AGM-65E Maverick and TGP: Too close for comfort?

[LeCuvier]

I have finally managed to kill tanks with MAV E lasing the targets with my TGP. I fired the Mavericks as soon as I had "In Range" indication on the HUD. But that was only about 7 or 8 nm from target. I have to keep flying towards the target until the missile hits. By that time, I was within 2 nm of the target and below 4000 ft altitude. That feels like Russian roulette. Does the real thing work like that? If so, I wonder why anybody would want to use that weapon. The MAV F can be fired from about 8 nm and I can immediately turn away to stay clear of air defenses. At my current state of knoledge, I would never want to use the MAV E with on-board lasing.

[Ziptie]

I have finally managed to kill tanks with MAV E lasing the targets with my TGP. I fired the Mavericks as soon as I had "In Range" indication on the HUD. But that was only about 7 or 8 nm from target. I have to keep flying towards the target until the missile hits. By that time, I was within 2 nm of the target and below 4000 ft altitude. That feels like Russian roulette. Does the real thing work like that? If so, I wonder why anybody would want to use that weapon. The MAV F can be fired from about 8 nm and I can immediately turn away to stay clear of air defenses. At my current state of knoledge, I would never want to use the MAV E with on-board lasing.

 

Once you've fired the maverick - you should not continue descent. You should instead, at minimum go level horizon or even initiate a climb to maintain a safe altitude from SAM and AAA threat(s). You should do this while ensuring that you do not enter a masking situation with the TGP. Best practice is to put roll into the aircraft where you can maintain separation from the target area while being able to continue with a valid lase.

 

I try to fire in the 6-8nm range, pull the nose back to level horizon, typically command left roll of the aircraft, and establish the start of a race track until the missile impacts the target. You can use BALT after level horizon to help you decrease your "work load" to get comfortable with it, but typically in a combat AO you really want to have full control of you aircraft. I typically only employ laser mavericks when a buddy lase is present, for those very reasons.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

[Eldur]

Turn away from the target, but make sure the target slant range is 8nm max upon impact. The laser does end there abruptly, just like a light saber in a well known scifi franchise. Or just shoot much earlier since you can do that from 17nm already with enough energy to back that up. And don't go too fast as the Mav will be subsonic most of its travel.

[Marauder.exe]

Self-lasing for an AGM-65E was not a thing until the AGM-65E-2 (introduced late 2011ish, USAF equivalent being the -L). Typically, laser mavs are employed in a buddy-lase or ground-lase type attack. Regarding the "lock" range, the DCS laser is hard limited to a range of roughly 7.5 NM. Regardless of the missile seeker's sensitivity, if you're self lasing you won't get a proper "lock" until that point anyway. If it does manage a lock past that range, it is locking to the "end point" of the laser in 3D space.

tl;dr: buddy lase before trying to self-lase

[LeCuvier]

Thanks guys!