Manual vs Automatic lasing and Mk-82AIR questions

[Nasder]

So far when I've delivered LGB's on target I've used automatic lasing with a 10-15 second lasing time before target. And I just got wondering if there's any pros or cons between doing it manually or automatic. Right now automatic works really great but I was wondering if there's situations when manual lasing would be preferred.

 

 

 

I just got around to playing around with the MK-82AIR and I found it to be very inaccurate due to wind. How is this weapon best deployed in high-drag mode?

 

With the ability to turn it into a low-drag bomb is it a valid option to use as a substitute for the normal Mk-82? What are the pros and cons with a low-drag Mk-82AIR vs a conventional MK-82? I know it's a cost issue and logistical, there are more Mk-82's around than Mk-82AIR's, but with those things aside on a pure weapon to weapon comparison.

[mvsgas]

Lasing is up to you. Auto just keeps the work load low

 

MK82AIR are best deployed at low altitude and fast ( relative speaking of course )

[Frederf]

Manual is good if you're not lasing at all, just delivering the bomb for someone else to lase. Automatic really can't be beat for self-contained employment. Apart from some emotional "I like it because of how it makes me feel" comment, I can't think of any situation where manual is objectively better.

 

The 82s with the drag bag: Low, fast, and lots of them. It's an area weapon in every sense of the word. 500-2000 feet, 250-400 knots, and 4-8 bombs. Versus the slick in performance? Probably less weight and drag by a bit. In real life the mechanism is less than 100% reliable to deploy or not deploy. Apart from that, in the sim they're just plain more versatile if you put in the effort to inventory/profile them correctly.

[RodBorza]

As Frederf put it, the manual lase is a matter of personal taste. I do like manual lasing, just by the fact that if I don't have time to plan it, do a level flight AND having time to manually lasing my the target, I must be doing something wrong (like getting into a SAM envelope).

Regarding Mk-82 Airs they are great if you have a very fast jet, doing a very low pass and need to stay very low because of the high SAM threat in the area. For the A-10, I don't see much use for them, because as the Hawg can go low, it cannot go fast and in this sim it is better to stay in the medium to high altitudes. Unless someone comes up with a mission where if you stick your nose out of the 500 ft you get shot, then use them only for "having fun" reasons.

 

EDIT: Nasder, in a more useful note. Look at the following link. It shows how to compensate for wind by programming the CDU properly. I believe that you may be missing your targets because MK-82 AIRs are more dependant on the wind (I think):

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=66422&highlight=wind+correct+CDU

Edited April 29, 2011 by RodBorza
Link to useful thread.

[shu77]

I kind of figured that if you were sitting in something like a black shark, the Laser warning indicator is going to start going nuts on an auto lase where there's going to be less warning on a manual. Presumably on a modern battlefield a number of other units are going to have some sort of indication of lasing as well?

[Frederf]

Does the CDU WIND page even work? Last I tested it changes to the WIND page data didn't affect CCIP or CCRP dumb bomb attacks.

 

AIRs would be better if the enemy AI wasn't super human in detection and reaction time.

[shu77]

So that said does anyone else find the idea of sniping blacksharks with the 'freaking laser' to make the LWS go off when you're beyond aim9 engagement range to be really humorous.....

[Ozz13]

In my attempt to satisfy my curiosity with a question I came across this thread. Thought I'd just add on to it with my question.

 

Which is; what is the reason behind setting a laser time in seconds? Why doesn't auto laser paint the target and keep it lit till the bomb lands? Why activate 10 or 15 seconds before impact? Seems to me that if the target was lit up the entire time the bomb could make incremental changes all the way down to the target as needed.

[Zenra]

Laser energy can be detected, so lasing for the whole time of flight of your munition (which can be a long time from high altitude) gives the target plenty of warning and paints a big, "Here I am!!" in the sky. A mobile target may have time to hide or take other evasive action, like shoot back, and/or tell it's friends to.

[Ozz13]

Laser energy can be detected, so lasing for the whole time of flight of your munition (which can be a long time from high altitude) gives the target plenty of warning and paints a big, "Here I am!!" in the sky. A mobile target may have time to hide or take other evasive action, like shoot back, and/or tell it's friends to.

 

Ah.. I see. I hadn't really thought it was detectable. That makes sense :D

 

Thanks.

[Avilator]

So that said does anyone else find the idea of sniping blacksharks with the 'freaking laser' to make the LWS go off when you're beyond aim9 engagement range to be really humorous.....

 

Oh yes....:megalol:

 

Laser energy can be detected, so lasing for the whole time of flight of your munition (which can be a long time from high altitude) gives the target plenty of warning and paints a big, "Here I am!!" in the sky. A mobile target may have time to hide or take other evasive action, like shoot back, and/or tell it's friends to.

 

The laser also gets pretty hot when it is in use. I don't know how good the cooling equipment inside the pod is, but generally, shorter firing time=cooler laser=longer lasting hardware=cheaper.

[711Hancer]

Also when you start lasing the moment you release the bomb, you will deplete the bombs energy since the bomb makes lots of adjustments for the laser. Its best to make it auto lase between 10-15 secs so that you wont get detected and the bomb does not use lots of energy to make changes on its course according to the laser pointer.

[Guysmiley777]

Also when you start lasing the moment you release the bomb, you will deplete the bombs energy since the bomb makes lots of adjustments for the laser. Its best to make it auto lase between 10-15 secs so that you wont get detected and the bomb does not use lots of energy to make changes on its course according to the laser pointer.

 

Exactly, it's referred to as "cutting the corner". The LGB will see the laser spot and immediately start 'bang-bang'ing its way to the target. Since there's no propulsion, a non-ballistic straight in path will often end up leaving the bomb falling short.

 

I attached a quaint little drawing of what I'm referring to.

[Sinky]

I use auto-lase at 12 seconds myself. Never had a problem with it other than when flying online but I have a suspicion my bomb missed because it conflicted with my friends laser code, is this modelled?

[Tholozor]

Yes, if your LGBs are set to a laser code for another jet, it'll get confused. Buddy-lasing works in that regard.

[Sinky]

Yes, if your LGBs are set to a laser code for another jet, it'll get confused. Buddy-lasing works in that regard.

 

I suspected as much, thanks. We had the same target but mine lost it's energy chasing his laser so it fell short. Huge aircraft carrier it was.

[MTFDarkEagle]

It depends on various things what auto-lase time I have it set.. Strong winds + moving target 15 seconds AL. Moderate winds, stationary target: 8 seconds.

[arteedecco]

Might also add that the Flight Manual offers conflicting advice on when to start lasing. There is one mention of 12 seconds and one of 8 seconds. Meh...

 

Bottom line is that if you release the bomb fairly "lined up" as you would a "dumb bomb" then it'll get in the vicinity all by itself with the laser helping it in the last portion of its flight to get precise.

 

I don't notice any detection logic built into the game with respect to the laser, so I usually just set it to 20 sec (supposing I'm dropping from mid-high 20K feet).

 

Manual lasing comes in handy when you want to make your mark points on a target more accurate (many threads on CCIP / CCIP, markpoints, etc) and as mentioned previously, buddy lasing.

[Sinky]

Manual lasing comes in handy when you want to make your mark points on a target more accurate (many threads on CCIP / CCIP, markpoints, etc) and as mentioned previously, buddy lasing.

 

This is correct, forgot to mention in my other post that I will give the laser key a split second tap to get accurate ranging for a dumb CCRP release and marking points.