Can TPOD Read Buddy-Lase

[Captain Orso]

Can the TPOD read a laser targeting from a buddy-lase or JTAC?

 

What I'm trying to do is use a JTAC's laser targeting to find and mark the target and attack it with an IRMV. Will this only work with DMT, or is there a way to do it with the TPOD as well?

[Mesha44]

I don't think the TPOD reads, you will have to use the Laser spot tracker, and then mark that spot and try to slew the TPOD to it.

 

Or you can try to see if you can use NVG's to visually find the laser and slew to it.

 

However I am no expert.

[DmitriKozlowsky]

Both aircraft would need to have same PRF Code set. Lasing buddy would have his TPOD set to LASR, while weapon dropper would have his TPOD set to Marker or use Pave Penny (A-10) or ARBS (Harrier). Both need to communicate so that dropper brings his aircraft to release point and release time, releases weapon. Then tell lasing buddy when to fire the laser, which is normally the last 10-12 seconds of weapons flight time. With AI in DCS, I cannot get that to work. But with human co-player, no problem , methinks. In RW it is somewhat more difficult then it sounds becouse of coordination required. Better to have JTAC lase or mark target with smoke.

Advantage is that lasing buddy can remain on station longer, as he would be carrying fuel tanks, instead of weapons. Droppers could use pylons for weapons carriage , instead of fuel. They could enter battle area, drop weapons, and leave. Buddy lasing is a well known, well practiced , combat multiplier. But it does require training and practice. Dropper don't need TPOD. They could use Pave Penny LST tracker or ARBS LAST in Harrier , or simply be commanded to fly to certain point, along certain direction, at certain altitude, and drop when commanded or use timer. He must verify that PRF code is properly entered into weapon seeker. For example, IP is a given MGRS grid or Lat/Long string, Trax is attack vector, speed, altitude. It can be part of JTAC/CAS 9-Line brief per NATO standard, and given during operations order brief. Delivery pilot hits that IP waypoint on speed, azimuth, and altitude, he would then count to 10(or some other number) seconds, and release. Delivery pilot would announce weapon release as GBU-AWAY , RIFLE (AGM-65 release), or use standard artillery lingo of 'Shot', but without 'Splash'. Lasing buddy would then countdown weapon flight, as briefed in operations order, at 10-12 seconds to weapon 'Splash', he would lase the target.

Obviously both delivery boy and lasing buddy need to have detailed knowledge of weapon performance and trajectory for specific weather conditions. In RW each type come with mission planning system and software, that give crews relevant data for a specific weapon type.

In NATO, Tornado and Jaguars were known to have most sophisticated and detailed (and hardest to use) mission planning systems. Anything technical from British and French is bound to be 5X more complex then us, American knuckle draggers, need them to be.

[Plague2Delta]

I don't think the laser works like that. You could use a spot mark (sparkle) at night from a laser, and visually acquire with NVGs or your TPod as other person above suggested. Or just carry LMavs instead of IRMavs. Hope this helps.

[Pikey]

It should but the LST part of the TPOD isn't working. However the LST mode of the DMT does, and will slave your IRMav, leaving you to uncage only. The TPOD is still useful, but not required for off board designations

[davidp57]

It should but the LST part of the TPOD isn't working. However the LST mode of the DMT does, and will slave your IRMav, leaving you to uncage only. The TPOD is still useful, but not required for off board designations

 

→ this

[Captain Orso]

It should but the LST part of the TPOD isn't working. However the LST mode of the DMT does, and will slave your IRMav, leaving you to uncage only. The TPOD is still useful, but not required for off board designations

 

Yes, I've done this, which works pretty well, if I just want to hit the target the JTAC is lasing. But I've got a buch of scattered targets and JTAG ofc just marks one. I'd like to basically jump from the lased target into TPOD CCD to evaluate the nearby targets. The DMT TV is so highly zoomed, it is completely impractical for searching the area, thus the TPOD, which I'm already carrying anyway, because was on another mission, which I completed, and am picking this up, literally on-the-fly :) .

 

Unfortunately, when I switch to the TPOD page the carrot is ofc somewhere up in the sky and it's so time consuming to get the TPOD pointed in the right direction, when already starting with searching for the lased target *sigh*

[vctpil]

Hi,

 

I found this post because I have the same problem.

 

the DMT/LST is working but not the TPOD in LSS mode. Maybe because this is the version 1 of the TPOD. I will try tomorrow with the OB version and the version 4 of the TPPOD.

[vctpil]

Hi,

 

Tested with the TPOD v4 (OB for the moment), the LSS mode is working well.

 

Vincent