Issue
Currently, guided weapons in War Thunder use inconsistent targeting mechanics depending on weapon type.
GNSS-guided bombs already support an efficient mechanic where the player can:
- select a target point on the map;
- release the bomb with a single input;
- allow the munition to automatically navigate to the selected coordinates.
However, this functionality is limited mainly to GNSS bombs and is not available for many other guided weapons that also support coordinate navigation or multiple guidance modes.
Current Behavior
Weapons such as:
- AGM-84H
- Kh-59 and similar long-range guided missiles
require the player to:
- manually slew the seeker onto the target area;
- obtain lock;
- only then perform launch.
This creates several issues:
- Practical target acquisition range is heavily limited (approximately ~30 km or less in many situations).
- These weapons are designed for long-range strikes (100+ km class), but their in-game functionality does not allow practical use at intended distances.
- Manual point locking with TV seekers is often unreliable, even at closer ranges.
As a result, long-range guided weapons are artificially limited by interface/mechanic constraints rather than weapon capabilities.
Proposed Changes
1. Unified Point Targeting Mechanic
Extend the existing GNSS bomb targeting system to all compatible guided weapons.
If a weapon supports:
- GNSS / INS guidance;
- coordinate attack mode;
- waypoint/point attack capability;
then players should be able to:
- place a point of interest on the map;
- assign that point as target;
- launch/release with a single action.
This would match the already existing GNSS bomb workflow.
2. Reliable Point Lock for TV-Guided Weapons
Allow TV-guided weapons to consistently lock selected ground points.
Instead of repeatedly attempting manual lock acquisition, players should be able to:
- designate a point;
- instantly assign seeker lock to that point if weapon conditions are met.
This would significantly improve usability of TV-guided bombs and missiles.
3. Guidance Mode Switching Keybind
Add a dedicated control option allowing players to switch between available weapon guidance modes before launch.
Example supported modes:
- Laser
- GNSS / INS
- TV
- IR / IIR
This is especially relevant for weapons with multiple available guidance channels.
Benefits
- More realistic implementation of long-range strike weapons
- Improved gameplay consistency across guided munitions
- Better usability of multi-mode weapons
- Reduced interface limitations for advanced weapon systems
- More intuitive control scheme for modern guided ordnance
Examples of Weapons That Would Benefit
- AGM-84H
- Kh-59 family
- Other future or existing multi-mode guided munitions