AGM 65 E drifts when flanking the target during lasing

[gemballa974]

Hi there,

I noticed a weird behavior with the AGM 65 E, I don't know if it is related to the F18 only, so I chose to post it in General Bug section.

 

After a rifle at 8 to 10 nm with AGM 65 E and flanking the target during the lasing the maverick will drift away.

If you fly straight or limit the turn, the maverick will easily stay on course to the target.

 

Not sure if it is a bug from the maverick / the targeting pod (here the Atflir) or a difficulty for the maverick to pick the laser when the aircraft is flanking the target.

PBM MAV Laser.trk

[Frederf]

This is due to DCS's funny way of putting the laser reflection as a jewel on the end of a stick. In the simulation the laser reflection spot can be in mid air and that's what you're seeing here. The stick length in DCS is a maximum of 8nm and if the line of sight to the target is >8nm then the last spot just hangs in mid air at 8nm from the source. If you were to keep the target no more than 8nm away throughout the designation you would see normal behavior.

[gemballa974]

Alright.

I guess the actual range of laser designation is classified, and therefore changing the length of the stick might not be suitable.

I can deal with the way it is modelled in DCS.

Thanks for the explanation.

 

[Frederf]

Honestly slightly better modeling would be for the laser spot to not exist if it doesn't intersect.

Really because laser sensing is a round trip affair the intensity should decay going there, reflecting, and going to the sensor. Even if the airplane can't see the spot the missile or bomb can as it gets closer.

[gemballa974]

The plane doesn't need to see the spot (except during laser search).

If the maximum range to designate is 8nm, beyond this limit the spot should disappear and the bomb go dumb.

How it is modelled right now, you will not get a hit beyond 8nm. It's not working like in real life, but at least you have the same result.