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Posted (edited)

Are the guided APKWS and GATR versions longer? Extended range?

 

They seem to stick out a bit here.

 

1zckg14.jpg

 

Edited by marcos
Posted

The comments suggest that they are illumination rockets. Nothing unusual.

 

Those are illumination rockets - either M257 or M278 per my A-10 pilot son.
Posted

Okay nevermind, I was wrong.

 

Why would an aircraft with a Litening pod have illumination rockets though? IR illumination rockets? I've heard they exist.

Posted

Perhaps to increase the usability of NVG's for soldiers on the ground? Night is great for advanced militaries. It's a huge advantage to see when your enemy doesn't.

NVG's still need light to work and on moonless dark nights it might become dark even with NVG's.

Well I'm just thinking. Hopefully not terribly wrong. :)

Posted

I own a civil NVG that enhances the lights (so it uses the moon and stars and residu light from cities.)

 

when that doesn't give me enough vision it has an InfraRed light on top of it.

Turn it on and it looks like youre using a really strong maglite (150meters effective range.) The light is not visible for the naked eye only my NVG can see that.

 

 

 

So the rockets the pilots use are probably InfraRed (IR) so they have more vision with their goggles or with the TGP.

Posted

**EDIT - Actually not from the same sequence. ignore me. Here's a good A10 pic instead.**

 

It's not a standard A10, see this pic from the same sequence, so it could just be some sort of test article or mock up...

A10.thumb.jpg.de6366fd69b6c2b280da11d002099b19.jpg

[sIGPIC][/sIGPIC]

Why yes, I did just crash...

Posted

Is that what I think it is...???

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

"Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here on the ED forums at 3 'o' clock in the morning, with my reputation. Are they mad.."

https://ko-fi.com/joey45

 

Posted
Okay nevermind, I was wrong.

 

Why would an aircraft with a Litening pod have illumination rockets though? IR illumination rockets? I've heard they exist.

 

M257 are visible light illum and M278 are IR light illum.

 

A targeting pod is exactly that, a TARGETING pod. It enhances a given platform's ability to precisely locate and engage hostile forces but it does not replace existing tactics.

 

If you don't know where to point the TGP, you or someone else still need to locate the target first, and few methods are better than the Mk.1 eyeball/gyro stabilized binoculars. And at night artificial illumination can greatly aid in doing that. Furthermore even today many weapons are delivered visually (the gun for example) and in some situations illumination is highly advantageous.

 

And then of course as Griffin said, sometimes the guys on the ground, or other air assets will ask for illumination as well.

 

In Afghanistan the LUU-19 IR illumination flare is carried on the A-10Cs which is just like the LUU-2 used in DCS, only IR.

 

Spoiler

Intel 13900K (5Ghz), 64Gb 6400Mhz, MSi RTX 3090, Schiit Modi/Magi DAC/AMP, ASUS PG43UQ, Hotas Warthog, RealSimulator FSSB3, 2x TM MFDs + DCS MFDs, MFG Crosswinds, Elgato Steamdeck XL

 

Posted
**EDIT - Actually not from the same sequence. ignore me. Here's a good A10 pic instead.**

 

It's not a standard A10, see this pic from the same sequence, so it could just be some sort of test article or mock up...

 

One of the test A-10C's down at Elgin AFB, Florida...inspected that unit a couple times, she looks funny with that pitot tube sticking out of the refueling door.

 

EglinTestA-10C.jpg

 

073010_a10_eglin_800.JPG

Posted

Thought it was a refuelling probe..

 

.. At first.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

"Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here on the ED forums at 3 'o' clock in the morning, with my reputation. Are they mad.."

https://ko-fi.com/joey45

 

Posted

A-10 thoughts on this modification:

 

"- Oh I wish I could look half as badass as the Frogfoot... But wait I can, if I stick this pitot tube up in my nose! Yepeeee!!!"

 

:megalol:

"Fighters make movies, bombers make history."

