Originally Posted by
Bagheera S
The “jitter” of a Harrier descending with full nozzle braking must have been considerable, and yet it was given a try. I understand the laser in the Harrier range finder is pointed by the pilot stick inputs. via the HUD so didn’t have the benefit of an automatic lock/track system. I would have thought this was comparable or worse than that possible from ground designator system on a hovering platform, with an operator using it in a de facto CLOS mode.
LRMTS did have a form of tracking system in that when you moved the HUD marker over a target and fired the laser, the mark would remain ground-stabilised without pilot input (the gimbal was pointed by angle and rate calculations coming from the host platform). So you could manoeuvre (or vibrate) the aircraft without the mark moving off target, so long as it remained (roughly) in the HUD field of view. Those stabilisation benefits would not be available to a ground designation unit carried in a helicopter.
The graze angle inherent to ground designation, ie which were successfully used, would be in singular degrees. Whilst I can understand it improves with increasing angle up to 45degs, it’s clearly very effective at any angles possible from a hovering platform.
Yes, and ground designation is ineffective against horizontal targets like runways, unless you can find a vantage point with suitable elevation. Vehicles and sides of buildings are typical ground (or low-level) designation targets; being small, they demand an accurate and stable aim. If the spot jitters off the top of the target, reflections can suddenly appear a *long* way beyond it and this can cause a big miss.
I appreciate your reply, but the question was intended for a response from a person who was close to the actual operation in 82.
You're welcome. Of course only someone who was there can tell you whether your idea was considered, but I thought a reply from someone with substantial experience of low- and medium-level designation of LGBs might provide useful insight into the chances of success had the idea actually been tried.