Arma 3 How To Use Rangefinder

Rangefinders are optoelectronic devices featured in ArmA 2 and ArmA 3.

Overview

A two-man CSAT sniper team. Note the spotter in the rear using a laser rangefinder (ArmA 3)

Introduced in ArmA: Armed Assault (though in a very limited capacity and not handheld), rangefinders emit a laser beam at the push of a button.

These beams bounce off the surface of an object or the terrain, and the rangefinder's high-speed clock measures the total amount of time that it took from when the beam left the unit to when it returns to estimate the distances between it and the target.

Unlike the spots/beams emitted by laser markers or infrared laser pointers, rangefinders do not emit anything that is visible under night vision or thermal, which makes them relatively safe to use if avoiding detection is a priority.

ArmA 2

ArmA 2-era Rangefinders.

Added with the Operation Arrowhead expansion pack, the standard handheld Rangefinder in ArmA 2 is used solely by BLUFOR factions, ranging from the U.S. Army to British and German forces.

Czech forces exclusively make use of the LRTV which also doubles as a laser designator. It was added with the release of the Army of the Czech Republic DLC.

Weapon fire control systems for several ground vehicles and aircraft like the M1A2's main cannon and the commander's viewfinder, or the LAV-25's autocannon, also featured integrated rangefinders.

Handheld rangefinders are unable to toggle a thermal vision mode (unlike laser designators), but they are able to activate a night vision mode which makes it superior to conventional binoculars carried by most infantry squad leaders and officers.

ArmA 3

ArmA 3-era Rangefinder.

In ArmA 3, laser rangefinders are used by almost every faction in some way as opposed to being exclusive to BLUFOR. They now provide the azimuth and elevation of a target in addition to distance.

Almost every armed vehicle platform and aircraft has a rangefinder integrated as part of its weapon's Fire Control System (FCS) or their internal/external targeting pod. Certain shoulder-launched weapons like the MAAWS Mk4 Mod 1 and optical sight accessories such as the Nightstalker optic also feature integrated rangefinders.

However, handheld and vehicle rangefinders must now be manually activated and no longer scan the distance to the target constantly. To measure the distance, press the targeting key (Default hotkey: T) when aiming at a valid surface or object.

Trivia

The ArmA 2 Rangefinder is based on the "Vector 21b Nite" designed by Safran Electronics & Defense, while the ACR DLC's LRTV is modelled after the "JIM Compact" (also designed by Safran).
- In-game laser rangefinders are depicted as being able to constantly update the distance to a target in real-time. While continuous laser rangefinders do exist in real-life, they are not practical for military use and must be manually activated by their operator.
The ArmA 3 Rangefinder is based on the real-world "Laser Target Locator Module Target Reconnaissance Infrared Geolocating Range Finder" (otherwise simply known as the "LTLM TRIGR" for short) designed by BAE Systems.
- ArmA 3's Rangefinders are strangely depicted in use with CSAT forces, despite the fact that both the Iranian Armed Forces and Chinese People's Liberation Army do not use the LTLM TRIGR in real-life.
- Locally manufactured handheld laser rangefinders already exist and are in service with both militaries (such as the Iranian-made "ESR 20" for instance).

External links

Wikipedia: Laser rangefinder

Equipment
Non-lethal	Binoculars • Chemlights • Compass • Flares • GPS • Infrared Strobes • Laser Designator • Mine Detector • Night Vision Goggles • Rangefinders • Smoke Grenades • Spectrum Device • Toolkit • UAV Terminal • Watch
Lethal	Explosives • Hand Grenades • Landmines • Underbarrel grenade launcher (Cold War Assault, Armed Assault, ArmA 2, ArmA 3)
Medical	First Aid Kit • Medikit