Editing Laser designator (section)

==Deployment==
Laser designators may be mounted on aircraft, ground vehicles, naval vessels, or handheld. Depending on the wavelength of light used by the designator, the designation laser may or may not be visible to the personnel deploying it. This is the case with 1064&nbsp;[[nanometre|nm]] laser designators used by [[Joint terminal attack controller|JTACs]] as that wavelength of light is difficult to see under standard Gen III/III+ night vision devices.<ref name="photonis 4g">{{cite web |title=Differences between Gen3 and 4G image intensification technology |url=https://www.photonis.com/system/files/2020-10/Difference_Gen3_4G_english_version.pdf |website=Photonis Night Vision |access-date=16 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505124344/https://www.photonis.com/system/files/2020-10/Difference_Gen3_4G_english_version.pdf |archive-date=5 May 2021 |date=October 2020}}</ref> Other imaging devices with "see-spot" capabilities to "see" the laser spot are often utilized to make sure the target is being correctly designated. These may include FLIR (forward looking infrared) thermal imagers which normally operate in the MWIR or LWIR spectrum<ref name="flir thermal wavelength">{{cite web |title=Thermal Camera Specs You Should Know Before Buying |url=https://www.flir.com/discover/professional-tools/thermal-camera-specs-you-should-know-before-buying/ |website=FLIR.com |access-date=16 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407192121/https://www.flir.com/discover/professional-tools/thermal-camera-specs-you-should-know-before-buying/ |archive-date=7 April 2022 |date=18 December 2019}}</ref> but have a 1064&nbsp;nm window in which they can see-spot the laser.<ref name="spie see-spot">{{cite book |last1=Donval |first1=Ariela |last2=Fisher |first2=Tali |last3=Lipman |first3=Ofir |last4=Oron |first4=Moshe |title=Infrared Technology and Applications XXXVIII |chapter=Laser designator protection filter for see-spot thermal imaging systems |editor-first1=Bjørn F. |editor-first2=Gabor F. |editor-first3=Paul R. |editor-last1=Andresen |editor-last2=Fulop |editor-last3=Norton |date=1 May 2012 |series=Proceedings of SPIE |volume=8353 |pages= |doi=10.1117/12.916966 |bibcode=2012SPIE.8353E..24D |s2cid=122190698 }}</ref>

===Airborne===
The [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] selected the [[Lockheed Martin]]'s [[Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod]] (ATP) in 2004.  It equipped multiple USAF platforms such as the [[F-16]], [[F-15E]], [[Rockwell B-1 Lancer|B-1]], [[B-52]], and [[A-10C]].  It also operates on multiple international fighter platforms.  The [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] currently employ [[LITENING]] and [[ATFLIR]] targeting pods on a variety of strike aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=114 |title=Fact Sheet - LITENING II |date=24 June 2003 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030624084136/http://www.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?fsID=114 |archive-date=24 June 2003 }}</ref> The Litening II is widely used by many other of the world's air forces. The United Kingdom's [[Royal Air Force]] uses the Litening III system and the French use the [[TALIOS (Targeting Long-range Identification Optronic System)]],<ref>[[:fr:Pod Talios]]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=May 2021}} [[Damocles (targeting pod)|Damocles]] and [[ATLIS II]].

===Ground-based===
[[File:A tactical air controller aims a laser target designator on a simulated target.jpg|thumb|left|USAF handheld laser designator as seen under night vision, 2007]]
Many modern armed forces employ handheld laser designation systems. Examples include the [[AN/PEQ-1 SOFLAM]] of the United States, the Russian LPR series of handheld devices.

U.S. Air Force [[Forward air control|Joint Terminal Air Controllers]] and [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] [[Forward Air Control]]lers typically employ a lightweight device, such as the AN/PED-1 Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR), permitting them to designate targets for [[Close Air Support]] aircraft flying overhead and in close proximity to friendly forces. While many designators are binocular-based and may utilize tripods, smaller handheld laser designators, like the B.E. Meyers & Co. IZLID 1000P exist as well.<ref name="an/peq-18 izlid">{{cite web |title=IZLID 1000P |url=https://bemeyers.com/izlid-1000p |website=B.E. Meyers & Co. |access-date=29 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519225530/https://bemeyers.com/izlid-1000p |archive-date=19 May 2022}}</ref> Northrop Grumman's LLDR, using an eye-safe laser wavelength, recognizes targets, finds the range to a target, and fixes target locations for laser-guided, GPS-guided, and conventional munitions.<ref name="lldr specs">{{cite web |title=Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinder (LLDR) |url=https://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/ANPED1LLDR/Documents/lldr.pdf |website=Northrop Grumman |access-date=4 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805023008/https://www.northropgrumman.com/Capabilities/ANPED1LLDR/Documents/lldr.pdf |archive-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> This lightweight, interoperable system uniquely provides range finding and targeting information to other digital battlefield systems<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=187249 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325004140/http://www.irconnect.com/noc/press/pages/news_releases.html?d=187249 |archive-date=2010-03-25 |title=Photo Release -- U.S. Army Awards Northrop Grumman Lightweight Laser Designator Rangefinders Delivery Order Valued at $142.7 Million (NYSE:NOC)}}</ref> allowing the system to provide targeting information for non-guided munitions, or when laser designation is unreliable due to battlefield conditions.