click on the mission name to immediately display the mission briefing.

Or click FORWARD to display the mission briefing.

Notice that where you would expect to see the normal FORWARD indicator, a small aircraft is substituted – this is the

Fly Mission control. When you are satisfied with all elements, you’re ready to jump in the pilot’s seat and takeoff.

After the briefing displays, click FLY to begin the mission.

Or after the briefing displays, click BACK to return to the initial TRAINING menu.

Mission Summary: The upper-left window displays a high-level summary of the mission. Read this information to determine if this is the mission for you.

Mission Objective: The lower-left window displays a picture of the mission objective.

TRAINING MAIN BRIEFING

Objective

 

Mission Map

 

Voice Summary

Flights/Pilots

 

Summary Briefing

Mission Map

Chat Control

(Multiplayer Only)

Arming Airframe/Pilot

For more details on the Main Briefing, see Single Mission: Main Briefing, p. 3-22

INSTANT ACTION

If you’re looking to quickly select a mission and get in there and mix it up with the enemy, Instant Action is just the ticket. The computer creates a stand-alone mission from the parameters you select. You determine the complexity – playing a simple one-on-one, or skew the odds either way. It’s all up to you.

Instant Action is not intended as a replacement for honest to goodness training. If you’re unsure how to handle the F/A-18E Super Hornet, spend some time with the training missions before strapping into the Super Hornet.

3-18 J A N E ’ S F / A - 1 8 F L I G H T M A N U A L

FLY MISSION

Click FLY to begin the mission.

Enemy Aircraft

Number of Enemy

Instant Action Options

Time of Day

Number of Wingmen

Target Position

Number of Wingmen: You can go it alone or select up to seven wingmen. Wingmen duplicate your weapon package.

A/G Target: Determines the type of ground targets you must destroy, if any – you may select none for an air- to-air mission.

Enemy Aircraft: Select the type of enemy aircraft. You can select from any aircraft available in the game – from lumbering 707s to hot MiG-29s. All enemy pilots fly the same aircraft.

Number of Enemy: The default is two, but you can select as many as eight.

Position: You determine the advantage, if any, of your starting location.

“Neutral” means the enemy starts at the same distance from the waypoint as you and at approximately the same speed.

“Advantage” means you begin the mission on the tail of the enemy.

“Disadvantage” means that you are positioned ahead of the enemy. The enemy will have the advantage of seeing you first.

Time of Day: Choose the starting time of day for the mission.

I N T E R F A C E O V E R V I E W 3-19

INSTANT ACTION OPTIONS

The Instant Action Options expand on the basic settings. You are not required use to these options.

Set any or all parameters in Friendly (your aircraft and wingmen), Enemy (the bad guys), and Environment (clear for miles or pea soup).

Click on a parameter to display available options. Some parameters are inactivated due to previous selections. For example, if you select zero wingmen, the formation parameter is not too useful.

Click on an option within the parameter.

FRIENDLY PARAMETERS

Altitude: Choose to start the mission altitude at low, medium, high or at a random selection from the three options.

The F/A-18E is very comfortable at low altitude, but if you aren’t familiar with the avionics and are flying in the mountains, start the mission at medium or high altitude, just to be safe.

Loadout: Select your weapon loadout from the available options.

Wingmen Skill: This parameter determines the skill level of your wingmen. A Rookie pilot is more likely to make a mistake that could place the mission in jeopardy; whereas an Expert or random pilot is more likely to deliver in a pinch.

Formation: Select the formation for you and your wingmen.

“Wedge” is a V-shape, except two aircraft (you and a wingman) share the lead position.

“Line” positions all your wingmen parallel to one side of you, perpendicular to the waypoint path.

“Trail” positions your wingmen in a line directly behind you.

“V” is V-shaped, with you at the front.

“Box” positions you and your wingmen in a rectangular-shaped formation at different altitudes.

“Wall” positions you and your wingmen similar to a “Line” but at different altitudes.

3-20 J A N E ’ S F / A - 1 8 F L I G H T M A N U A L

ENEMY PARAMETERS

Enemy Skill Level: Select the skill level of the enemy pilots. The less skilled they are, the fewer offensive/defensive maneuvers they’re capable of performing. If they’re flying 707s, you may want to give them a break and assign ace pilots.

Altitude: Set the enemy aircraft’s altitude at low, medium, high or at a random selection from one of the three options. Keep one thing in mind: if you assigned a less maneuverable aircraft to the enemy (our old friend the 707), you may want to start them at medium altitude.

Loadout: Since the enemy can be flying any type of aircraft, “Loadout” only determines what type of ordnance the enemy aircraft is carrying, not the exact weapons. You may also select random as the option.

“Empty” is naked, no weapons, only chaff and flares – not very sporting of you.

“Guns Only” is only a full load of gun ammo – assuming the aircraft has a gun.

“IR Only” indicates more sensitive heat-seeking missiles that track their targets regardless of the direction of launch.

“SARH Only” indicates a missile with radar guidance requiring constant illumination from the firing aircraft.

“Active Only” indicates a fully active “fire-and-forget” missile – long ranged and very dangerous.

"Mixed Anti-Air" indicates a balanced loadout of guns, IR, and radar-seeking weapons providing the enemy aircraft can carry those weapon types.

Ground Defenses: Determines the “density” of the ground defenses along your waypoint path and around the ground target.

Ground Defenst Skill: Sets the skill level of the enemy ground defenses.

Enemy Target Distance: Determines the flight distance to the enemy targets.

ENVIRONMENT

Region: Choose the type of terrain for the mission setting.

Weather: Choose the weather for the mission. The F/A-18E is equally adept at flying under any conditions, but it’s easier to fly in clear weather.

