How to loft GBU-10/12 using Pave Spike without Human WSO

[MBot]

How to loft GBU-10/12 laser-guided bombs using Pave Spike without a human WSO. I am sure this is not the only way to do it but it works fairly reliably for me. Flying this demanding attack profile solo is actually more practical than it might first appear, considering that the WSO cannot work Pave Spike while the pilot maneuvers and the pilot cannot maneuver while the WSO works Pave Spike. It is therefore possible for a single player to perform both pilot and WSO tasks in sequence. The only real downside is a reduction of situation awareness compared to a two-human crew.

 

Required bindings:

1. Front cockpit:

   a) [WSO] Antenna Hand Controller Trigger – Half Action (button)

   b) [WSO] Insert Target Button

2. Rear cockpit: Antenna Hand Controller (for Pave Spike)

 

Attack planning:

1. Find and select a Visual IP (VIP) 10-15 NM from target (use map).

2. Note true bearing and distance from VIP to target.

3. Determine N/S and W/E offset in feet from VIP to target. You can do this by using the "Offset" mode of delivery in the Bombing Table. It doesn't matter that you will not actually perform an Offset attack. All other parameters in the table can be ignored. You only need it to calculate N/S WRCS and W/E WRCS.

4. Determine target elevation in feet.

 

Cockpit setup:

1. Front cockpit:

   a) Delivery Mode: TGT FIND

   b) Select weapon: BOMBS

   c) Stations: as required

   d) QTY: as required

   e) Arm Fuze: NOSE & TAIL

   f) Master Arm: ARM

   g) Select HUD Mode: A/G

   h) Toggle Flight Director: vertical

   i) Select DSCG Screen Mode: TV

2. Rear cockpit:

   a) WRCS Panel: N/S DISTANCE (distance in feet x 100 from VIP to target)

   b) WRCS Panel: W/E DISTANCE (distance in feet x 100 from VIP to target)

   c) WRCS Panel: ALT (target elevation in feet x 100)

   d) DRAG COEFFICIENT: 1.15 (this is just a rough guess but seems to work fairly well to loft GBU-10/12 from 5 NM)

   (a-c can also entered by JESTER via the Bombing Table)

 

Execution:

1. Approach the Visual IP. When directly overhead, press "[WSO] Insert Target Button" (WSO hotkey from front cockpit). This will insert a WRCS target at the set offset from your present position (i.e. the target position). You will now have ADI/HSI steering to the target and the Pave Spike will be put into Memory Mode and gets slaved to the WCRS target position. Note that at this stage (Memory Mode) Pave Spike will not yet generate any weapon release calculations. It will still be required to put Pave Spike into Track Mode (see below).

2. Fly directly towards the target using the steering provided by the ADI and HSI.

3. When approximately 6-7 NM from the target start a shallow climb. This will ensure that Pave Spike is "unwinded" correctly. Background info: When flying level, the Pave Spike pod has a nose down attitude. To be aligned with the WRCS target forward, the Pave Spike head will probably be rotated upwards. When you start to pull up, the head needs about 2 seconds to rotate 180° in order to be able to track downwards. It is important to give the pod sufficient time to "unwind" before entering into Track Mode (next step).

4. When about 500 ft above target elevation, press "[WSO] Antenna Hand Controller Trigger – Half Action (button)" (WSO hotkey from front cockpit). This will put Pave Spike into Track Mode (without laser) and it will now generate weapon release calculations. Background info: Entering Track Mode at a too shallow view angle to the target has the potential for considerable error in the tracked position. Tiny variation in pod elevation angle will result in considerable horizontal variation. Entering Track Mode at a steeper angle to the target will increase the likelihood to track the correct position.

5. Press and hold the Bomb Release Button until the bombs are released.

6. Pull up into the loft maneuver following the directions on the gunsight or flight director. You should be around 5 NM from target at this point.

7. When the bombs are released, swiftly but smoothly roll 135° to the right and begin to pull down. Continue to turn for 90°. Then roll back left to a 45° bank into the target while maintaining level flight. You want to end up in a level 45°-bank left turn with the target at your 9 o'clock. At this attitude Pave Spike will have a clear line-of sight to the left towards the target at a mostly constant distance for the full duration of the laser designation phase. If you have too little bank angle, the target will start to wander aft at increasing distance and eventually move out of view before bomb impact. If you descend during the designation phase, the angle to the target will become too shallow to reliably lase the target.

8. When the designation attitude has been achieved, stabilize the aircraft (some trim up might be needed) and enable Attitude Hold Autopilot. It is very important to be stabilized before enabling the autopilot. Otherwise the autopilot might disengage and you nose down unnoticed into the ground while working with Pave Spike from the WSO cockpit (see below). At this point the bomb will probably have reached the apex of its trajectory.

9. Switch to the WSO cockpit to control Pave Spike directly. Move the sight on target with the hand controller, then enable the laser with Trigger Full Action. Continue to track the target by hand until bomb impact.

10. Upon bomb impact, turn off the laser (Trigger Full Action), switch to the front cockpit and turn off the autopilot. Descend and initiate evasive maneuvers/egress.

[VirusAM]

Thanks for this.
Very interesting..I need to try