Editing Laser designator (section)

===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.