LANTIRN - Unable to area / point track

Yesterday I was a RIO and we set out to use the LANTIRN pod to try and drop some guided bombs, GBU12s.

After arming and aligning, I warmed up the pod as per instructions and once airborne, I was able to slew the camera around. However, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get the pod to area or point track. It would slew to the waypoints, snowplough and such but no matter what I tried, area track or point track did not engage.

What I tried:

- Slew pod to a contrast rich area, a building for example, use either a hat button or, later, a keyboard bind to area track or point track, no result.

Laser was armed, the laser also worked. What I did notice was the WCS was in standby, does this need to be active?

I selected the GBU12 on the weapon control panel in the RIO seat, but it didn't get the pod to area or point track.

It worked before the patch, but I cannot replicate what I did to make it work.

Any idea?

It seems AREA/POINT track only works if you're below a certain distance from the spot you want to track (maybe 9nm)?

Make sure it's A2G and not A2A mode.

Make sure it's A2G and not A2A mode.

Thats one major thing to look out for!

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I also noticed a different between B/W hot...

But however, don't expect any wonders from this neat little boy, it is much older then the litening pod ;).

(But the optical picture is an insane good looking job, well done heatblur!)

I'm in A/G mode, well below 25K feet. It was a bit cloudy but I could see ground features clearly.

Before the hotfix, I did not have a problem with area or spot track.

Air to ground HUD or air to ground TGP? TGP defaults to air to air. Did not have any problem with locking in A2G yesterday.

I find it better and easier to use than TGP in the Harrier. Even ignoring all the bugs in Razbams implementation, TGP in the F-14 has such nice HOTAS controls.

A bit of practice and it can work even smoothly even in single player scenario:

1. Set the laser to auto, and bombs to manual.

2. Find and lock the target.

3. Designate QDES.

4. Switch to forward cockpit and show TGP image on ADI.

5. Fly the airplane, drop the bomb on cues, evade. The laser will fire automatically on calculated TTI.

I was on a MP server, so the pilot was a wingmate. Laser was set to auto, bombs to manual, GBU-12 selected on the bomb selector.

It's step 2 that didn't work last night, I couldn't designate an area track or point track although QDES and QSNO worked.

I was on a MP server, so the pilot was a wingmate. Laser was set to auto, bombs to manual, GBU-12 selected on the bomb selector.

 

It's step 2 that didn't work last night, I couldn't designate an area track or point track although QDES and QSNO worked.

As some1 alread asked: Was the LANTIRN in A-G mode?

Also, was the distance to target less then 10nm, because I think tracking won't work at great distances?

Yes, pod was in A/G mode and distance less then 10nm. What I did notice that at some point the right data fields were not showing.

No right data field means no Q point designated. That's normal in some situations.

Maybe there's something wrong in MP, but in SP so far it works as expected.

Maybe there's something wrong in MP, but in SP so far it works as expected.

Same in MP for me. If there is no data field at the bottom left corner then it means there is no Qpoint designated as you said.

I'll try SP later tonight, maybe MP again if there's a pilot available :)

I can come help if I get some time. I had this, but it was same before and after patch. It very much depended where I was trying to ground stabilise and some places just wouldn't have it. The sea was a no go, distance was a no go and sometimes closer needed some spam and messing around which is confusing as you think it should work.

Sometimes it's very difficult to tell if there is a controller issue when using Lantirn as I'm also bound all over the place with modifiers, this doubt only adds to the confusion, but I would say I've experienced the same. Just sometimes you woudl expect the ground stabilise or point track and it doesn't in a way that previously you should think it does. I've definitely hit the A-A accidentally and had it :) I've definitely had the bindings cause a problem once too. I've definitely had range come into it.

Next time i'm going to lase the point quickly to see if it aids in area track stabilisation.

Same Issue:

SP, Lantirn setup, AG mode, etc. - slew to targets ~12k AGL - 10mi and under (Can see both visually and in Lantirn Screen, and I cannot get Area or Point Track to engage.

Needless to say without Area or Point tract cannot lock targets or drop LGBs. Ugh - Am I missing something?

What I've noticed is that point does not work when you try to lock ships.

Targets close to water, depending on the angle where you put the camera, lost the point and area lock.

What I've noticed is that point does not work when you try to lock ships.

 

Targets close to water, depending on the angle where you put the camera, lost the point and area lock.

Point tracks works just fine even with ships for me. :dunno:

I had exactly the same thing, wrote a mission in the PG map but set the weather, tried 2 days to get it to area track, then spoke to Grover from Heatblur, tried another mission with no weather set and it worked, so check your weather.

I had exactly the same thing, wrote a mission in the PG map but set the weather, tried 2 days to get it to area track, then spoke to Grover from Heatblur, tried another mission with no weather set and it worked, so check your weather.

Good point! I have had no problems with using AREA or POINT track, but I have only used the LANTIRN in good weather so far.

Ah that might be it. Once I have replaced my now dead gfx card, I'll look into it, thanks!

I had exactly the same thing, wrote a mission in the PG map but set the weather, tried 2 days to get it to area track, then spoke to Grover from Heatblur, tried another mission with no weather set and it worked, so check your weather.

I will check the weather for the next mission and try to lock a ship again. Thks

I will check the weather for the next mission and try to lock a ship again. Thks

In my experience you need to be pretty close to be able to POINT track ships, but it is definitely possible.

Saw the same thing last night, MP and human RIO. 10,000 AGL directly overhead a big juicy convoy in the NTTR map. No Area or Point track. Tried WHOT, BHOT, changing the gain for contrast, etc. Seems to be something deeper than an “it can be tricky” thing... I’ll try to narrow it down further.

Saw the same thing last night, MP and human RIO. 10,000 AGL directly overhead a big juicy convoy in the NTTR map. No Area or Point track. Tried WHOT, BHOT, changing the gain for contrast, etc. Seems to be something deeper than an “it can be tricky” thing... I’ll try to narrow it down further.

What was the weather like?

What was the weather like?

Hi scattered, 1/8 coverage, nothing between me and the convoy. I’m going to try it with zero weather.