What is the "glimpse" radius, and what is it for?
Prior to invoking the A2G adjudicator, the attacking Flight will “glimpse” for the target BSE/type. Centered on the target BSE’s last known position/coordinates (which was updated on takeoff for JTCB missions, or was passed by the controller directing the vector), the strike Flight will glimpse (even if its sensors remain turned off via the Sensor Profiles) within the minimum of: 1) a (hardcoded) 10 km glimpse radius; or 2) the platform’s sensor range (minimum of sensor footprint or computed detection distance).
Glimpse is intended for 2 purposes:
- First, it allows for a Flight’s ability to do an abbreviated “search” in the objective area for the target; reasonably minor deviations of the target’s location from its planned location can be accommodated.
- Second, it prevents the Flight from implicitly deviating too far from the planned target location while “searching” for the target. If the Flight were allowed to search for the target BSE/type within its full sensor range (ex. 100 km away), it would both overrepresent the detection/search capability, and underrepresent the operational factors (time to search, fuel range, air refueling, SEAD support, etc.) which must be considered to exceed the original target & range.
- During adjudication, how is the specific target BSE determined? That is, what specifically is it glimpsing for?
Let’s look at it by mission:
Note: In this context, “Fixed” is: a) Bridge b) IOCCC2 c) Facility d) Installation
JTCB: Even though the target was planned by specific BSE ID, at the adjudication point the Flight will attempt to locate (glimpse/sense) any BSE of the same BSE Type as the planned target BSE. This accomplishes the intended behavior of being able to detect BSEs by their type, while not being able to distinguish between BSEs of the same type.
- Glimpse for target’s BSE Type
- Select the one nearest to the intended target’s planned location [coordinates]
- Must be within both glimpse & sensor radius
- If none of that BSE Type are found:
- Pick the closest non-fixed target for adjudication
- Must be within both glimpse & sensor radius
- If planned target’s condition is “Fixed”, don’t adjudicate
- The target location error (or “fog of war”) must be too great to find the correct target, since fixed BSEs cannot move
- A Flight planned against a fixed target will not select an alternate target if the primary is not found
- If planned target is “Land”, adjudicate against the closest Land BSE (within glimpse & sensor radius)
- A Flight planned against a maneuver target will likely select an alternate target if the primary is not found
OnCallStrike (TCT):
- Glimpse for target’s BSE Type
- Select the one nearest to the intended target’s planned location [coordinates]
- Must be within both glimpse & sensor radius
- If none of that BSE Type are found:
- Pick the closest non-fixed target for adjudication
- Must be within both glimpse & sensor radius
CAS/LSEADStrike: These are slightly different than JTCB, since the target and its location were not known prior to takeoff. Additionally, while in some cases the target’s BSE Type will be known (ex. a unit under direct fire will know what type of unit it faces), in other cases the target’s BSE Type will be unknown (ex. a unit under indirect fire may know that it is under fire by an artillery unit, but not know the specific type or task organization of the unit).
- If BSE Type is “Known”:
- Glimpse for target’s BSE Type
- Select the one nearest to the intended target’s reported location [coordinates]
- Must be within both glimpse & sensor radius
- If the Flight cannot find the correct BSE Type, it will not engage
- If Flight was vectored, but can’t find the BSE Type, this may indicate a process failure (ex. IW, decoys, etc)
- If BSE Type is “Unknown”:
- Glimpse for the closest non-fixed “Land” BSE to target’s reported location [coordinates]
- Must be within glimpse & sensor radius
Reminder: Review [here-] (FAQ 21) for issues relating to multiple BSEs or Types at the same location or distance from the intended target.