Laser Guided Bombs in the DCS F-16: The Ultimate Guide

[@TrickerDCS]

Thank you for the continued support! I used the wrong phrase by saying the laser guided bomb “rides the beam” which is incorrect. It looks for a reflection and guides to it. Join the Discord: discord.com/invite/YfXzExTXEA Download the mission: www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3337047/ Livery Download: www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3336233/

[@SportDCS]

I’m so happy someone finally made a SIMPle tutorial on how to use laser guided bombs in the F-16. All the other ones were far too complicated and I ended up just getting my unit stuck in the tpod. This was amazing!

[@TrickerDCS]

Lmao

[@bjorn.thorvaldson]

Man, your tutorials are simply THE BEST. Telling every single time when and which buttons you press (especially TMS for F16) and simply proceeding through setting the systems through ICP, DED and OSBs procedure step by step is EXTREMELY useful. :) A true joy to watch and learn.

[@TrickerDCS]

Really appreciate the comment! 🫡

[@bjorn.thorvaldson]

@@TrickerDCS And I do appreciate your work. ;)

[@no-thoughts-head-empty6247]

Never knew that you could see the distance to your TGP target. Thanks Tricker, learned something new today!

[@tonybeard7159]

I just downloaded the mission and saw the link, thought i'd have a little look, VERY informative, simple and quick explanation. Thank you Tricker! I subbed!

[@Sinbad683]

"Boom Shakalaka!" Damn I haven't heard that in Decades lol. Good Guide, thank you!

[@kruxyo3372]

Was looking for one of these tutorials and you JUST uploaded this, good help! 😅😅

[@TrickerDCS]

Glad it could help!

[@teodorwrzoskowicz1204]

same

[@gunnar6674]

If you notice that your target cursor keeps slewing unintentionally, and won't lock with the TMS up or TMS right commands, put some dead zone on the axis controls of RDR cursor. If I want to attack a target that's not at a pre-selected steerpoint, I'll make the FCR SOI and do coarse target selection there, before moving to the laser pod.

[@DaTater]

@trickerDCS trhanks for sharing this. I praticed using the mission today. Super helpful to be able to play the tutorial and step through each stage of each run.

[@speedbird8326]

No bullshit. Required information only. Excellent. Again.

[@PappaBear_yt]

Great tutorial, Tricker! 👍🏻👏🏻💪🏻🙋🏼‍♂️🍻🍻

[@SierraHalcon]

This is simply amazing 🔥

[@wraith444]

One caveat on the markpoint creation (I'm sorry, there's always one in every comment section and it happens to be me today): after you use M SEL to set the newly created markpoint as your selected steerpoint, you'll likely notice your TGP wander off to Narnia. TMS aft with the TGP as SOI or pressing the cursor zero OSB will snap it back to the waypoint; the reason it does this is your SOI is stored as an offset from the selected steerpoint, so if for example you slew 200 meters west from steerpoint 1, create a markpoint, then set that markpoint as your active steerpoint, your SOI will move to 200 meters west of the target you marked.

[@TrickerDCS]

In BMS this is more dramatic (and realistic) but in DCS the movement of the TGP from where you were looking is minimal, at-least in all the cases that I have done. What you said is correct though, so no offense taken. Thanks for the clarification for others to see!

[@Radintoriov]

This is an important caveat and you did good at bringing it up: I've missed targets and seen other people miss theirs because of the way the F-16 operates on offset from coordinates for its targeting calculations in CCRP/PRE. An easy way to make sure the data is correct when selecting the markpoint as the target steerpoint is to double-check that on either the ground radar screen or on the TGP there is no CZ label next to the second-from-the-bottom OSB on the right row. If there is, hitting the OSB next to it or using TMS aft as explained will Cursor Zero and reset the SPI onto the selected coordinates. The reason I mention the AGR is that I've seen a few instances of people missing their JDAMs on pre-planned coordinates because they accidentally nudged the radar cursor while the AGR was SOI, leading to their JDAMs to miss entirely due to the added offset.

[@TrickerDCS]

@@Radintoriov some really good points as well! I should have mentioned the CZ but I didn’t unfortunately because I did press it after making the mark point. Making a mark point isn’t necessary but I love making them because so many times the TGP may screw up and you forgot where you were looking so it’s nice to just snap back to that position.

[@Radintoriov]

Oh, same: making markpoints in the 16 is quick and easy and I like having them "just in case". And yeah, depending on the terrain or other factors the TGP will sometime snag onto the wrong thing while maneuvering, though all the times it has happened to me has really helped me learn how the thing works in DCS and what are good practices to avoid an embarrassing repeat when I least want it :P

[@wraith444]

@@TrickerDCS When I use markpoints half the time I forget to reset back to the CNI page and wind up unexpectedly doing some random weird nonsense while trying to work with the TGP, so definitely good on you for calling that out in the video lol

[@macedk]

Was about to ask you for some gbu tactics, I will do the left turn now. Thx man. :)

[@TrickerDCS]

You never follow my tactics anyway 💀

[@iammorpheus7345]

Hello, Thank you for this video. Just to clarify one thing. When your lasing the target. Your not holding the trigger down when you drop the bomb correct. You set the laser to fire automatically at 12 sec correct. I was dumb founded, I never knew I could automatically have the laser fire on it own in the f-16 like the f-18.

