Your favourite way of keeping an accurate lock through occlusion

[allmhuran]

I have not been playing long and, as a forum search indicated, I was in the same boat as several other players in thinking that once I set a SPI it was a static point that my sensors would try to track.

 

I now understand that the SPI is "constantly" being set. That is to say, if I set a SPI with the TGP, and then slew the TGP around, the SPI is slaved to the moving TGP and follows it from the initial position.

 

This essentially solved my problem of wondering why my "SPI'd" targets kept on disappearing when I china-hat-forward-long to get back to it. Particularly a problem when performing an orbit offset from the target (to avoid air defenses) and getting obstructed by the aircraft, or the dreaded "gimbal roll" message, at which point I knew I'd lost my target for good.

 

OK, so I read a bit, watched some videos, and decided that the mark-point technique seemed pretty good. Forget the SPI until you're actually in hot... just find a target and set a mark point, then come back, set markpoint as SPI, and you're ready to fire.

 

But this then raised a second question... can you use the laser designator to make your mark point more accurate? I wasn't able to find any information about this.

 

And it left me wondering what "most" people do to counter this? Do you use markpoints, or is there some other, better method?

 

Or are you just so fast at finding targets that look exactly like surrounding terrain at >15 nm that you simply fly towards the target area, lock em up, fire, and bank away before getting in range of air defenses? (I don't believe you :) )

[Gate-5]

But this then raised a second question... can you use the laser designator to make your mark point more accurate? I wasn't able to find any information about this.

 

Yes, the laser can be used in order to get the markpoint closer to the target. Without laser the markpoint is set where the line of sight would hit the terrain. If you target a house from a low viewing angle the point will be set behind the house instead of on its rooftop. With laser the point is set where the laser hits the object (which often isn't its center but its front side).

 

And it left me wondering what "most" people do to counter this? Do you use markpoints, or is there some other, better method?

 

I use the mark-point technique to mark enemy positions from a distance and then refine my targeting (with TGP) during the attack run. Depending on the mission the targets might move anyways after the first unit is hit.

The exact targeting point depends on the type of weapon i'm using, the type of target and how they are arranged on the ground.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Gate-5

[FreeFall]

About SPI:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1189794&postcount=8

 

When it comes to laser, it has a limited range of operation, so you need to be pretty close to the target. At least this was the situation with some older versions of DCS A-10C. Cannot remember exactly, but about 8 nm was the effective range then. Haven't tested with latest versions.

[allmhuran]

Without laser the markpoint is set where the line of sight would hit the terrain.

 

Yep, that's exactly why I was wondering if the laser could be used for markpoints, (ie not just for the TGP point designation or GBU delivery)

 

FreFall: Yep, I'm past all of the basics of SPI, how to set it, unset it, use it, etc. This is, I suppose, a situation one level up in complexity: what that (very good) post does not describe is how the SPI is not "set and forget", it tracks with the sensor that set it, and therefore you can inadvertantly lose your SPI, either by slewing or boresighting the sensor that set the SPI, or, in the case of the TGP, by going beyond its gimbal limits such that it can no longer track the point originally set. This is where the markpoints become useful: they won't move, no matter what, and you can always get back to them easily by resetting your SPI to waypoint track. This allows you to set a target (with markpoint), then slew the TGP around the target looking for anything else in the area before you commit, at which time the markpoint lets you get back to your original target.

 

What I was wondering is if there were any other methods to accomplish the same thing.

[FreeFall]

or, in the case of the TGP, by going beyond its gimbal limits such that it can no longer track the point originally set. This is where the markpoints become useful: they won't move, no matter what, and you can always get back to them easily

 

With earlier versions (like 1.1.0.x) you could zoom into the target with TGP and after that cruise/turn around quite a while, and TGP didn't lose the sight to the designated target very easily, even if masked. Maybe that was not realistic, and was fixed later. So mark points are the only way, I think

 

Video about using laser:

[KLR Rico]

Or are you just so fast at finding targets that look exactly like surrounding terrain at >15 nm that you simply fly towards the target area, lock em up, fire, and bank away before getting in range of air defenses? (I don't believe you :) )

 

That's exactly how you have to do it in ENO's Fulda Gap mission. There is no TGP and AA threats abound. Oh, and you have to stay below 2000ft or the S-300 will get you. It's an exhilarating mission!

 

But as far as general flying goes, yes, markpoints are the way to go. And also yes, lasing helps with the accuracy.

 

Generally, I try to ID & mark the main groups of vehicles on the ingress, rather than individual units, otherwise the TAD becomes too cluttered. Also, if the units are out in the open, I only worry about marking AA threats; taking care of the rest visually once over the target area is easy enough.

[Hamblue]

I found that if you don't mark a target as spi and just keep your tgp on target, it will usually wind up pretty close after a maneuver.

[Dejjvid]

Until you get past gimbal limits. Then you will scream in despair and wonder why you didn't mark the enemy. ;)

[Nu-NRG]

In light of trying to better one self, keep in mind, you have multiple sensors that can act as SPI.

 

TGP is only one of them. And if you get masked / gimball limited much, you are way to close. TGP has some range.

 

Also, my way of how to keep lock on target is simple Mk1 eyeball.

Edited March 31, 2013 by Nu-NRG