Devices that emit a focused beam of laser energy toward a target so that laser-guided weapons can home in on the reflected energy. In CAS, “lasing” is how a JTAC, AFAC, or another aircraft tells a bomb or missile exactly where to go.
Key points:
- Designator: The source that “paints” the target (JTAC LTD, aircraft targeting pod, buddy lasing, etc.).
- Seeker: The sensor in the weapon that looks for a specific laser pulse pattern.
- Laser code: A 4-digit PRF code (e.g. 1688) that both designator and weapon must share.
If codes don’t match, the weapon won’t see the spot. - Line-of-sight: Laser energy is straight-line. Terrain, buildings, smoke, or the aircraft itself can mask the beam.
- Timing: Lasing too early can make the weapon chase the spot inefficiently; lasing too late gives it no time to correct. Many tactics use “lase in the last X seconds of flight”.
Application in DCS World
In DCS, many aircraft (A-10C, F-16C, F/A-18C, etc.) and AI JTACs can:
- Lase targets with configurable laser codes.
- Guide LGBs and some missiles onto those laser spots.
The sim simplifies real-world issues like attenuation through weather, some masking logic, and laser safety, but the basics are the same:
- Set the correct code on both pod and weapon.
- Confirm who is lasing whom (“Lasing 1688 for your GBU-12”).
- Avoid masking and keep the laser on target during the terminal phase.