Electronic Countermeasures
Electronic warfare (EW) is a deep and complex topic that covers a long history of opposing and
rapidly evolving sensors, tactics, weapons and other equipment from numerous countries. In this
section, we consider only a few active radar jamming electronic countermeasures (ECM) - or as it has
been more recently called, "electronic attack" (EA) - systems that are designed to protect the aircraft
on which they are installed.
Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) Stations of Su-27
The Flanker's SPS-171 "Sorbtsiya" active ECM station is an analogue of the American AN/ALQ-135
station employed by the F-15C. The system is carried in two wingtip pods that replace a pair of R-73
missile pylons, thus decreasing the maximum missile carriage of the Su-27 by 2. In normal usage,
one pod acts as a receiver and the other as a transmitter, so that enemy radar signals can be
continuously analyzed, manipulated and retransmitted with distortions, even if the threat radar
frequency or bearing are changed. It employs steerable-beam antennas to organize jamming by
sector and frequency band, and has several advanced operating modes, significantly decreasing the
tracking and lock range of hostile radars.
Figure 64: SPS-171 Sorbtsiya pad
When the player-flown aircraft is equipped with such an ECM system (internally, or carried on a
weapon station as a pod), it can be toggled on and off during a mission by pressing the [E] key. The
lamp on the right panel will flash during activation of the ECM system (about 15 sec) and steady light
when the system is fully active.
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