| abstract
| - Below Radar decreases the thermal signature of all aircraft flying at low altitude. It hinders spotting and prevents weapon lock from heat-seeking weapons from aircraft and anti-air missile mounted aboard Mobile-Anti-Aircraft and Mobile Artillery. It is activated instantaneously when flying a lowest set altitude, preventing enemy heat-seeking air-to-air missiles from locking on to any aircraft below said altitude. Below Radar does not protect against shoulder-launched anti-air weapons (Stinger/Igla), nor was it designed to. The user must decide whether the threat from enemy air vehicles outweighs the threat from ground forces. Compared to Stealth, it allows helicopters to be more effective at close ground support. Low-flying aircraft are, however, more vulnerable to ground fire, including unguided or wire guided rockets, as well as fire from armored vehicles. Because of this, pilots of aircraft and encouraged to open, heavy-traffic areas when going below radar to avoid ground fire. Activation of Below Radar can be identified in mainly 3 ways: Below Radar will activate once the aircraft is within 30 meters or feet (whether altimeter measurement in metric or imperial units is currently unknown, not even mentioned by the developers) from surface level (altimeter measurement is based on sea level, not surface level). Pilots equipped with Air Radar will also witness the HUD symbol of their aircraft disappear when they are below the minimum altitude of activation and re-appear again when above the minimum altitude of activation. For Attack and Scout Helicopters, the specialization is activated at 25 or below, which also turns the aircraft's altimeter red, signifying both a dangerously low altitude, and Below Radar active. Pilots equipped with Air Radar will also witness the HUD symbol of their aircraft disappear when they are below the minimum altitude of activation and re-appear again when above the minimum altitude of activation. Another peculiar, but more inconsistent way of identifying whether Below Radar is activated, is to fly within Air-Radar-Range of enemy aircraft, particularly other hostile Jet Aircraft. More experienced, dog-fighting professional pilots may appear to be oblivious to the enemy aircraft's presence when below radar, especially when trailing them from behind at extremely low altitudes where Below Radar automatically activates. This can be identified somewhat accurately when the pilot of the targeted aircraft fails to initiate evasive combat manoeuvres to counter the aircraft trailing them from behind with Below Radar activated, therefore revealing the targeted aircraft's pilot ignorance of the enemy aircraft's presence. However, the targeted aircraft may also simply be pre-occupied with other tasks such as ground-attack and fails to acknowledge the trailing aircraft anyway, sometimes leading to confusion.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)