Something Mildly Amusing

[shake307]

So, been trying to get back in to the A-10C and to help my motivation I set the background wallpaper on main screen to the plane. Well, looking at the A-10C, I noticed it isn't carrying a TGP. I thought, "Huh, I wonder if anybody else has noticed this." So I posted.

[Kippy]

Gonna have to make use of the poor man's targeting pod - Maverick sensor.

 

If all else fails, you'll always have your trusty Mk.I eyeball.

 

Welcome back to the Pig!

[Puma]

The TGP has not always been standard on the A-10. Early in Afghan war I beleive it was added to enable night attack role. Historians will probably correct my details, but the point is its still a viable attack and especially cas airframe without tgp.

[cthulhu68]

The pic does show JDAM's which would be tough to use without TGP.

[razo+r]

The pic does show JDAM's which would be tough to use without TGP.

 

Tough if you use that box on the HUD, but not if someone gives you coordinates...

[j-tk]

Yeah couldn't you just drop JDAMs with manual inputted coordinates then switch to mark mode, and start dropping on cue?

[Yurgon]

Nice pic, but I just can't get enough of the Default theme 2.5 image. :)

 

TGP would certainly not go amiss there, but like the others already pointed out, it's not at all required for the A-10C to be a very deadly and efficient asset.

[Kev2go]

The TGP has not always been standard on the A-10. Early in Afghan war I beleive it was added to enable night attack role. Historians will probably correct my details, but the point is its still a viable attack and especially cas airframe without tgp.

 

Early? ( i suppose you referring to first weeks or months of the Operations in 2001?) is because back then A10C wasn't yet a thing. A10A could with suite 2 upgrades use the L2 TGP but it was limited to being displayed in the TV display normally used for maverick. in 2001 the L2 was still relatively new and id surmise prioritized for multi mission Fighters.

 

 

A10C program began in 2005, first squadron did not go IOC until 2007, with the FIrst deployment of an A10C squadron sent to Iraq in 2008 first. So yes 2001-2007 you aren't going to be Seeing A-10C's in combat over A-stan or Iraq.

 

For the A10C the TGP is almost always carried in combat sorties. It is indeed especially crucial for Night Operations.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Kev2go

[Kev2go]

Tough if you use that box on the HUD, but not if someone gives you coordinates...

 

the time to input coordinates via radio takes a fair bit longer than using TGP or having a marker Placed within the TAD directly where the position required to strike Via the SADL by a JTAC or AFAC. Even if the latter situation occurs, the TGP is still useful for for confirming if what your looking at is what your supposed to attack and adjusting if the target in question has moved, without having to fly a low pass directly over it.

Edited February 10, 2018 by Kev2go

[Yurgon]

the time to input coordinates via radio takes a fair bit longer than using TGP or having a marker Placed within the TAD directly where the position required to strike Via the SADL by a JTAC or AFAC.

 

Not trying to argue against the TGP here. But in a (not pre-planned) CAS scenario, without someone on the radio giving coords, where would you point the TGP in the first place? :smartass:

 

The workflow might also require inputting coords at some point. Also, in a bomb on coordinate attack the TGP could be used for target verification, but if conditions (like cloud cover or smoke) prohibit its use, it's pretty much dead weight as far as that attack is concerned.

 

Don't get me wrong, the TGP is an amazing asset, and I believe the pilots who were there during the transition keep praising it for its gain in target identification, SA, and strike precision. Just saying, pilots shouldn't rely on it exclusively.

[j-tk]

Good point. So if I have 6 JDAMs, my radio is off and they forget to load the tgp pod, how would I go about creating a mark point for the JDAMS? I'm seriously curious about this. Thanks!

[Kippy]

You could slew the TDC onto the target and set that as your SPI to engage.

 

Alternatively, you could set the TAD as SOI and slew the TAD cursor to your target, set a markpoint, set the markpoint as your SPI, and engage.

 

There's of course the option of inputting the target cords into the CDU to generate a waypoint, set that as your SPI and engage that way.

 

Plenty of ways to go about it.

[Yurgon]

So if I have 6 JDAMs, [...]

 

... you're probably on a mission with pre-planned static targets and most probably pre-planned coords, seeing as that's not the most typical CAS loadout. ;)

 

[...] my radio is off [...]

 

No ATC comms, no AWACS comms, no tanker comms, no wingman comms, no comms at all? Is hitting a target your biggest concern right now?

 

[...] and they forget to load the tgp pod, how would I go about creating a mark point for the JDAMS?

 

Let's say you've got a killbox where everything that remotely looks like it might be a target is fair game as far as your ROE are concerned: TDC, TAD and Mav (whoops, 6 JDAMs, so no Mavs, sorry) are all sensors that can generate SPIs/mark points. Just be aware that these are not as accurate as a TGP or 8 digit/10 digit MGRS grids and you have to take the inaccuracy of the SPI generator into account in regards to danger close situations (without comms, how would you even know that?), collateral damage, and the intended effect on target.

 

Sounds to me like this might not be the most common scenario when trying to employ JDAMs... :smartass:

[j-tk]

Thanks for the reply, you mentioned a few I didn't think of!