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In France, tactical targeting pods have been in use since the frst precision guided munitions (PGM) appeared some 25 years ago with what was then reported as the “Laser Duo” of the French Air Force: the Matra BGL 1,000 kg bridge buster bomb and the Aérospatiale AS 30 L air-to-ground missile. If the Matra BGL never made it to the battlefeld, on account of the disintegration of the Warsaw Pact, the AS 30 L on the contrary performed extremely well a little later during the nineties. Both “Operation Desert Storm” over Kuwait, and “Operation Allied Force” over the former Yugoslavia demonstrated to a wide public—directly on television—the amazing precision of the AS 30 L strikes performed by the Jaguar fghter-bomber pilots of the French Air Force.

The almost “surgical” performances of the AS 30 L were due to the good conception and extreme precision of the ATLIS II laser day targeting pod of the Jaguar—the frst of its kind used by the French Air Force—and the result of a Thomson-CSF development. After the ATLIS II pod, the French industry created with Thomson-CSF (later Thales), and especially for the Mirage 2000D fghter-bomber, the PDLCT-S all-weather targeting FLIR pod which represented a step forward enabling precision night strikes with laser guided bombs (LGB) and the AS 30 L. Finally, for the Rafale, Thales designed the Damocles advanced targeting FLIR and laser pod [photo below] which entered Armée de l’Air service in January 2011, just in time for action. u

performed by French aircraft, for the simple reason that the rules of engagement set by the French HQ are extremely restrictive, and on several occasions planned bomb drops were simply cancelled at the last moment to avoid any risks of collateral damage.” The truth is, because of the extensive use of new generation PGMs like JDAMs and GPS-aided LGBs by the coalition, much collateral damage on Libyan soil has been avoided so far. “Wide destructions to civilians” on the ground, claimed by the Kadhaf-controlled press, is pure disinformation.

The greatest operational value of the AASM is that it is a true stand-of weapon, which means it can be fred safely from outside the range of existing enemy short and medium range air defence systems, whether at high or low altitude. According to Lieutenant General Patrick Chareix, of the French Air Force CDAOA staf, this fact was proven on several occasions during the initial phase of the interdiction campaign over Libya where the Rafales operated without the need of any dedicated SEAD asset —and to the big surprise of the USAF theatre commander on one specifc action against a Libyan SA-3 “Goa” SAM site in March 2011! Its solid rocket propulsion system gives the AASM a range of over 50 km when fred from high altitude, and over 15 km for low-altitude fring. In the latter case, the AASM can also climb over its release point to avoid difcult terrain, while providing a near vertical terminal trajectory for better fnal precision. These characteristics are awsome, as most of the time, the AASM strikes come as a full surprise for an observer on the ground,

for the simple reason that the launch aircraft is unseen and unheard… even more when the launch aircraft is a Rafale, thanks to its stealthy characteristics. Quite a surprising and positive point is the fact that the AASM can be fred of-axis in relation to the aircraft’s fight path, thus optimizing its extended range and enabling it to hit distant targets right behind the aircraft —something totally impossible for a conventional laser-guided bomb. From the operational standpoint, this enables the aircraft to immediately engage its target, without having to manoeuvre to place the launching aircraft in position, as would be required for other existing laser or GPS-guided tactical weapons. A very valuable tactical advantage is also that the AASM allows a single aircraft to engage up to six targets simultaneously ! For example one Rafale fghter ftted with two triple underwing Rafaut hard-points —as was the case during “Opération Harmattan” over Libya— can loiter and attack successively or in a single action up to six targets of diferent nature located in opposing directions. For that, the Rafale pilot

ÿ 28 March 2011, Misrata air base, Libya, was on several occasions visited by French Air Force Rafales which destroyed a number of attack helicopters and jets there, namely Mi-35s and Soko G-2 Galebs. Only aircraft considered as menacing for the rebels have come under attack, as all others seem to be grounded for good. 28 de março de 2011, base aérea de Misrata, Líbia, várias vezes visitada por Rafales franceses que destruiram vários helicopteros de ataque e jatos de combate, entre eles Mi-35s e Soko G-2 Galebs. © Google Earth

“ 29 March 2011, French Navy Rafale Ms from squadron 12F are seen on the deck of FS Charles-de-Gaulle crusing off the coast of Libya. Both aircraft are dressed for reconnaissance with a centerline Thales Reco-NG pod. 29 de março de 2011, Rafales M da Marinha Francesa, pertencentes ao esquadrão 12F, são vistos aqui no deck do porta-aviões Charles-de-Gaulle cruzando próximo à costa da Líbia. Ambas as aeronaves estão preparadas para função de reconhecimento equipadas com o um pod ventral Thales Reco-NG. © ECPAD