Fighter Combat

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ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DISSIMILAR AIRCRAFT 193reduced frag pattern of the cluster weapon. Although this "shotgun"weapon makes a direct hit more likely, a direct hit would probably berequired to destroy the target, and it would still be quite difficult to achieveagainst an evasive helo. The cluster bomb would be better than generalpurpose bombs against a helo at high altitude, but other air-to-air weaponswould probably be more appropriate in that case.AAMs may also be viable weapons against the helo. The radar-guidedweapons, however, have serious problems, as noted earlier, and probablywould be rather ineffective, especially against a low-altitude target. ADoppler-guided missile might have a chance if it was employed in alow-level, head-on attack, so that the helo's closing speed would aid themissile in distinguishing the target from ground clutter. Side-lobe clutter,as described in Chapter 1, is the problem with RQ attacks with thisweapon, and it may necessitate a higher-altitude, shoot-down launch.Heat seekers are much better suited to this scenario, but they still arenot without problems. Helicopters often have exhaust shields that reducetheir IR signatures, and hot exhaust gases may be dispersed by the rotorwash. In a look-down environment, especially over hot desert terrain,RQ-only heat seekers may be more effective than their all-aspect counterpartsbecause they are less sensitive to background IR radiation. RQ heatseekingmissiles should be fired whenever the target heat source can bedetected, regardless of aspect. Even "RQ" AAMs may have all-aspectcapabilities against slow aircraft that are unable to generate high speed or ahigh load factor.If all else fails, a high-speed pass very low over the top of the helo is verylikely to disrupt airflow through the rotor blades sufficiently to cause a lossof control, and can drive a low-altitude helo into the ground.Probably the best tactic to employ against a helicopter is to sneak up onit and attack with bombs, guns, unguided rockets, or IR missiles. If detectedby the target, about the best the pilot of a fixed-wing fighter canhope for is a head-on pass. Turning with a helo is fruitless and can bedownright dangerous. If the first attack is not successful and multiple runsare necessary, a variation of extension tactics can be used. On each pass thefighter pilot should turn hard toward the helo to reduce lateral separationto a minimum, then extend at low altitude and high speed, turning in thenose-to-tail direction only as necessary to keep sight of the helo behind. Ifthe helo is missile equipped it is important both to stay low to avoid givingthe bogey any look-up and to cease use of afterburners before the bogey cancomplete its turn and fire. The combination of high fighter speed, lowaltitude, and the slow speed of the helo all work to reduce the helomissile's max-range to probably half that advertised for fighter engagementsat higher altitudes. Against non-missile-equipped helos, a gradualclimb may be more comfortable during the extension.The extension should be continued until the fighter is well outside thehelo's missile range, and until the fighter can make a reversal to meet thehelo again head-on and still have sufficient separation for gun, missile, orbomb-sight tracking. A power reduction and a nose-high oblique reversalmay allow the fighter pilot to tighten his turn and get the nose around
194 ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DISSIMILAR AIRCRAFTquicker. The length of the extension may be reduced by the requirement tokeep sight of the helo, and tracking times may be short as a result. If twofighters are available, one can orbit around the fight high, keeping track ofthe helo and directing the engaged fighter pilot in case he loses sight of thebogey. Or both fighters can engage the helo simultaneously from differentdirections. Caution is required, however, when the fighters are droppingbombs, as the frag pattern from one bomb must be given time to dissipatebefore the second fighter enters the area.In general, except for the comments on rotor-blade effects, the tacticsand considerations outlined here are relevant to most low-altitude engagementsbetween fighters with very great disparity in performance.Notes1. John T. Godfrey, The Look of Eagles, pp. 98-99.2. Randy Cunningham, Fox Two, pp. 104, 106-8.3. Manfred F. von Richthofen, The Red Air <strong>Fighter</strong>, pp. 84-85.4. Robert S. Johnson, Thunderbolt! pp. 148-49.
