Portable unit directing bombing in Afghanistan, 2001CILAS DHY 307A ThalesDamocles target designation pod combined with a NAVFLIR imager
When a target is marked by a designator, the beam is invisible and does not shine continuously. Instead, a series of coded laser pulses, also called PRF codes (pulse repetition frequency), are fired at the target. These signals bounce off the target into the sky, where they are detected by the seeker on the laser-guided munition, which steers itself towards the centre of the reflected signal.[1] Unless the people being targeted possess laser detection equipment or can hear aircraft overhead, it is extremely difficult for them to determine whether they are being marked. Laser designators work best in clear atmospheric conditions. Cloud cover, rain or smoke can make reliable designation of targets difficult or impossible unless a simulation is accessible through available ground data.
Laser designators may be mounted on aircraft, ground vehicles, naval vessels, or handheld. Depending on the wavelength of light used by the designator, the designation laser may or may not be visible to the personnel deploying it. This is the case with 1064 nm laser designators used by JTACs as that wavelength of light is difficult to see under standard Gen III/III+ night vision devices.[2] Other imaging devices with "see-spot" capabilities to "see" the laser spot are often utilized to make sure the target is being correctly designated. These may include FLIR (forward looking infrared) thermal imagers which normally operate in the MWIR or LWIR spectrum[3] but have a 1064 nm window in which they can see-spot the laser.[4]
USAF handheld laser designator as seen under night vision, 2007
Many modern armed forces employ handheld laser designation systems. Examples include the AN/PEQ-1 SOFLAM of the United States, the Russian LPR series of handheld devices.
U.S. Air Force Joint Terminal Air Controllers and Marine CorpsForward Air Controllers typically employ a lightweight device, such as the AN/PED-1 Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR), permitting them to designate targets for Close Air Support aircraft flying overhead and in close proximity to friendly forces. While many designators are binocular-based and may utilize tripods, smaller handheld laser designators, like the B.E. Meyers & Co. IZLID 1000P exist as well.[7] Northrop Grumman's LLDR, using an eye-safe laser wavelength, recognizes targets, finds the range to a target, and fixes target locations for laser-guided, GPS-guided, and conventional munitions.[8] This lightweight, interoperable system uniquely provides range finding and targeting information to other digital battlefield systems[9] allowing the system to provide targeting information for non-guided munitions, or when laser designation is unreliable due to battlefield conditions.
GalleryEdit
The Soviet-era LPR-1 laser designator.
The LPR-2 laser designator.
The LPR-4 laser designator.
The Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder.
JGSDF Middle range Multi-Purpose missile laser designator.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Laser designators.
Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder 2019-11-02 at the Wayback Machine, Northrop Grumman
October 05, 2023
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A laser designator is a laser light source which is used to designate a target Laser designators provide targeting for laser guided bombs missiles or precision artillery munitions such as the Paveway series of bombs AGM 114 Hellfire or the M712 Copperhead round respectively Portable unit directing bombing in Afghanistan 2001CILAS DHY 307A Thales Damocles target designation pod combined with a NAVFLIR imager When a target is marked by a designator the beam is invisible and does not shine continuously Instead a series of coded laser pulses also called PRF codes pulse repetition frequency are fired at the target These signals bounce off the target into the sky where they are detected by the seeker on the laser guided munition which steers itself towards the centre of the reflected signal 1 Unless the people being targeted possess laser detection equipment or can hear aircraft overhead it is extremely difficult for them to determine whether they are being marked Laser designators work best in clear atmospheric conditions Cloud cover rain or smoke can make reliable designation of targets difficult or impossible unless a simulation is accessible through available ground data Contents 1 Deployment 1 1 Airborne 1 2 Ground based 2 Gallery 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingDeployment EditLaser designators may be mounted on aircraft