Posted

Half arsed attempt at a nose ring...:lol:

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

"Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here on the ED forums at 3 'o' clock in the morning, with my reputation. Are they mad.."

https://ko-fi.com/joey45

 

Posted
I own a civil NVG that enhances the lights (so it uses the moon and stars and residu light from cities.)

 

when that doesn't give me enough vision it has an InfraRed light on top of it.

Turn it on and it looks like youre using a really strong maglite (150meters effective range.) The light is not visible for the naked eye only my NVG can see that.

 

 

 

So the rockets the pilots use are probably InfraRed (IR) so they have more vision with their goggles or with the TGP.

 

I've always seen high-powered IR lights that are quite visible to the naked eye from a dozen meters or so, they emitted a faint red glow. Is yours totally invisible?

My controls & seat

 

Main controls: , BRD-N v4 Flightstick (Kreml C5 controller), TM Warthog Throttle (Kreml F3 controller), BRD-F2 Restyling Bf-109 Pedals w. damper, TrackIR5, Gametrix KW-908 (integrated into RAV4 seat)

Stick grips:

Thrustmaster Warthog

Thrustmaster Cougar (x2)

Thrustmaster F-16 FLCS

BRD KG13

 

Standby controls:

BRD-M2 Mi-8 Pedals (Ruddermaster controller)

BRD-N v3 Flightstick w. exch. grip upgrade (Kreml C5 controller)

Thrustmaster Cougar Throttle

Pilot seat

 

 

Posted
Okay nevermind, I was wrong.

 

Why would an aircraft with a Litening pod have illumination rockets though? IR illumination rockets? I've heard they exist.

 

I suggest you read the book "A-10s over Kosovo". A must-read for every DCS A-10 pilot! I've just finished reading it and it describes the tactics of A-10's using willy pete rockets to mark targets for striker attacks. They were A-10A's as OAF happened in 1999.

 

If I understand correctly (and I'm no expert) - just because you have a targeting pod does not mean other aircraft in the strike group have them. Even if they do, it does not mean you'll always have a datalink up. Also, such things as datalinks can in theory be jammed by the opfor. OAF was a joint NATO operation with aircraft from different countries participating in strikes and they even used MK82's to mark targets during daytime.

 

Just my 2c, although Eddie summed it up greatly!

My controls & seat

 

Main controls: , BRD-N v4 Flightstick (Kreml C5 controller), TM Warthog Throttle (Kreml F3 controller), BRD-F2 Restyling Bf-109 Pedals w. damper, TrackIR5, Gametrix KW-908 (integrated into RAV4 seat)

Stick grips:

Thrustmaster Warthog

Thrustmaster Cougar (x2)

Thrustmaster F-16 FLCS

BRD KG13

 

Standby controls:

BRD-M2 Mi-8 Pedals (Ruddermaster controller)

BRD-N v3 Flightstick w. exch. grip upgrade (Kreml C5 controller)

Thrustmaster Cougar Throttle

Pilot seat

 

 

Posted
I've always seen high-powered IR lights that are quite visible to the naked eye from a dozen meters or so, they emitted a faint red glow. Is yours totally invisible?

 

Yes LT, it is visible from short range like you said (as a red coloured light).

But when you cover it it's not visible from longer range.

I use a mesh on the IR light (the same as snipers have to eliminate scope/sun reflection.) I use them for navigating/spotting nightlife in the woods on my nocturnal trips :)

 

Really cool to read that the hogs have more toys to use at night.

Posted
I thought that was a bayonet in case it runs out of ammunition.
That is what they call a YAPS (Yaw and Pitch Sensors) boom. Because of the upfront placement the air is undisturbed by other air movement in flight. That way you get a pretty good measurement of the "flow".

There are vanes on the boom that measure the angle of sideslip (AOSS) during a test. Besides that the AOA is also checked via the othe vane. A pitot is used for measuring airspeed.

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