Sensors and targeting
TADS
The target acquisition designation sight is the CPG’s main sensor. A turret under the nose with a thermal camera, a day TV camera, direct view optics and the laser.
The TADS is the CPG’s sight. Select it with Sight Select TADSShift+2. The pilot cannot use it as a sight, but can borrow its FLIR as a night vision sensor (see Night vision).
Looking through it
There are three ways to see the TADS picture:
- Through the sight: Arma’s optics view (your Optics binding). You see the TADS picture full screen with its weapon symbology.
- On an MPD: the VIDEO page, or as an underlay behind other pages.
- On the helmet: with the monocle down, TADS or FCR as your sight and your NVS switch off, the TADS picture fills the CPG’s monocle under the weapon symbology. The DVO is a direct view optic, so it has no picture there. The helmet also shows the TADS when it is your night vision sensor.
From the cockpit view, your aim input (mouse or stick) slews the TADS at up to 60° a second in the wide field of view, slower in the narrower ones. It turns ±120° left and right, 30° up and 60° down. While you use free look, the radial menu or Hatchet’s detached cursor, the aim input moves those instead; see the TADS input ignores the detached cursor setting.
At a turret limit the reticle flashes and the HAD shows LIMITS.
Sensors
| Sensor | Binding | Picture | Fields of view |
|---|---|---|---|
| FLIR | LHG Sensor Select Switch - FLIRAlt+5 | Thermal, white-hot or black-hot. | W, M, N, Z |
| DTV | LHG Sensor Select Switch - DTVAlt+6 | Day TV, black and white. | W, N, Z (M gives W) |
| DVO | LHG Sensor Select Switch - DVOAlt+7 | Direct view optics, colour. | W and N (M and Z give N) |
Night visiongame binding cycles: FLIR white-hot, FLIR black-hot, then DTV and DVO if the NV Cycle Include DTV and NV Cycle Include DVO settings are on, then back to FLIR. A damaged sensor is skipped. The selected sensor shows at the top left of the TADS symbology.
With A3 Thermal Improvement loaded, its thermal picture is used for the FLIR. The night vision key then belongs to A3TI, and the sensor keys only work while the DTV or DVO is selected.
If the day TV is damaged the HAD shows TV FAIL; with both cameras damaged, TADS FAIL.
Field of view
| Binding | FOV |
|---|---|
| TADS LHG FOV Switch - Wunbound | Wide |
| TADS LHG FOV Switch - Munbound | Medium |
| TADS LHG FOV Switch - Nunbound | Narrow |
| TADS LHG FOV Switch - Zunbound | Zoom |
| Zoom ingame binding / Zoom outgame binding | Step in and out through the fields of view the sensor has. |
The four field of view bindings have no default key. Use zoom in and out, the radial menu, or bind them yourself.
Brackets in the TADS reticle show the size of the next narrower field of view.
Linear motion compensator
LHG LMC ButtonCtrl+T turns the LMC on or off. The symbology shows LMC while it is on.
- LMC off: your aim input moves the TADS, and it stops when you let go.
- LMC on: your aim input sets a rate. The TADS keeps moving at that rate after you let go, so you can match a moving target and then take your hands off. It also allows for the aircraft’s own movement, using your current range, so the TADS stays on a point on the ground while you fly. Lase the target for the best result.
The LMC Sensitivity setting scales how strongly your input drives it. Slaving the TADS overrides the LMC; when you release the slave, the LMC carries on from where the TADS was.
Slaving and the laser spot tracker
Slaved, the TADS turns to your acquisition source and follows it: see Sights and acquisition. The laser spot tracker can also drive the TADS onto a laser spot: see Laser.