DCS AV-8B Night Attack - Destruction of a Contraband Post

A US Marines patrol has been fired at from an old outpost overlooking a previously peaceful valley. Contraband of arms from nearby countries has recently increased and the USMC is on the hunt for any troublemakers.

In our two Harriers-flight carrying laser guided bombs and guns, we get the call from the Marines somewhere below. The jolt of adrenaline is immediate and we put ourselves to the task of readying up the birds for the bombs drop and coordinating with the air controller. My wingman stays put to continue the patrol after my bombing run.

The 9-liner indicates that the JTAC is going to mark the target with his laser. 

IP inbound now.

I press the sensor select switch aft twice and the laser tracking quickly finds the spot from the JTAC. It looks like the JTAC's laser pointer is actually hitting the ground in front of the outpost.

I hoped that the JTAC would somehow adjust his laser pointer, but no luck. My pair of laser guided bombs hit exactly where the laser spot is pointing them.

Target not destroyed. No sh!t, man. I decide to check out completely from the CAS mission so the JTAC would drop his laser. I am going to use my own laser for the re-attack. I turn my targeting pod on.

The targeting system still shows the target from the previous run (diamond in the HUD). That helps me to "fly" the boresighted targeting pod (circle with a dot in the HUD) into the outpost.

I overfly the target area just to sweeten the aiming of the targeting pod. 

Right at the center of the outpost ... That will do. My two GBU-12s are on their way towards the target.

The devastation in the outpost is complete. Now I'm going to  re-attack other targets of opportunity.

With the help of the targeting pod, I engage a mortar with my guns.

I trim the aircraft for a shallow dive and the mortar is gone with a few rounds.

A cheerful overfly on the Marines down below. This is while I extend for another strafing run over the target area.

My targeting pod catches a few insurgents in the act of withdrawing towards the safety of the mountains.

I'm very wary of deep strafing dives. The drop tanks tend to limit the pull up maneuvers. So I go for another extra-shallow dive, trying to keep the airspeed within bounds.

In my first strafing run, I didn't hit anybody. Such a shame.

Another pass. The insurgents are moving towards me through that tiny valley with the dry river bed. The enemy targets are in the diamond-circle composite symbol in the HUD.

Subsequent strafing runs are way more successful. The Harrier guns have a lot of punch.

I eventually run out of ammo and had to return to base. Only one enemy insurgent survived. The outpost was destroyed, 18 enemy insurgents killed or wounded and 1 mortar was destroyed.

A short landing at this remote airstrip. Time to re-arm to rejoin the patrol.

Cheers,