Leonardo updates Type 163 laser target designator for DACAS

Leonardo is continuing to develop its Type 163 laser target designator (LTD)/laser rangefinder (LRF), and plans to integrate a digital magnetic compass, Andrew Sijan, head of Advanced Targeting Campaigns at Leonardo, told Janes.

Sijan said more than 700 units of the Type 163 LTD had been sold to 23 countries, including approximately 450 to the US. The most recent customer was Slovenia, which had placed an order, the size and value of which were not disclosed in January 2021.

He said that the Type 163’s design leverages Leonardo’s experience in building airborne targeting lasers where size, weight, and power (SWAP) are critical. With a laser output power typically more than 80 mJ, weighing 2.5 kg including the battery, and measuring 322 x 142 x 87 mm, he claimed that no other LTD equals the Type 163 for energy output per kilogram. He observed that reducing SWAP should not be achieved at the expense of output power, as this is key to providing target illumination for a weapon-launching aircraft beyond threat range.

The Leonardo Type 163 laser target designator (front view), mounted on a tripod. (Leonardo)

The Type 163 has a modular architecture, which made upgrades easier, said Srijan. He noted that a previous development cycle, first revealed at the 2019 DSEi exhibition, had upgraded the human-machine interface (HMI) to enable digitally assisted close air support (DACAS). Because the HMI module, which consists of both hardware and software, is separate to the laser, there had been no requirement to seek requalification for target designation accuracy.