Laser designator range

[Fakum]

Sorry if its posted somewhere, but I have been searching the manual and Wiki & Google,,, i can not find what the operating range is for the laser designator to mark targets using TGP as SPI? Thanks

[Ricardo_ST]

line of sight, iirc.

[Fakum]

Not sure how to interpret that? From what perspective, human eye or TGP?,,, either way,,, do you know where its documented? Thanks

[Shootist]

Obviously the TGP can see a lot farther than the human eye. Not sure what the laser range is but I do know the TGP makes a lock at just under 15 miles. You know this when you see the small square actually snap to the target. And that's what the laser locks to. I do wonder how it is effected by clouds tho. Like, semi cloud cover must dissipate a laser, mustn't it?

[Speed]

You don't need the laser designator to mark targets for SPI with the TGP. The aircraft has a built-in database of terrain height, and it can use your own aircraft's known position in the INS plus the angular position of the TGP cross hairs to determine the intersection point of your TGP cross hairs with the ground, and thus, target slant range distance. Not sure about in game, but this should cause a problem with estimated ranges for airborne targets, but how often are you engaging them anyway?

 

However, the laser designator can supposedly improve the accuracy of your distance estimate. But it is not necessary unless the improved accuracy is necessary. Anyway, I've never discovered if ED modeled a max range or not into the laser designator. Try designating targets and see if at some point off in the distance, the range type goes from "L" back to "T".

[Fakum]

The question I posted here is actually a spin off from another ongoing post I have not yet resolved here:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=73233

 

A question arose regarding the distance at which I am target designating, so the question then became "What is the operating range"?

 

I am finding that I am marking 4 targets for a quick run, and Im finding that the markpoints are actually a bit far off the target from another angle, as if I was just marking the target without laser.

[Speed]

For ranging calculations it should be seen at what range the "T" or "L" letter is shown when the laser is firing. But I think there is a bug this version where the T/L doesn't change like it should.

 

This bug was fixed. I now notice my range type changing from "T" to "L" when the laser is firing, whereas, in one of the previous patches (1107, I think), it never changed.

[Fakum]

Ok,, I profess,, I am no expert,,, 3 lasers inherent of the TGP,,,, I admit,,, im not up on the specifics,,, all I know is,, when I am point tracking with the TGP as SOI at about Angels 10-15, target at my nose, clear skies, not masked (all is right with the world), I hit the "Laser" button, the "L" is flashing, I hit "TMS Right" and create a mark point,, I even go as far as marking the target a 2nd time without Laser,,, I switch to Markpoint on the steer knob, cycle the steer rocker on the UFC between A & B markpoints,,, they are both now behind the target? All the video I have seen,, the only time I have seen this demonstrated was when someone did NOT use the laser,, much like Excessiveheadspace shows in his tutorial,,,, thats where im at,,, I am still confused,,,,

[Fakum]

Hender, thanks,, I am not only aware of that post, but I am also commenting in that post,,, thats why this SPECIFIC question is in this section, as its specific to the Laser range,,,

[Fakum]

Made a track here showing an experiment for effective range

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1310151&postcount=26