GAU-8 in night conditions

[Dragan]

Hello friends, I need good advice, if there are any A-10 pilots on the forum, it would be helpful, and I believe that there are, since I put the cannon aiming cross out of use due to the wastage of ammunition and inaccuracy and totally put the circle into use, I am interested in how to I attack targets at night, how can I see them before the attack when I fly down after identifying them with TGP?

Edited August 14, 2023 by Dragan

[Mud]

If you're using NVG's, you can paint them with the IR laser of the TGP to give you a point to focus on.  
It's been ages since I have done it, but I think I turned off the laser just before shooting so it would not mask the target.

Mud

[razo+r]

You can also use the illumination bomb to light up the area of a target so you don't need NVGs. 

[Dragan]

Thanks, both the solutions you mentioned are useful, I will definitely try them, and when you say IR laser, what exactly do you mean, is it IR from TGP with the laser on?

[Mud]

Just now, Dragan said:

Thanks, both the solutions you mentioned are useful, I will definitely try them, and when you say IR laser, what exactly do you mean, is it IR from TGP with the laser on?

The TGP can fire a non-visible laser or an infrared beam, or both.  You can switch which is being fired from the TGP screen on the MFD's, and I believe there is a HOTAS command for it as well.

[Dragan]

Thank you very much, the topic is open, anyone who wants can share some more useful advice, what you wrote came in handy

[A10Yoda]

17 hours ago, Dragan said:

Hello friends, I need good advice, if there are any A-10 pilots on the forum, it would be helpful, and I believe that there are, since I put the cannon aiming cross out of use due to the wastage of ammunition and inaccuracy and totally put the circle into use, I am interested in how to I attack targets at night, how can I see them before the attack when I fly down after identifying them with TGP?

 

As I did not have much first hand IAM experience, I am certainly aware of how to target at night.

As stated in a few posts, NVG with InfaRed pointer works wonders for illuminating a target.

The real answer unfortunately is simple.  "Check and verify."

In real world scenarios you would be doing pilot related drills to check and verify on certain type of control targets and some of those are sight unseen and mostly consist of verifying your INS drift, read-back information, or painted target.  Or a combination of all of them.

Even verifying everything in your control you can still miss your target.  There are checklists to make sure you verify all of your information is correct and accurate and you rely on them and your training.   Ultimately lack of attention can needlessly cost someone their life and it may be same team.

If flying with other people, or JTAC, a talk on may be warranted by someone who has more SA than you.

Practice at it..

Edited August 15, 2023 by A10Yoda

[ASAP]

At night you would strafe your (or better yet, your wingman’s) IR marker. If that’s not an option you can strafe the TGP diamond. Or you could laser spot search your wingman’s  laser and strafe that

[Dragan]

I tried a night flight with the NVG and had success hitting the target with the cannon I boosted the NVG and got small black dots that were clearly visible, if anyone can explain how to use the IR it would be helpful, can I use it on its own or does it require JTAC?

[razo+r]

You can use either or, whichever you prefer.

As for enabling the IR marker, you can either use the HOTAS command for it to toggle between LSR, IR or BOTH, or you can just press the button on the MFD page. After that you just need to be in range of the pointer (something like 10-15nm) and then press the NWS button. After that, turn on your NVGs and you should see it.

[Dragan]

Thank you very much, these are already things I didn't know, when I try them I will share my impressions here usual 

Edited August 15, 2023 by Dragan

[King39]

Another thing to think about is turning the PAC stabilizer off which will give you a wider spread of the impact area but you couldn't use this if Danger Close.

[Dragan]

Guys, all of you who came here helped me, on this occasion I want to thank you to the heavens, I was doing attack with IR marker and NVG and I had great hits with the cannon 90% of the bullets hit every target, a big big thank you all again once.. Cheers    

[A10Yoda]

Lastly, CCIP gun piper can give you distance to target.  Combination of setting SPI and radar altimeter will help ensure proper engagement distance and safe egress..

[Dragan]

7 hours ago, A10Yoda said:

На крају, ЦЦИП пиштољ може вам дати удаљеност до циља. Комбинација подешавања СПИ и радарског висиномера ће помоћи да се обезбеди одговарајућа удаљеност захвата и сигуран излазак.

I tried both variants of targeting the target, they were equally successful as with the distance adjustment, until recently I had big problems with attacks at night because I didn't use IR, in any case thank you very much