Fighter Combat

84 BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERSone (the attacker) is slower, with a tighter radius, and has gained someadvantage. Recognizing this advantage (i.e., recognizing that he can pointat his opponent first), the attacker reverses immediately, while his nose isstill pointed well ahead of the defender. Turning away from the opponentat this point actually gives away the flight-path separation the attacker hasdeveloped, by allowing the defender to point his aircraft at the attackerfirst. In effect, the attacker has traded this separation for an early lead turn.Realizing the attacker is going to fly across his nose, the defender alsoreverses at time "2." If the defender is gun equipped he may have asnapshot opportunity here, but in this case his higher speed causes him toovershoot with little nose-tail separation and low TCA, flying out in frontof the attacker. At time "3," the attacker has his nose on the defender atvery close range and small AOT. Against an opponent with a gun, or amissile with a short min-range, this tactic (passing ahead of the target) isnot recommended. Otherwise, as long as the attacker is slower, the earlylead turn can result in a very lethal position advantage for him. Up to apoint, the earlier the lead turn, the greater the final advantage. The"point," of course, is when the final nose-tail separation is reduced to zero.Any earlier lead turn than this may result in at least a temporary bogeyposition advantage. The slower the attacker's speed relative to the defender,the earlier he can reverse, and;"in general, the greater advantage hecan achieve without taking this risk.In case 2 the same fighters are at the same starting conditions at time"1." This time the attacker delays his reversal until time "2," causing himto pass directly above or below the defender at point "3." At this time thedefender reverses, again setting up a nose-to-nose condition, and theattacker brings his nose to bear on the bogey at time "4." The attacker'sresulting position is at longer range and greater AOT than that in case 1.Such a position may be preferable if the attacker is not gun equipped, as thegreater separation may satisfy missile min-range requirements.In case 3 the setup, once again, is the same, but the attacker delays hisreversal even longer, in this instance until he is pointed at the defender attime "2." This causes the attacker to cross some distance behind thedefender at time "3," as the bogey reverses, and results in further increasesin range and AOT at time "4."This sequence of examples serves to highlight the importance of reversaltiming in execution of the flat scissors. In general, an early reversalreduces final separation and AOT. The optimum timing depends largelyon the range and AOT constraints of the attacker's firing envelope. Relativespeeds, turn-radius capabilities, and defender's weapons also play arole. In general, however, the earliest possible reversals lead to the earliestadvantage for a gun-equipped fighter.In such a highly dynamic situation, reversal timing is very subjective.Practice, experience, and an ability to judge relative motion are the determiningfactors in the outcome of this maneuver, particularly when theaircraft are equally matched.The lead-turn phase of the flat scissors begins at the attacker's reversaland ends when the defender reverses. The dynamics of this phase are