Falklands Harrier GR.3 LGB Attack Profile

[goon 1,144]

Hi Gang,

I'm starting my GR.3 for the Falklands build, which I want to show dropping a Paveway LGB. I've read in Air War South Atlantic that the Harriers 'tossed' the bombs in to the laser designation, rather than the drop from high altitude we became used to seeing during the first Gulf War and after. One of the pilots is quoted as saying the bomb climbed to 3000 feet, so I'm guessing that it was a low altitude release, but does anyone know what sort of pitch angle it was. I'm guessing about 45 degrees but I think it could have been steeper for a steeper descent in to the laser 'basket'.

Thanks for any help,

Gareth

Edited July 30 by goon

[Jessie_C 8,852]

On 30/07/2022 at 10:10, goon said:

but does anyone know what sort of pitch angle it was. I'm guessing about 45 degrees but I think it could have been steeper for a steeper descent in to the laser 'basket'.

The proper angle to do a LABS toss is determined by multiple factors. Airspeed, Altitude, wind speed and direction, distance to the target from the release point and bomb ballistic characteristics are the most important. Usually it's somewhere between 45 and 90+ degrees (90+ being for an 'over the shoulder' toss). Many aircraft carry a toss bombing computer which automatically calculates the various factors and releases the bomb at the optimum point in the flight path. As far as I can tell, the Harrier used the same computer as the Jaguar.