For the Weapons Gurus

[Spiff]

Hello All,

 

Noticed some differences between wep packs. Bunyaps has the ASQ-173 as a laser designator and the ASS-38 as a datalink pod. MFs has the ASQ as a nav pod and the ASS-38 as a laser desig. I recently added Fractalnoise's F-14D/avionics upgrade and got the ASQ as a targeting pod(laser?) and the ASS-38 as a nav pod. Maybe the discrepancies are a result of game limitations but now considering the new patches and reality, what should they be? Thanks.

 

Spiff

[+Crusader]

Well, outdated info or mixed up back then.

 

The AN/AAS-38 ( not ASS , thats a typo ) , also known as NITE Hawk and later as TFLIR ( TargetingFLIR ) IIRC

comes in three versions:

 

AAS-38 sans suffix - initial version, no laser designator, it was simply a FLIR used for FA-18C and D Night Attack versions which can display the FLIR image on the HUD

 

AAS-38A - upgraded version which has a Laser ranger / Target designator, in service since 1993 on C/D Hornets

 

AAS-38B - further upgraded version of the -38A with improved tracking capability

 

The pods were always loaded on the left fuselage station

AAS-38 were phased out beginning in may 2008

 

 

AN/ASQ-173 is a passive laser detector / camera. Is loade don the right side fuselage station and can work together with the AAS-38 to get targeting information ect, became obsolete with the advanced -38A/B versions

 

I think it is set as a Nav pod in the weapon data to keep it different from laser designators or it was somehow loadout limited back then.

[Spiff]

Thanks for the info Crusader, the conflicting data (I think) is messing up my loadout for the F-14D. I guess I'll go with the aas as the designator and the asq as something else.