Javelin
Overview
Javelin is a man-portable fire-and-forget anti tank guided missile.
It consists of the command/launch unit (CLU), the trigger assembly and the missile itself. If there is no ammunition left, the CLU can still be used for day observation and (as long as there are so-called battery/cooling units (BCUs) available - these are an infinite resource in SB) its TI system can be used as well.
Note that the missile contains its own small thermal seeker, which is actually used to lock the missile onto its target.
The missile has two flight profiles.. 'top attack' and 'direct' (aka 'fastball'), which the user can select before launch.
Before the missile can be fired, its thermal seeker has to be cooled down (which is done by puncturing its BCU and waiting for a little while). Only then can the gunner 'point out' his target to the missile, and only once this is done can the missile be actually fired. From this point on it is on its own and the firer is free to relocate.
The CLU features two triggers.. a 'seeker trigger' which is used to puncture the BCU and to activate the seeker on the missile, and the 'fire' trigger which is used to actually fire the missile (note that the 'seeker' trigger has to be held down in order for the 'fire trigger' to work).
Firing
- press CTRL to puncture the battery/cooling unit on the missile (you will hear a click sound)
- wait for the seeker to cool down (a yellow light comes on, when it goes out it is ready)
- after the yellow light has gone out, press N to go to SEEK mode (this is only possible once the seeker is cool), now adjust the target brackets around target (using cursor keys)
- then press CTRL to activate seek mode (flashing cross hair will appear)
- with the cross hair flashing, put cross hair over a target and hold CTRL, when the missile has a good lock then the cross hairs will stop flashing and remain solid
- with the cross hairs solid while holding CTRL, press SPACE to fire
- if you wait too long, the BCU will run out, and a red light "BCU" will appear in bottom left
- if so, wait 30s for BCU reload loop
- then restart at step #1
Notes:
- the seeker trigger is the 'lase' hotkey (CTRL)
- the missile trigger is the 'fire' hotkey (SPACE)
- low/high trajectory can be toggled (in seeker view only) using the 'fuse cycle' hotkey (PGUP).
- the BCU lasts for 4 minutes; once it has run out it will be automatically replaced (this takes 30 seconds), after this the seeker has to be cooled down again.
- the gizmo at the bottom of the sight view is used to estimate range to target. When the side of a tank is smaller than the large bracket, or the front of the tank is smaller than the small bracket, then the target is out of range. As long as the target is equal to, or larger than the brackets then you are within range. Minimum range in direct-fire mode is 65m, while the minimum for top-attack mode is 150m; maximum range is 2000m in all modes.
- day mode is used for observation only
- note that at this point the TI cooldown of the CLU is not modeled; it is always cooled down
- there is a slight delay switching from TIS to day sight
CLU TIS view, wide field of view, direct attack mode
CLU TIS view, narrow field of view, direct attack mode
Missile seeker view, direct attack mode
Missile seeker view, top attack mode
Missile seeker view, direct attack mode, the BCU light is blinking, indicating that it is about to run out
