Hi Andy

I love playing Falcon 4 and Janes FA/18

Sometimes when I am bombing a large target I can see clearly (that is, I do not need the flir to see it clearly) I prefer to use dumb bombs than use laser guided or smart JDAM munitions.

I realise the advantaged of JDAMS - you can let go of the bomb and then avoid sam and aaa fire, but with the laser guided bomb, sometime I do not think there is any advantage over laser guided bombs.

In your opinion, do you think there are situations where laser guided bombs can do things when the dumb bombs cant?

Your comments please. thanks.

>>In your opinion, do you think there are situations where laser guided bombs can do things when the dumb bombs cant?<<

Yes! As a rule, we remember that a LGB is just a "dumb" bomb with a guidance kit attached to the nose of the bomb. Once the bomb hits, the damage done is the same regardless of how the bomb got there.

Some targets are just very hard to hit using a manual release...even when using a CCIP type of aiming device. What happens is that the number of bombs needed to ensure that the desired amount of damage is done gets pretty high. This means numerous sorties to achieve the desired level of destruction...and that means exposing the fighters to danger.

The LGB has reduced the number of needed sorties as well as increasing the probability that the exact aiming point is hit. So we end up with less risk to our forces as well as better bomb results.

The flip side of the question is "are there times when 'dumb' bombs are better suited than LGBs"? Probably...particularly if the target area is large, or the objective is to, in effect, put down a 'barrage fire'. The use of B-52s in Desert Storm comes to mind in this regard.

Andy

well, Andy has pretty much answered your question quite thouroughly.

I'd just like to add that LGB's may also limit your delivery profiles. Again, depends what target, what threat etc etc. When you understand what you need to destroy the target, understand what you need to do to stay exposed as little as possible while increasing your MAP, and put all these (plus more factors) together you'll see that yes, there are many instances where you shouldn't really wear LGB's, and many others where you should;-)


Sorry for being vagues, but somethings may need more than a post o explain fully;-)


Cheers!

Angel

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Angel
Virtual Hellenic Air Force
http://users.groovy.gr/~dtra/111vfw