Beam Riding - Laser Beam Riding

Laser Beam Riding

Beam riding guidance became more popular again in the 1980s and 90s with the introduction of low-cost and highly portable laser designators. A laser beam can be made much more narrow than a radar beam while not increasing the size of the broadcaster. Additionally, it is simple to encode additional information in the beam using digital means, which has a number of advantages. Missiles with small optical receivers on their tail can beam ride on lasers with similar ease as earlier radar beam systems, but will be inherently more accurate.

Additionally, as the beam is very narrow by design, less power is needed than a semi-active design where the volume of space being "painted" is generally larger, in order to ensure the missile body does not block all of the signal. This makes it more difficult to be noticed by the target's warning receiver. Very low power signals can be used.

In modern use, laser beam riding is generally limited to short-range missiles, both anti-air and anti-tank. Examples include the Starstreak, the RBS 70, MSS-1.2 and 9M119 Svir.