Lasing Targets For Others: Best way to maintain the lase?

[Merlin216]

I have wanted to try buddy lasing in a combat situation for quite some time now. We have successfully done it on the practice range, so we are capable of doing so provided that the person bombing can detect the laser in adequate time. I have several questions as far as techniques go to see how you all do it.

 

My first question is; Why buddy lase when you can send your SPI or target info to the other aircraft and they can just lase? Is the buddy lasing more for ground units?

 

Second; Is there an effective way to orbit the target without masking the TGP so you dont lose LOS with the laser? It seems to me that you almost need to head straight in to find a target, or even lase for another aircraft, and I would like to do it from a safer distance or altitude as a FAC.

 

 

On a side note, did they remove the players ability to be a ground FAC after one of the betas?

[636_Castle]

My first question is; Why buddy lase when you can send your SPI or target info to the other aircraft and they can just lase? Is the buddy lasing more for ground units?

 

Probably because buddy lasing usually occurs when you're unable to lase a target yourself. Also that method isn't the most accurate. You might notice how when JTAC gives you the location of an enemy, you still have to slew your cursor a bit in order to designate the target. Same with markpoints. Everybody's slant range is different, so broadcasting SPI isn't always 100% perfect. Also it lets you fire and forget, so you can drop an LGB near a target over clouds without having a visual, and let someone at a safe distance lase it in for you.

 

Second; Is there an effective way to orbit the target without masking the TGP so you dont lose LOS with the laser? It seems to me that you almost need to head straight in to find a target, or even lase for another aircraft, and I would like to do it from a safer distance or altitude as a FAC.

You have to be creative. Either orbit with the target on the same wing as the TGP, or fly with one wing low while you circle around. Remember to watch the seeker dot on the screen. When it starts getting close to the 5/7 oclock positions on the screen, that's usually a good indication it's time to reposition.

On a side note, did they remove the players ability to be a ground FAC after one of the betas?

Yep. No more client JTAC.

[Merlin216]

Probably because buddy lasing usually occurs when you're unable to lase a target yourself. Also that method isn't the most accurate. You might notice how when JTAC gives you the location of an enemy, you still have to slew your cursor a bit in order to designate the target. Same with markpoints. Everybody's slant range is different, so broadcasting SPI isn't always 100% perfect. Also it lets you fire and forget, so you can drop an LGB near a target over clouds without having a visual, and let someone at a safe distance lase it in for you.

 

 

You have to be creative. Either orbit with the target on the same wing as the TGP, or fly with one wing low while you circle around. Remember to watch the seeker dot on the screen. When it starts getting close to the 5/7 oclock positions on the screen, that's usually a good indication it's time to reposition.

 

Yep. No more client JTAC.

 

Good points, thank you for the input. I guess I will have to play around with different orbits. I noticed that practically any slight bank angle will mask the TGP though, I wish the pod could be more towards the fuselage. I think most of the masking comes from the AIM9s though.

[RodBorza]

Probably because buddy lasing usually occurs when you're unable to lase a target yourself. Also that method isn't the most accurate. You might notice how when JTAC gives you the location of an enemy, you still have to slew your cursor a bit in order to designate the target. Same with markpoints. Everybody's slant range is different, so broadcasting SPI isn't always 100% perfect. Also it lets you fire and forget, so you can drop an LGB near a target over clouds without having a visual, and let someone at a safe distance lase it in for you.

 

Besides that, lasing with the IR Pointer on (the Both option) will give others a good reference/confirmation to where exactly you want them to drop ordnance (mainly at night, that is :smartass:).

Also, for "over the clouds" bombing, a lightly armed (mainly only rocket markers, TGP and AIM-9's) could guide the bombs to the target that other more heavily armed flights can't or are unable to. This may not apply much for other A-10's, but I can see a good aplication for other planes like F-16's/F-18's.

[Steel Jaw]

Is line of site an issue, and must both aircraft be on the same side of the taget?

[Insanatrix]

You don't need line of sight to release, like if you were tossing it over a hill for instance. As for them both needing to be on the same side of the target thats a good question. I might test that out tommorrow.

[Frederf]

Is line of site an issue, and must both aircraft be on the same side of the taget?

 

In real life, yes. In DCS I don't think any 3D object blocks LOS for visual or radar, only terrain grid. You can lase the north side of a tall building and LGB from the south and still acquire.