Targeting and Weapons Requirements in Close Air Support Strike Operations

Abstract

This paper presents a Naval Weapons Center study on close air support (CAS) targeting requirements and systems. The paper gives an overview of U.S. Marine Corps CAS and identifies problems in specific areas of the CAS mission, including threat, communications, timing, and target marking, and target acquisition. The study also analyzes CAS targeting requirements and formulates guidelines for improvement of CAS targeting capabilities. This study was carried out in three phases: 1) Review of CAS studies, handbooks, operational reports and instructors materials, with weighting given to analysis and experience over the last eight years. 2) Interviews with U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) aviators. 3) Synthesis of information gained from the literature and from interviews as the basis for identification of the problems, their causes, and possible improvements in CAS targeting.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADP005437

Entities

People

  • Ronald A. Erickson

Organizations

  • Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Altitude
  • Armored Personnel Carriers
  • Attack Aircraft
  • Attack Helicopters
  • Attrition
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Guided Weapons
  • Helicopters
  • Laser Target Designators
  • Tactical Air Support
  • Target Acquisition
  • Warfare
  • Weapon Delivery

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Naval Personnel Management
  • Systems Analysis and Design