Airborne Wingman Laser Designation
The term Airborne Wingman Laser Designation (also: Buddy Lasing ) describes an attack method in which a laser-guided weapon is not steered directly from the aircraft to be dropped , but from another helicopter or aircraft into the target. The procedure requires precise cooperation between the aircraft involved in the attack.
method
In order to direct a laser-guided weapon to the target, it is necessary to “mark” the target with a laser beam ( target illumination ). Usually, a laser beam is aimed at the target by the attacker and then a weapon is thrown or shot down. The weapon then automatically directs itself to the reflected laser light at the target point and thus achieves a very high level of accuracy. The disadvantage of this method, however, is that the attacking aircraft has to hold the target in target acquisition from the time it is dropped until the weapon is impacted, without being able to perform defensive maneuvers or another attack.
If the tactical situation requires it, the buddy lasing method can therefore be used. The target is marked either by a combat helicopter, for example the AH-64 Apache, from cover, or by a wingman of the attacking aircraft. Marking with a drone is also conceivable. This eliminates the need for the attacker to keep the target captured after the release / shooting, and he can maneuver freely while the weapon is heading for the laser point. This also opens up the possibility of throwing laser-guided weapons from aircraft that would otherwise have no way of directing them to the target. Since an attack using the buddy-lasing method places high demands on the attacker, including in terms of timing, communication and the spatial distribution of the attackers, the method is considered difficult and complicated.
Another difficulty is that a weapon can mistakenly lock onto the wrong laser beam. This can be the case both when a weapon from a direct attack locks onto the laser point of a buddy lasing attack, or when the weapon controls reflections or the starting point of the laser beam. For this reason, limit parameters are developed for every attack, outside of which the weapon may not be thrown or fired.
Individual evidence
- ^ Precision guided munitions and the new era of warfare APSC paper number 53, Richard P. Hallion, FAS.org
- ^ Laser Range Safety Range Commanders Council, Document 316-98, FAS.org