How accurate are precision bombs?

[nuuthei500]

I have noticed that the guided bombs are always hitting my targets. They seem to never miss. Is there really a chance to fail a bombing run?

[razo+r]

yes, but which guided bombs?

 

for laser and GPS, if you don't let them enough time then they will more likely to miss than at high altitude

 

for GPS: If you mess up the SPI then they'll miss

 

for laser: If you mess up laser or the TGP then they'll miss

 

Otherwise i think it's very unlikely to miss if you do everything right

[squid509]

way I missed with guided bombs

the biggest one is not having your SPI set correctly see this post of mine

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2939357&postcount=4

TL:DR is the SPI was set to steerpoint not the TGP

range error with the TGP is better explained by watching this video

[boomerang10]

I have noticed that the guided bombs are always hitting my targets. They seem to never miss.

 

That's kinda the idea of PGM, right?

 

The biggest chance to missing is screwing up the lasing with an LGB, such as forgetting to arm the laser or interrupting laser energy by masking your TGP.

 

It's pretty hard to miss with the JDAM unless you make the mistake of employing against something that can move... and does.

[Braeden108]

They're $25,000 a pop. I hope they don't miss.

[Fri13]

That is what IMHO makes them unrealistic that they got so perfectly all the time of you don't make itself a error.

But that is part of simulation to make out unrealistic so you can learn the procedure and then see the results about your procedure. And not about the realism of bombs accuracy, otherwise you wouldn't know did you something wrong or not, and teach you a wrong procedure.

[Layzie]

I honestly don't think that the simulator is inaccurate when it comes to the modeling of how these "smart bombs" work. As the simulator stated before, they will try and recreate all aspects of the jets, systems and weapons as close to reality as possible without compromising any classified information. This data also comes from a mixture of what they have learned form computer data as well as from word of mouth from those who have actually used these munitions. You also have to consider the fact that in a simulator you cant accurately create systems failures or ill performed procedures as you can in the real world since you can't accurately model the stresses of pulling G's and the fact that any mistakes made can cost you your life or that of friendly forces. Not to mention that with modern technology it is harder and harder to "screw things up" with these newer systems. If you have enough altitude and have a good slant range on your laser, then most likely you will always hit your target. Especially as the TGP tends to automatically slew and lock targets for you (in some cases). For the GPS bombs, if you have the correct SPI selected or created, it is also hard to miss. Try using unguided munitions and you will quickly notice that you are not as deadly as you think. I've participated in plenty of MP missions where other simmers have missed their intended targets by so much you couldn't help but to let out a silent "WTF?". That being said, if you constantly find yourself flying in the daytime and perfect weather, you'll never really give yourself the opportunity to see if you can really screw up your bombing runs. Not saying that that's the particular case, but as life has taught many of us, everyone seems to think they're among the best in what they do until that unexpected monkey wrench gets dropped into the system.

Edited November 13, 2016 by Layzie

[Fri13]

I honestly don't think that the simulator is inaccurate when it comes to the modeling of how these "smart bombs" work. As the simulator stated before, they will try and recreate all aspects of the jets, systems and weapons as close to reality as possible without compromising any classified information. This data also comes from a mixture of what they have learned form computer data as well as from word of mouth from those who have actually used these munitions. You also have to consider the fact that in a simulator you cant accurately create systems failures or ill performed procedures as you can in the real world since you can't accurately model the stresses of pulling G's and the fact that any mistakes made can cost you your life or that of friendly forces. Not to mention that with modern technology it is harder and harder to "screw things up" with these newer systems. If you have enough altitude and have a good slant range on your laser, then most likely you will always hit your target. Especially as the TGP tends to automatically slew and lock targets for you (in some cases). For the GPS bombs, if you have the correct SPI selected or created, it is also hard to miss. Try using unguided munitions and you will quickly notice that you are not as deadly as you think. I've participated in plenty of MP missions where other simmers have missed their intended targets by so much you couldn't help but to let out a silent "WTF?". That being said, if you constantly find yourself flying in the daytime and perfect weather, you'll never really give yourself the opportunity to see if you can really screw up your bombing runs. Not saying that that's the particular case, but as life has taught many of us, everyone seems to think they're among the best in what they do until that unexpected monkey wrench gets dropped into the system.

 

Not talking about WW2 era accuracy error (way over a kilometer) but about the accuracy of the earlier era bombs. Sure the A-10C is from 2000 something (2005?), but even today the CEP for guided munitions are larger than perfect hits all the time instead a meter or couple meter hit accuracy even in perfect weather.

 

And as you say, this lead (at least on me) to fly more in the terrible weather where really need to take to consideration the wind directions and so on. Yet often getting perfect hits and it just feels bad and results more enjoyment from using dumb bombs and normal weather (instead raging storms).

[Deezle]

Used properly, LGBs always seem to hit their mark. JDAMs will often miss their mark by a few feet, if your target is a tank you might not get the kill.

[Gliptal]

Used properly, LGBs always seem to hit their mark. JDAMs will often miss their mark by a few feet, if your target is a tank you might not get the kill.

Only if you're not lasing to get the exact slant range when creating the markpoint or releasing the bomb.

[RIFLE_JTAC_TRAINING]

I think the sim does a good job of recreating a combination of kit and human error when grabbing target coordinates offset from the target. Obviously the best location to PULL grids is from on top of the target.

 

In reality on PGMs fin lock can be an issue. Just something going wrong with the guidance kit.

 

The sim does not do a great job at all as to how far you can actually chuck smart weapons from the target. This would allow being outside weapons envelops.

 

And while we are on the top I would like to see proximity fuse settings!!!

 

63

[Gliptal]

The A-10C is too slow to actually lob bombs, guided or not. On the other hand, you can do it with faster planes like the Mirage no problem.

 

At any rate, with JDAMs especially it doesn't make much sense to ask for imprecision and errors. The way they're employed and they work are nearly entirely ED's making (they work differently IRL), so we don't really have data to reference to. As far as we know, ED's rendition have a CEP of 1 meter and 100% reliability.

 

Still, as someone said already sims are used by the military to train procedures more than anything else, so having unknown errors come up randomly might defeat the purpose.

[Pocket Sized]

Also JDAMs produce at least an order of magnitude too much drag, they should easily hit targets near or past Mach when dropped from high altitude but for some reason they like to SLOW DOWN to under 300 kts.