Defence Q&A How do UCAVs guide laser munition

[Ka-52 Alligator]

How do UCAVs guide laser anti-tank missiles to target that are directly below the vehicle while the launch of the missile is horizontal?

 

[Ka-52 Alligator]

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[Bayraktar TB2]

What you saw was probably multiple drones doing an operation. One doing the lazing, the other doing the killing.

 

[Loban]

UCAVs don’t need to launch the missile directly downward. They typically “paint” the target with a laser designator while flying horizontally. The missile’s seeker homes in on the reflected laser, allowing it to strike targets below the aircraft regardless of its launch angle. In many operations, one drone can lase while another fires, but a single UCAV can also handle both tasks if equipped with the right sensors.