ChrisWerb Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 (edited) I touched on this in a previous thread. Is there something odd going on with the tracking in US MBTs up to the M1A1? The reason I ask is that the sight generates dynamic lead without my even attempting to track, as long as I lase. The sight jumps to the dynamic lead position the instant I lase. On vehicles with newer two axis sights/FCS tracking appears to work as I would expect it to - incredibly subtely in many cases. Edited October 3, 2016 by ChrisWerb 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJ_Fubar Posted October 3, 2016 Share Posted October 3, 2016 That behavior is correct. The M1's FCS uses "kinematic lead" and begins calculating lead whenever the laser is fired. When your tank is stationary and you're engaging a stationary target the procedure is to lase, "dump lead" by releasing the palm switches (P key), then reacquire and fire. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisWerb Posted October 3, 2016 Author Share Posted October 3, 2016 Thank you MAJ_Fubar. I thought the lead calculation was a one off thing and remained applied until you dumped it and lased again. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ssnake Posted October 3, 2016 Members Share Posted October 3, 2016 Technically, lead calculation starts whenever a range is being entered into the fire control computer, be it a manual range, battlesight, or laser range. Lead calculation is then based on the moving average of the turret rotation rate of the last 1.5 seconds if I remember it correctly. Which means that if the commander overrides the gunner with a fast turret traverse you should track the target steadily for 1.5 seconds (to get the (too high) traverse rates out from the moving average before you enter the range. Lead calculation will continue to work on the 1.5 seconds moving average after the range has been added. The problem is, if your tracking isn't smooth or the target changes direction the moving average effect will result in a deterministic, but apparently erratic, constantly changing lead value. If the gunner then tries to compensate for the reticule movement ("chasing the reticule") this will add more and rapidly changing turret traverse rate values, quickly deteriorating the quality of the lead prediction. Hence the recommendation to dump the lead whenever the target changes direction of travel, or velocity. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisWerb Posted October 3, 2016 Author Share Posted October 3, 2016 Excellent explanations. Thank you both. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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