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Fighter CombatTACTICS AND MANEUVERI
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ContentsPrefaceixAcknowledgmentsxvA
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CONTENTSVllSingle-Side Offset 353Tr
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XPREFACEtactics varied greatly, and
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PREFACEXlllseconds, while today's f
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XVIACKNOWLEDGMENTSGodfrey, John T.,
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XV111ABBREVIATIONSHUD heads-up disp
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1Fighter WeaponsFighter aircraft ex
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 6lets. Another fact
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 5gun as the fighter
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 7reliability, cost-
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FIGHTER WEAPONS ?The final complica
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FIGHTER WEAPONS \ \span of the enem
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 13cause large, erra
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 15Gun EmploymentWhe
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 17I am not a good s
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 19Guns are like alc
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 21Most snapshots li
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 23second) should be
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 25tion of the targe
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 27Instead, the defe
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 29firing zone by re
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 31This maneuver spo
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 33swiveling the noz
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 35they are more sus
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 37home on reciproca
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 39The various forms
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 41in bad weather, s
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 43Of course, this t
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 45is sometimes call
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 47NON-MANEUVERINGMA
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 49the radar track,
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 5 1Besides the guid
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 53rocket-powered ve
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 55speed targets. Hi
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 57detect the target
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 59For forward- or r
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FIGHTER WEAPONS 61varies with range
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 63Lead Purs
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 65attacker
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 67Effective
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 69that he p
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 71to arrive
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 73improve t
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 75Figure 2-
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 77approach
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 79Figure 2-
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 81plane of
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 83direction
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 85essential
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 87speed for
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 89proportio
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 91attacker)
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 93At positi
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 95slow-spee
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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERS 97When it i
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ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, SIMILAR
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One-versus-OneManeuvering,Dissimila
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ONE-VERSUS-ONE MANEUVERING, DISSIMI
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 243f
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 245b
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SECTION TACTICS, TWC-VERSUS-TWO 247
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 249F
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 251g
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 253t
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SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-TWO 255
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 257d
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 259c
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 261F
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SECTION TACTICS, TWOVERSUS-TWO 263i
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SECTION TACTICS, TWO-VERSUS-TWO 265
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DIVISION TACTICS 267sides late in W
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DIVISION TACTICS 269unacceptably hi
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DIVISION TACTICS 271Figure 7-4. Lin
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DIVISION TACTICS 273Figure 7-6.Sect
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DIVISION TACTICS 2755. In any form
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DIVISION TACTICS 277when the divisi
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DIVISION TACTICS 279"Gaggle" doctri
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DIVISION TACTICS 281Figure 7-11. Ga
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DIVISION TACTICS 283on the lookout
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DIVISION TACTICS 285It is when a fo
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DIVISION TACTICS 287attack by the d
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DIVISION TACTICS 289low-performance
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 291previ
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 293attac
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 295Other
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 297We ne
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 299Figur
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 301be me
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 303Quite
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 305many
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 307great
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 309very
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 311arran
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 313area
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UNLIMITED-AIRCRAFT TACTICS 315The m
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 317conflict, air s
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 319man will, who,
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 321friendly aircra
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 323quested informa
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 325The massed atta
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 327by installation
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 329bombers' defens
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 331must be assured
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 333attacked just a
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 335proven consiste
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 337already been co
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 339between the two
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 341decoys and fein
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 343Figure 9-5. Fig
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FIGHTER MISSIONS 345remote escorts.
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 347often have t
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 349The goal of
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 351interceptor'
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 353and closing
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 355the intercep
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 357shoot before
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 359element, as
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 361bogey neutra
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 363bogey. It is
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 365for the inte
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 367since additi
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 369tial, partic
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 371RWR equipmen
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 373Figure 10-15
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 375of fighters
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 377out." This c
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 379One peek is
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 381general, the
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 383lead to 30-m
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TACTICAL INTERCEPTS 385considered t
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388 APPENDIXcould not or simply wou
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390 APPENDIXmust be a limit. Usuall
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392 APPENDIXFigure A-3. Level Insta
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394 APPENDIXwhich is classified as
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396 APPENDIXonly about half its sea
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398 APPENDIXFigure A-8. Origin of I
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400 APPENDIXveloped to lessen the e
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402 APPENDIXFigure A-12, Possible L
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404 APPENDIXFigure A-14. Effect of
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406 APPENDIXFigure A-15. Sample Cli
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408 APPENDIXturn performance (i.e.,
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410 APPENDIXtrolling airspeed, keep
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412 APPENDIXgravity, radial G will
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414 APPENDIXFigure A-20. Variations
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416 APPENDIXFigure A-22. Lift versu
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BibliographyAir Force Flight Test C
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IndexAcceleration performance, 29-3
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INDEX 423Escort. See Strike escortE
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INDEX 425212-14, 224, 233, 237, 240
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INDEX 427Sustained turns, 88-90, 92
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Fighter Combat

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