Air Weapons: Chinese Laser Guided Bombs

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November30, 2006: China has developed a new targeting pod, called the DC-1. The pod contains a daylight video camera and a thermal imager for night and bad weather. The system includes a laser designator. In the late 1990s, the first Chinese targeting pod, the "Blue Sky" appeared. These appeared to be based on the U.S. LANTRIN. Before that, aircraft had to be equipped with internal cameras and laser designators. The new LT-2 pod appears to be more robust and reliable.

China has also just introduced a new laser guided bomb; the LT-2. This weapon looks very similar to the Russian KAB-500L 1100 pound laser guided bomb. So the LT-2 may be using licensed or stolen Russian technology. The KAB-500L is very similar to the American Paveway series of laser guided bombs. That is, a dumb bomb has a guidance kit attached. Fifteen years ago, China introduced a laser guided bomb that appeared to be reverse engineered U.S. Paveway. These apparently did not perform very well.

 

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