Noticed this am that each time I release a gbu12 a small white triangle appears on my TADS display. Can't find mention of it in the manual. What does it signify exactly?

Markpoint Z, the last location at which weapons were employed.

Switch your CDU to Mark and you can cycle through all of the Mark points you create with TMS Right Short, A - Y. Like Eddie says, the last place you use weps will be Mark Point Zebra.

You can set a few Mark Points and use them to cycle the targets and drop GBU-38's or fire Mavs on one pass haul a$$ - boom boom boom boom.


WC

So, generally I should be designating targets at a distance by generating a mark point for each? Will china hat forward long slave everything to a mark point (when cdu is in mark point mode, I guess?) then just cycle through the mark points releasing a weapon at each. This will only work with mavericks ,right? Am I even beginning to get it? Anyhow having a ball trying to figure this monster out while enjoying the eye candy! Beginning to get comfortable and seeing more details each day. Things sure have come a long way since my old days in falcon 3!

No, you should be doing so when it makes sense to do so. For JDAMs, if you want to drop on multiple targets in one pass, then you need to mark multiple targets. If you need to mark the location of a target for any reason (navigation, weapons employment, etc) do so. If you don't need to (it's just a truck and you're going to hit it with a 65) don't.



Yes and yes.



It will work with anything you want, as long as it makes sense. For example, a markpoint can't track a moving target.

I prefer making a mark point whenever I want to "mark" anything, be it a target or just a general area. Simple reason is that unless your point of interest is directly under a waypoint, you'll have trouble "finding" it again if you have TGP problems of whatever sort, especially the Gimbal Roll. By dropping a mark point, I automatically have a "bookmark this location" that I can access easily.

Are mark points covered in a training mission by chance? Maybe there's one called Mark Points for all I know, can't check from work. I haven't touched them at all yet and I can see bookmarking or dropping multiple JDAMS/Shooting multiple AGM-65s coming in handy from time to time...

*cough*eyeballmk1*cough*

(Not saying that the markpoint isn't useful, just that you shouldn't use it as a crutch)

Edit: On second thought, I was thinking a maneuvering engagement where you'd point the nose at the target. In a situation where you're orbiting at high alt, it's better to make a markpoint indeed.

I don't think there is a training mission for them.

GG, I don't see it as a crutch, I see it as a tool that has its uses, and I prefer using it this way. In a game wherein the eyeball MK1 (or MK2 for me since I wear glasses) is dependent on the graphics engine, screen resolution, etc etc, I'll take what I can. Except for labels, haha!

Yeah, I think you're probably not getting my meaning though.

You don't need to be able to see the targets themselves - you do what's called 'contact flying' ... so you see ground, you see the terrain features of the location your target's at, and that's how you come back to them. If you're using the markpoint instead of this, then it is definitely a crutch.

Like I said, markpoints are definitely useful and useable, but some people (and can't really blame them, they don't know better) use them instead of good flying technique. It's the head-in-the-cockpit/HuD thing