Actually the Apache has a reasonably effective 30mm cannon that works well in many CAS situations.<p>As far as guided weapons go, the GPS guided bombs are the preferred CAS solution. Current laser designators compute the map coordinates of target locations. These are then uploaded to the aircraft, and then to the weapons. Shortly thereafter the weapons land within a couple of meters of the designated spot. The &quot;eyes on the target&quot; are the eyes of the ground troops, who have the greatest interest in eliminating said target.<p>The use of GPS guided bombs means that CAS aircraft can loiter at fairly high altitudes (&gt; 5000 ft), and drop munitions as needed. This eliminates the need for titanium bathtubs and the like.