Buddy Lasing And FAC Lasing

Buddy Lasing And FAC Lasing

One of the useful tactical capabilities of modern strike fighters is ability to utilize integrated sensor and targeting information. Part of that capability includes the ability to slave the Superhornet FLIR system to various frequencies so that it can detect laser signals from various sources. Jane’s F-18 pilots can see the laser spot from a ground- or air-based FAC, or from human wingmen in multiplayer.

Two Superhornets are “buddy lasing” when the first aircraft drops laser-guided weapons that are guided by the second aircraft’s laser. This is an effective multiplayer tactic, where one player can dedicate his efforts to accurate targeting and providing a stable lasing platform, while the second player can focus solely on weapons delivery. The two aircraft can then switch roles. With a FAC providing laser targeting one or more aircraft can focus solely on weapons delivery.

In Jane’s F-18 FAC and buddy lasing are surprisingly easy (no doubt easier than they are to coordinate in real life). There is only one rule to keep in mind: your laser always has precedence over any other laser. Therefore, when you want to launch weapons that will be guided by another weapon’s laser, you need to inhibit your FLIR’s laser operation. To do this, press the ALAS MDI button, and the option will change to MLAS. You have just switched the FLIR from Automatic Lasing to Manual Lasing.

When a FAC or a human wingmen is lasing a target, you will see an “X” in the HUD if this target is within the HUD’s field of view and a laser-guided weapon is selected. At this point normal weapon symbology will indicate launch parameters for the weapon, just as if the laser spot was coming from your own aircraft.

If you are budding lasing so that another aircraft can drop laser-guided weapons, you also need to put your laser in MLAS mode. Once you have designated the target using your own aircraft systems (i.e. radar, FLIR, etc.), manually activate the laser (default keystroke CAPS LOCK) and call “sparkle” on voice comms; this tells your wingmen that you are actively lasing the target.