Collateral Damage Estimation (CDE) Practice Test 2026 - Free CDE Practice Questions and Study Guide

CERs describe how far hits spread around a defined reference point or boundary, not around some fixed grid. You can establish that reference at the exact aiming point you intended, or you can use the target element’s outline as the boundary of interest. If you anchor to the aiming point, you calculate how far each impact is from that point and find the radius that contains a given percentage of hits (often 50%). If you anchor to the target outline, you assess distances relative to that boundary or its center and derive the same kind of dispersion radius for hits with respect to that reference. The important idea is that the reference for the circular error is flexible and tied to how you’re evaluating the target, not to a predetermined grid. That’s why CERs can be measured from either an individual aimpoint or a target/element outline.