Laser guided weapons have the characteristics of high hit precision, long-range precision strike, high combat efficiency and strong anti-jamming capability, and gradually become the leading role of modern war weapons. As an important component of laser guided weapon system, laser ranging target indicator has long been paid attention to by foreign countries' military, and many types of laser ranging target indicators have been developed and equipped. In order to facilitate domestic research on similar products, the development history of foreign ground laser ranging target indicators was summarized, the basic working principles of laser guided weapons and laser ranging target indicators were introduced, and the development trend of ground laser ranging target indicators was analyzed based on the development status quo, which provides reference for domestic research on similar products and photoelectric countermeasures.