How do I set up auto-lasing in DCS Mission Editor?

To set up auto-lasing in the DCS World Mission Editor, place an AI JTAC or AFAC with line of sight to the target, add a FAC – Assign Group task, select Laser as the designation, enter the required code, and give the player the matching radio frequency and weapon code.

How do I make an AI JTAC lase a target automatically?

The most predictable native method is to assign one enemy group to a laser-capable JTAC or airborne forward air controller.

1. Place a capable designator. Add a friendly ground unit that supports FAC/JTAC tasking, or an aircraft or UAV offering the AFAC role. Not every armed vehicle can designate a target merely because it can see it.
2. Create the target group. Place the enemy units and give their group a recognisable name. FAC assignment works at group level; if one exact vehicle must be lased, put it in a one-unit group.
3. Add the FAC task. At the waypoint where designation should become available, open Advanced (Waypoint Actions) and add FAC – Assign Group. Some unit and action combinations show the group-specific task as FAC – Engage Group. Select the intended enemy group and choose Laser, not IR Pointer or smoke, as the designation method.
4. Enter the laser code. Use a valid four-digit code accepted by the editor. This code identifies the laser pulse pattern; it has no connection to the JTAC radio frequency.
5. Configure the radio. Assign a callsign and set a frequency and modulation that the player's aircraft can use. Depending on the unit, this is set in its properties or through a Set Frequency waypoint command.
6. Keep the designator on station. A ground JTAC needs an unobstructed view of the target. Give an airborne AFAC a suitable orbit with enough altitude for line of sight, while keeping terrain and threats in mind. If an indefinite Orbit task blocks actions placed after it, move the FAC assignment earlier or push it through a trigger.
7. Match the aircraft and weapon code. Set the bomb's seeker code to the JTAC code. If the aircraft uses Laser Spot Search, match that receiver code as well. Some modules allow airborne changes; others treat the weapon code as a ground or mission-planning setting.
8. Test the normal JTAC sequence. Tune the assigned radio, contact the controller, check in and follow the attack calls until it reports that the laser is on. Our explanation of DCS JTAC radio calls and target designation covers that cockpit-side procedure.

Which DCS auto-lasing method should I use?

Use an assigned-group FAC task for a known target, a generic FAC task for AI-selected targets, or scripting when the laser must operate independently of normal JTAC behaviour.

Does DCS auto-lasing work without radio contact?

Not reliably with standard AI JTAC logic: the native FAC task is designed around the radio-controlled attack sequence. The AI normally illuminates during the terminal portion of an authorised attack rather than emitting an unconditional laser from mission start.

If the mission requires an unattended, always-on laser or designation controlled entirely by flags, use a scripted laser spot instead. Our guide to mission-triggered Lua and scheduled functions explains the scripting workflow without tying it to one aircraft module.

How do I start auto-lasing after a trigger?

Put the FAC assignment in the designator group's Triggered Actions and start it with AI TASK PUSH when the required condition becomes true.

1. Create the FAC assignment as a Triggered Action on the JTAC or AFAC group.
2. Create a mission trigger using the condition you need, such as a flag, unit entering a zone or player radio selection.
3. Add AI TASK PUSH and select the stored FAC action.
4. Ensure the designator has been activated and the target group exists before the task is pushed.
5. Use a one-time trigger or a flag guard so the same task is not pushed repeatedly every second.

For the underlying relationship between waypoint actions, triggered actions and flags, see our practical Mission Editor workflow.

Why is the JTAC not firing the laser?

Most failures come from an inactive task, blocked line of sight, incompatible radio settings or a laser-code mismatch.

• No FAC action is available: choose a unit with FAC capability and set an aircraft's task to AFAC where that option is offered.
• The target is not listed: confirm it belongs to the opposing coalition and exists as an editor group. A group created later by script cannot be selected in a preconfigured Assign Group task.
• The JTAC does not appear in the radio menu: check coalition, frequency, modulation, radio range and whether the player's selected radio can tune that band. Easy Communications can conceal configuration errors during testing.
• The JTAC responds but never lases: check terrain, buildings and the designator's position. Line of sight is required from the designator to the target, not from the attacking aircraft to the target.
• The wrong vehicle is designated: the assignment targets a group, not necessarily the first unit placed in it. Use separate one-unit groups when target identity matters.
• The bomb does not guide: match the weapon and designator codes exactly, release within the weapon's valid envelope and avoid masking the laser during terminal guidance. The absence of a visible beam does not prove that the laser is off. For Paveway-specific code and illumination timing, use our GBU-24 employment guidance.
• The task never starts: inspect waypoint-action order, trigger conditions and late activation. A non-terminating task placed ahead of the FAC action may prevent it from being reached.
• Several designators share one code: assign different codes where possible. A seeker can follow another laser using the same code if that reflection enters its field of view.