INSTANT ACTION DEBRIEFING

At the conclusion of each Instant Action mission, the Debriefing screen displays. It provides visual feedback on how well you did against the enemy aircraft and the status of the ground target, if any. A text summary also describes the mission results.

Friendly Aircraft Status

Enemy Aircraft Status

Ground Target

Mission Summary

I N T E R F A C E O V E R V I E W 3-21

Friendly Aircraft Status: Visually displays the status of your aircraft and up to seven-wingmen. Damaged aircraft trail smoke while an explosion covers destroyed aircraft.

Enemy Aircraft Status: Visually displays the status of up to eight enemy aircraft. Damaged aircraft trail smoke while an explosion covers destroyed aircraft.

Ground Target Status: If a ground target was included in the mission, it appears as destroyed or undamaged depending on its status.

Mission Summary: A text summary describes the status of the friendly and enemy aircraft and the ground target.

Click FORWARD to return to the Menu screen.

SINGLE MISSION

Single missions are just that, missions with a very singular purpose. Here, you can focus just on the tasks at hand without worrying about the future – that comes later in the campaign. Just keep one thing in mind, these missions are not intended as training. You’d best be on your toes once the mission starts – the unrelenting action is nothing short of fast and furious.

Mission Summary

 

Available Missions

 

Mission Objective

Chat Control (Multiplayer Only)

Any mission created in the MISSION BUILDER and saved to the MISSION subdirectory of the game, appears in the list of available missions. Note that missions still under construction also appear in the mission list. Selecting missions under construction is a good way of determining how well they work.

LOADING A MISSION

The MISSIONS list is a scrollable window on the right side of the screen. The list of missions includes both preexisting missions and those created in the MISSION BUILDER.

Click on the mission name (listed in Missions window) to display a summary of the mission.

Double-click on the mission name to immediately display the mission briefing.

Or click FORWARD to display the mission briefing.

After the briefing displays, click FORWARD to begin the mission.

Or after the briefing displays, click BACK to return to the initial SINGLE MISSION menu.

Mission Summary: The upper-left window displays a high-level summary of the mission. Read this information to determine if this is the mission for you.

Mission Objective: The lower-left window displays a picture of the mission objective.

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MAIN BRIEFING

Voice Summary

Summary Briefing

Mission Map

Airframe/Pilot Arming

Mission Map

Objective

Flights/Pilots

Chat Control

(Multiplayer Only)

The Briefing screen is where you can fine-tune any or all of the mission parameters or if you prefer, just start the mission. Click FORWARD to start the mission at any time. All of the available mission information can be reviewed, the mission map adjusted, and the mission’s aircraft and pilots can be adjusted or even replaced.

Objective(s): The upper-left window displays a picture of the mission objective.

Map: The upper-right window displays a map of the mission area.

Summary Briefing: The lower-left window displays a summary of the mission’s briefing.

Flight: The lower right window displays a picture of the mission’s flights and assigned pilots.

Voice Summary: Missions can have voice support describing the objectives and briefing. If available, click the speaker to play or stop play.

MISSION MAP

All currently known situational awareness is graphically viewed from the Mission Map. This includes the locations of waypoints for each flight, the Mission’s Bullseye, JSTARS and FACs aircraft, and any known threats. You may also move, add or delete waypoints from the Mission Map.

From this screen you can also move to a detailed description of the briefing, review available intelligence information or modify the target designations.

Flight Tab

 

 

 

Map Filters

 

 

 

Mission Map

 

 

 

World

Delete Waypoint

Add Waypoint

Map Controls

Targeting

Detailed Briefing

Chat Control

(Multiplayer Only)

Intelligence

I N T E R F A C E O V E R V I E W 3-23

MAP FILTERS

The upper-right window contains five rows of icons that control the information displayed on the Mission Map. Colors are utilized to designate ownership: green – friendly, red – enemy, gray – neutral, and blue – information. Toggle an icon to turn the item type on/off. Take time to experiment with the different map filters observing each one’s effect.

Ground Units Structures Naval Units

Aircraft

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airbases

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AAA Site

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weapons Ranges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ground Radar

SAM Site

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waypoint Path

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Radar Ranges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mission Label

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waypoint Range Waypoint Time

World Label

MAP CONTROLS

The middle-right window contains a single row of five green icons that control the scale and position of the Mission Map.

 

 

 

Zoom Out

Revert

Zoom Cursor

Zoom In

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Center on Cursor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revert: Clicking REVERT returns the Mission Map to its original view.

Zoom Area: Click ZOOM AREA to select an area to view.

Click-and-drag an area on the Mission Map. A red box outlines as you click-and-drag.

Release the mouse button and click again. The area described now fills the Mission Map window.

Center on Cursor: Click CENTER ON CURSOR to position the Mission Map.

Click a location on the Mission Map. The Mission Map display centers on that point.

The mission map enables you to not only view mission related information but to also move, add or delete waypoints for any friendly aircraft.

ADD WAYPOINT

Click ADD WAYPOINT (You move an existing waypoint by clicking-and-dragging it to a new location). You must click ADD WAYPOINT for each new waypoint.

Click on the waypoint just before the waypoint you want to add. If you want to add a waypoint prior to

Waypoint 1, click on the aircraft itself.

Click on the location of the new waypoint

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DELETE WAYPOINT

Click DELETE WAYPOINT. You must click DELETE WAYPOINT for each deletion.

Click on the waypoint to delete.

DETAILED BRIEFING

Click DETAILED BRIEFING to view an expanded description of the mission. Clicking BACK returns to the Main Briefing.

Chat Control

(Multiplayer Only)

INTELLIGENCE

Click INTELLIGENCE to view the most current intel data relating to the mission.

Chat Control

(Multiplayer Only)

TARGETING

Click TARGETING to modify the target selection.

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