Laser-guided Bomb - Overview

Overview

Laser-guided munitions use a laser designator to mark (illuminate) a target. The reflected laser light from the target is then detected by the seeker head of the weapon, which sends signals to the weapon's control surfaces to guide it toward the designated point. Laser-guided bombs are generally unpowered, using small fins to glide towards their targets. Powered laser-guided missiles, such as some variants of the US AGM-65 Maverick and the French AS.30L, use the same guidance system, but have greater range and maneuverability because they are not limited to unpowered flight. Some LGB's have been fitted with strap-on rocket motors to increase their range; one such weapon is the USN AGM-123 Skipper.

The earliest laser guidance seekers measured the intensity of the reflected laser light at four corners of the seeker window. The seeker then actuated the control fins to steer the weapon in the direction of the strongest signal return, thereby keeping the weapon centered on the pulse. Later weapons have more sensitive seekers and more sophisticated control systems that waste less energy with course corrections, improving accuracy and range, but the principle remains essentially the same. The first such weapon to be developed was the Texas Instruments BOLT-117.

Most laser-guided bombs are produced in the form of strap-on kits: seeker heads, and steering fins that can be attached to a standard general-purpose bomb or penetration bomb. Such kits are modular, allowing relatively easy upgrades, and are considerably cheaper than purpose-built weapons.