11/3    How do AF pilots know whether to deploy chaff or flair? Wouldn't
        they need to know whether they are being aimed by heat seeking
        missile or radar guided missile?
        \_ It's a Hollywood thing.  Ask your flight combat instructor or
           script writer for details.
        \_ same way a police radar detector knows when a police radar
           gun is painting the car.  usually, if it's coming from
           another plane it's heat seeking.  even the u.s. rarely uses
           radar guided missles from planes.  low altitude surface to
           air missles are usually heat seeking too and high altitude
           ones are a combo of both.
           \_ that's not quite correct. it's about range. a heat seeking
              missile can only be fired at a closer range. the reason why
              the U.S. rarely uses radar-guided is because at BVR, you can't
              be too sure of the target due to ROE, even with an AWACs.
              there radars can discern between radar and heating seeking
              same reason why the Phoenix has never been used in combat.
        \_ They do know.  Didn't you see Top Gun?
              deploy chaff or flairs.
              \_ "their", "flare"
               \_ it is all about bellbottoms
              \_ What are BVR, ROE and AWAC?
              \_ Inaccurate?  You mean pilots don't have tacky colored
                 helmets and sleep with their hot flight instructors?
                        \-dont ask dont tell --psb
                 Beyond Visual Range, Rules Of Engagement, Airbone Warning
                 And Control (plane).
           \_ Top Gun was horribly inaccurate movie. Pilots know because
              their radars can discern between radar and heating seeking
        \_ I think you're screwed if it's heat-seeking with no radar
           required.
        \_ radar guided missiles emit strong radar signatures while heat
           sinking missiles don't. If the aircraft is equipped with that
           super high-tech radar stuff, a heat seaker looks like a really
           small fast metal thing coming right at you while a radar guided
           missile looks like a really small fast metal thing coming right
           at you and emitting its own radar signals making it a really,
           really bright small fast metal thing. Additionally, it amazes
           me how any of you got into cal. With any small amount of
            \_ yeah and as if your answer shows that you know what you are
               talking about.
           thought, a question like this is absolutely trivial but to
           assume berkeley fuckers will think for themselves has proven
           time and time again to be a fruitless waste of time. I have
           decided to take advantage of this lazy intellect by feeding the
           thoughts of other to one day convince you all I am your messiah
           at which point I would train you all to follow the exhalted
           and transcendental path of the lemming. - (fucker)
              and notify their pilots of this through unique squeek sounds
              heard in their headset. Also some systems can be set to auto
              deploy chaff or flares