Beyond the Radar: HARM Missiles & Cluster Bombs CRUSH Air Defenses (Falc...

In my latest mission, documented in the video below, I confront Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD).

The Loadout

In real and simulated SEAD missions, a flight is often limited in the number of AGM-88 HARM missiles it can carry—in this case, just two [00:29]. Since HARMs only target active radar emitters, what happens when the enemy shuts down their system?

I tried this loadout:

• AGM-88 HARM Missiles: The primary tool for neutralizing active radar threats.

• Cluster Bombs: Added to provide a saturation capability for area denial and destroying non-emitting systems (like command posts or TELs).

• LANTIRN Targeting Pod: Critically, the targeting pod was slaved to the HTS (Harm Targeting System) [00:52]. This allowed for visual confirmation and precise targeting of the area that the HTS was pointing at, maximizing the chance of a successful cluster bomb strike even after the radar went quiet.

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One of the most compelling features of Falcon BMS is its commitment to realism. The mission highlighted the dynamic nature of enemy threats:

"One of the the great things about Falcon is how the enemy air defenses work. They turn on and off. So it's not like you have a sitting duck over there that just turns on and it stays there waiting for it to be killed." [06:36]

This behavior forces the pilot to constantly adapt, push through the target area, and rely on non-emitting weapons like the cluster bombs when the radar silence sets in. This level of AI complexity elevates the simulation far beyond a simple game.

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Mission Constraints and Execution

While the mission was moderately successful—achieving a single kill with the HARM and causing significant damage with the cluster bomb pass [12:42]—it underscored two major tactical constraints imposed by the specialized loadout:

1. Fuel Limitation: Using the external pylons for bombs instead of fuel tanks significantly limited the aircraft's range.

2. Target Overflight: The cluster bomb drop necessitated an overflight of the target area [02:09]. Against dangerous SAM systems, this increases exposure and risk, requiring a swift, high-speed exit while hitting the deck to evade incoming fire [02:03].

Despite an early snag where one HARM failed to guide [07:10], the persistent approach eventually paid off, with a successful Magnum launch taking out an enemy emitter [09:10], paving the way for the cluster bomb delivery.

The combination of HARM suppression and the area-denial capability of cluster munitions proved the efficacy of this combined-arms approach against advanced, evasive air defenses.

Watch the full video to see the high-stakes mission unfold:

Cheers,