War Thunder Guided Weapons: Bombs, Missiles, Hits

Guided weapons in War Thunder — laser-guided bombs, TV-guided missiles, and radar/IR guided air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles — are among the highest-impact tools in the game and among the most misunderstood. Players complain they “don’t work” when in fact they are being used outside their parameters. This guide explains how the guidance families work and why a drop fails.

Exact parameters (lock range, drop speed, angles) differ per vehicle and shift with patches — always confirm the numbers in the hangar for your specific aircraft.

The guidance families

• Laser-guided bombs (e.g. GBU series) — a target must be painted by a laser designator (your own, a teammate’s, or a ground unit). The bomb homes on the laser spot. No laser, no guidance.
• TV-guided missiles — you manually steer the missile via a camera view after launch. They need a clear line of sight to the target and are vulnerable to losing tracking if the target is obscured.
• Radar-guided air-to-air/ground missiles — lock a radar contact; vulnerable to countermeasures and require the target inside the radar’s acquisition envelope.
• IR-guided missiles — home on heat; flares and aspect (shooting at a cold target from the front) defeat them.

Why your guided weapon “is not working”

The most common causes, in order:

1. No laser lock (laser bombs). You dropped without a designator active or the spot moved off the target. The bomb flies straight.
2. Outside drop parameters. Each guided weapon has a minimum speed, altitude, and sometimes dive angle. Drop too slow, too low, or too shallow and it will not arm or guide. Check the aircraft’s weapon menu for the listed envelope.
3. Lost line of sight (TV missiles). If a hill or building blocks the camera, tracking drops.
4. Countermeasures (IR/radar missiles). Flares and chaff defeat unguided-by-heat/radar missiles if the enemy uses them in time.
5. Target not in envelope. Radar/IR missiles need the target inside lock range and aspect — locking a target 10 km out or head-on often fails.

How to use them well

• Laser bombs: designate before the run, keep the spot on target through release, and fly a stable approach inside the envelope. The bomber role guide covers approach discipline.
• TV missiles: launch with a clear view, steer smoothly, don’t lose the target behind terrain.
• Air-to-air: understand radar vs IR, use them inside the envelope, and expect flares to work — don’t assume a lock equals a kill. The air gunnery lead guide helps with the fallback guns.

Where they fit

Guided weapons shine in the Ground Battles (CAS) and Air Realistic roles where precision matters more than volume. They are not a substitute for learning the gun — every guided missile runs out, and the enemy learns your approach. Pair the weapon with a solid lineup and battle-rating spread so you are not bringing a high-BR guided jet into a low-BR mismatch.

Learn the envelope for your specific aircraft, and “not working” becomes “point and destroy.”