ground vehicles naval vessels or handheld Depending on the wavelength of light used by the designator the designation laser may or may not be visible to the personnel deploying it This is the case with 1064 nm laser designators used by JTACs as that wavelength of light is difficult to see under standard Gen III III night vision devices 2 Other imaging devices with see spot capabilities to see the laser spot are often utilized to make sure the target is being correctly designated These may include FLIR forward looking infrared thermal imagers which normally operate in the MWIR or LWIR spectrum 3 but have a 1064 nm window in which they can see spot the laser 4 Airborne Edit The U S Air Force selected the Lockheed Martin s Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod ATP in 2004 It equipped multiple USAF platforms such as the F 16 F 15E B 1 B 52 and A 10C It also operates on multiple international fighter platforms The U S Navy currently employ LITENING and ATFLIR targeting pods on a variety of strike aircraft 5 The Litening II is widely used by many other of the world s air forces The United Kingdom s Royal Air Force use the Litening III system and the French use the TALIOS Targeting Long range Identification Optronic System 6 circular reference Damocles and ATLIS II Ground based Edit nbsp USAF handheld laser designator as seen under night vision 2007Many modern armed forces employ handheld laser designation systems Examples include the AN PEQ 1 SOFLAM of the United States the Russian LPR series of handheld devices U S Air Force Joint Terminal Air Controllers and Marine Corps Forward Air Controllers typically employ a lightweight device such as the AN PED 1 Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder LLDR permitting them to designate targets for Close Air Support aircraft flying overhead and in close proximity to friendly forces While many designators are binocular based and may utilize tripods smaller handheld laser designators like the B E Meyers amp Co IZLID 1000P exist as well 7 Northrop Grumman s LLDR using an eye safe laser wavelength recognizes targets finds the range to a target and fixes target locations for laser guided GPS guided and conventional munitions 8 This lightweight interoperable system uniquely provides range finding and targeting information to other digital battlefield systems 9 allowing the system to provide targeting information for non guided munitions or when laser designation is unreliable due to battlefield conditions Gallery Edit nbsp The Soviet era LPR 1 laser designator nbsp The LPR 2 laser designator nbsp The LPR 4 laser designator nbsp The Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder nbsp JGSDF Middle range Multi Purpose missile laser designator See also EditGuidance system Laser sight List of laser articles List of military electronics of the United States Targeting pods AN PEQ 1 SOFLAMReferences Edit U S Marine Corps 4 April 2018 MCTP 3 10F Fire Support Coordination in the Ground Combat Element PDF Marines mil pp Appendix K Archived from the original PDF on 16 July 2022 Retrieved 16 July 2022 Differences between Gen3 and 4G image intensification technology PDF Photonis Night Vision October 2020 Archived from the original PDF on 5 May 2021 Retrieved 16 July 2022 Thermal Camera Specs You Should Know Before Buying FLIR com 18 December 2019 Archived from the original on 7 April 2022 Retrieved 16 July 2022 Donval Ariela Fisher Tali Lipman Ofir Oron Moshe 1 May 2012 Laser designator protection filter for see spot thermal imaging systems Proceedings of SPIE Defense Security and Sensing 2012 8353 Infrared Technology and Applications XXXVIII 835324 835324 8 Bibcode 2012SPIE 8353E 24D doi 10 1117 12 916966 S2CID 122190698 Retrieved 16 July 2022 Fact Sheet LITENING II 24 June 2003 Archived from the original on 24 June 2003 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link fr Pod Talios IZLID 1000P B E Meyers amp Co Archived from the original on 19 May 2022 Retrieved 29 June 2022 Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder LLDR PDF Northrop Grumman Archived from the original PDF on 5 August 2019 Retrieved 4 June 2022 Photo Release U S Army Awards Northrop Grumman Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinders Delivery Order Valued at 142 7 Million NYSE NOC Archived from the original on 2010 03 25 Further reading Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Laser designators Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder Archived 2019 11 02 at the Wayback Machine Northrop Grumman Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laser designator amp oldid 1158698849, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