[@TrickerDCS]

No I’m not holding the trigger down, that is the manual way, which you can do if you please, but I’m all about that auto stuff

[@iammorpheus7345]

@TrickerDCS Wow, that's great, sir.I was not aware that I could do that. I have been doing it manually, and believe me, that's a struggle while holding and orbit and justing flying. Is 12 seconds your go-to for any particular reason,Thank you.

[@iammorpheus7345]

​@TrickerDCS Hey, sir, I just have one more question. Sorry for the bother, but mighty Tgp jumps from the target when I designated in point track. I almost have to stay on my t. D c cursor to make it stay on there?Why is that if you might know. It almost never ground stabilizes or if it does it jumps from the target to the ground the target to the ground the target to the ground. Especially like bunker I am losing my mind. It makes it so my harder

[@_JackX_]

hey tricker love your videos, maybe i would have shown some moving targets drops and i would have pointed out that the TGP in area mode tracks the ground under the tank/heli. still loved the video

[@TrickerDCS]

Great idea for the future, thanks!

[@PanosIvRS]

Thank you, Tricker for the tutorial, the mission and the livery ! I tried the mission with laser code 1511 and I couldn't hit the targets. I managed to have success hit only with laser code 1688.

[@TrickerDCS]

You will have to change the laser codes for the bombs on the ground to use 1511 - also you can edit the mission on the editor and do it that way since it’s an air spawn

[@ROCKET474]

thats sick

[@alejandroriosrubio8348]

Thanks

[@TrickerDCS]

Welcome 🫡

[@THEdanrugaming]

Did you manually switch to INR track for keeping the pod on target during masking? I remember a video from Wags about it a while back but it may have changed since?

[@TrickerDCS]

So when I made the markpoint it lost track and reverted to INR mode which is why I needed to point track the SA13 again. When I know I’m going to be doing some extended maneuvering or pulling high g’s, then I’ll go to INR mode with tms aft short. Great question.

[@idopristinsky4165]

Just wondering, when would you use lazer guided bombs over jdam or jsow since they both dont need visual id on targets, also how do drop lazer guided bomb on a lazer mark that is not mine?

[@HighAspect]

I think they just recently removed the knee board with the codes ?

[@paddygaming4856]

can you drop laser guided bmb with CCIP ?

[@zikiziki469]

With new update my tgp doesn't work when i press any code tgp goes to 0 i don't know what happend

[@TrickerDCS]

That means your laser switch isn’t armed

[@zikiziki469]

@@TrickerDCS on training mission also when mission start is normal but when i land and rearm tgp go to 0 and is off (i didn't touch switch).

[@TrickerDCS]

@@zikiziki469 ah that’s a bug, you need to turn off the tgp and turn it back on via the right hard point switch

[@zikiziki469]

@@TrickerDCS it works thanks

[@SDsc0rch]

that livery nice

[@TrickerDCS]

Yah it is, in the pinned comment if you don’t have it

[@arcosiancosine1065]

its alright :)

[@rumpus2051]

Beautiful

[@M551_Sheridan]

Hey tricker what store do you use to hold 2 gnu’s on 1 pylon? I can only equip 1 on a pylon

[@gonzalobrig]

does it make any difference if the TGP sub-mode is in MAN or AUTO?

[@willem6788]

where can i download the missie ?

[@TrickerDCS]

Check the description or pinned comment

[@marcincholewinski6898]

Thank you

[@VoxyGamer]

hmm, weird. Grt vid. Clr and concise. Followed all directions. 4 misses. tried it again leaving the default code of 1688, 4 shacks

[@HighAspect]

Surprised you left it at 45 degrees, I usually override that to 0

[@GrodF16]

The ALT warning..thanks..

[@idk-e8d3b]

Yeah I might need a tutorial

[@archimaede]

Your explanation is incorrect, the gbu 12 does NOT ride the laser beam, it looks for a laser spot (ie a reflection), which is precisely why it can aim at targets designated by other sources such as a jtac or another friendly aircraft.

[@TrickerDCS]

Yes this is correct

[@jumper684]

Nice tutorial but the bombs do not ride a laser(beam riding wouldn't even work with a laser from another place) but they look for a laser point on the target

[@TrickerDCS]

Yes this is correct

[@TLR_]

“You are now 12 km past your target”

[@ColonelAkirNakesh]

Pro tip: set laser code to 1776 for maximum freedom

[@TrickerDCS]

YES 🎆🎇🧨

[@ds6899]

I just about lost my shit with the boom shakalaka 😄

[@speeddemon2262]

4:07

[@zacharypump5910]

Why 12 seconds though? Nobody ever explains this

[@TrickerDCS]

Too soon and the bomb may lose energy from the gbu fins moving, too late and it may not have enough time to line up correctly

[@peterblackburn5793]

You said it was gonna be simple...

[@TrickerDCS]

I knew you would love it Pete

[@lindawilkins5381]

Where was the F 16 when 9/11 happened?

[@i8maxxer]

the kiss of death = 69 🤣