Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

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U6443
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Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by U6443 »

Hi

I'm consider to always turn on OECM on ships...

Any idea why i should not turn it on every time?

Thank's
Andy
Rory Noonan
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by Rory Noonan »

It's an emission like any other; it can lead to detection.

Once the bad guys know where you are, you may as well have it on--but if they don't know your position, OECM can give it away.
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Sardaukar
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by Sardaukar »

Are you suggesting to have OECM on all the time? Problem is that you are announcing your presence to everyone...and OECM can probably be detected lot further than radars.

Lets think about scenario where one has OECM on but not radars. Situation is like being in pitch black forest, putting on blindfold and turning on powerful flashlight. Everyone within certain distance WILL notice that one. [:D] Your own detection capability is not improved, but everyone else's is...[:D] OECM is usually used only when attack is imminent or already detected...or "escorting" own attack when opposition notices it.
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U6443
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by U6443 »

Hi
I have just tested it with

BLUE: one Alreigh Burke Flight III
RED: one AU-50A Mainstay

A) Active Jammner on Burke always on:
->Detected after 9 Minutes, Fix after 14 Minutes

B) No Emission on Burke:
->Detected and immediate FIX after 13 Minutes

->Make this sense?

Andy
U6443
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by U6443 »

So

Best would be to turn it on if your ships are within radar range of the enemy..... OECM seems most helpfull against misssiles, but not against detecting
Andy
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Gunner98
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by Gunner98 »

I suppose that like most things in the game - it depends on the situation. In the situation you describe, possibly, although what is doing the detecting? Switch it out for a different ship with different OECM, different detector platforms, move it around on the timescale and you get different results.

I think the best solution in most cases is to leave you're fixed and semi-fixed (ships) platforms OFF as long as possible while you have an airborne jammer covering the area who can run away and hide.

Figuring out the capabilities of your platforms vs those of the other side is part of the fun.
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NakedWeasel
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by NakedWeasel »

[:D] I was thinking, do you EVER turn it on? I never use the ship's ECM unless I'm already getting shot at. Way too easy to localize from hundreds of miles away, and the Backfires ALWAYS come.
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kevinkins
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by kevinkins »

Good general advice re: OECM. Small tests like U6443 conducted help refine tactics specific to individual weapons. It would be daunting to try to win a scenario without experience with your systems. Before playing those special scenarios you are really interesting in, practice with your troops before diving in. That will yield a better result and keep your FOW intact.
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Dysta
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by Dysta »

I was thinking if OECM may cause emission to give detection to the enemy, they can try to 'Force' you to stay OECM on by launching SEAD at you, firing ASM one at a time to keep your AA radar and jammer busy. And then their ARM will take care of you much easier.

But it doesn't seems the case from U6643, you keep OECM on to spoof enemy radar and harder to pinpoint your ships' location, so you can quickly intercept them with air units, without using radar from your ships. Also, hostile SEAD can hardly suppress you if ASM are jammed at the beginning, so you don't have to open the radar to intercept them.

The only problem is the ARM. If it can track the source of OECM emission, it will be very difficult to intercept, since they're supersonic and can search for other emissions if missed.
Rory Noonan
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by Rory Noonan »

Hmm can ARMs lock on to OECM? I didn't know that. Will have to test it out.
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ExNusquam
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by ExNusquam »

ARMs can definitely lock on to jammers.
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Rory Noonan
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by Rory Noonan »

750+ hours in this game and I still learn something new every day
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Dysta
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by Dysta »

750? Oh man.

Mines nearly 500 hours, but half of the time are benchmark and mission pre-planned only. I felt like a bigger newbie now. [:'(]
tombo
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by tombo »

...on a slightly different question. If my AEW plane has a red "JAMMED" next to it, does that mean its not detecting anything? Or if a fighter is jammed, does it prevent missile guidance?

sorry for very basic questions.
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ExNusquam
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RE: Should OECM on ships not always be turned on?

Post by ExNusquam »

JAMMED simply means you're being jammed to some degree. Your radars may still be effective, and depending on engagement geometry and radar/jammer power missiles may still guide.
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