How to Live and Die in the Virtual Sky by Dan "Crash" Crenshaw, www.deltahawks.org
	Chapter Six: Beyond Visual Range Fight Targeting Now you must target your bandits. Generally, a targeting plan is briefed before take off. You could call your targets in the air, or more realistically, take your target orders from your wing leader. Most flight sim pilots will probably call targets on the fly. F-18s over mountains © Neville Dawson "Hawk12, Hawk11, take the bandit high and to your right. I have the bandit low and to the left." "Hawk11, Hawk12, copy, engaging bandit high and to the right." The next chapter on Wingman Tactics will go in to more detail on targeting, tactics and maneuvers. Intercept This is where you will close in and engage the bandits. At this time, you would drive to the weapons envelope, lock and launch your missile. If you are fortunate, and did everything right, you will get a BVR kill. Remember that, while you are setting up to shoot, when you detected the bandit, he probably detected you. He is more than likely doing the same thing to you; you are doing to him. So as you approach the bandit, keep him out of weapons parameters. Engagement   So your BVR shot missed. Now you are entering the world of BFM. This is where you get to try all the fancy stuff we already discussed. As you merge together you need to start using all the other lessons we have gone through so far. Start from the beginning and work your way through the lessons. Separate   No matter how sure you are of your eminent success, always be prepared to separate and leave a fight. Watch you Escape Window and know where it is. You also need to know where you plan to go after the fight. Enemy pilots calling for help and brilliant balls of fire, followed by trailing smoke from a rapidly descending chunk of aircraft tends to attract just a wee bit of attention. Know what heading you plan to egress on and be prepared to do it. The Encounter   I am going to take a tried and true approach from most every reference I used and give an example here of what an encounter may sound like. Since all aircraft are in formation together, I will use BRA calls instead of BULLSEYE calls. This will also make it easier for you to follow along. It is critical to let the other pilots know, what you see, where it is, and what they are doing. It is also imperative you tell them who you are talking to and who you are. Flight of 4: DELTA Lead is Delta 11 (one one) His wingman is Delta 12 (one two) Element 2 Lead is Delta 13 (one three) Element 2 wingman is Delta 14 (one four) BULLDOG is AWACS Situation:   Delta Flight is performing a SWEEP. They are currently heading at 030 in a finger four formation when they pick up contacts. Figure 6-5 Delta 11: "Delta, Delta 11, . . . two hits, close-abreast at 045 . . . for 40 . . . angles 20 . . . hot. Confirm?" Delta 12: "Delta 11, Delta 12, negative." Delta 13: "Delta 11, Delta 13, confirm hits." Delta 14: "Delta 11, Delta 14, confirm hits." Delta 11: "Delta, Delta 11, negative prints, confirm?" Delta 12: "Delta 11, Delta 12, no joy on bogeys." Delta 13: "Delta 11, Delta 13, confirm, Negative print." Delta 14: "Delta 11, Delta 14 confirm, Negative print on bogeys."   The flight has 3 readings that all agree at this point. The odds are very high these are not friendly aircraft. Delta 12 has been unable to pick up the bogies, but is aware of where they are and knows where to look. The communication in the flight has everyone up to speed on all the data available at this time, whether they can see the bandits or not. They know where the bandits are, that there are 2, and that they are not responding as friendly on NCTR or IFF. Click to continue . . .		Delta 11: "BULLDOG, Delta 11, declare bogies, two hits, line abreast, from our location, BRAA 045, for 40, medium, hot. negative prints, request permission to engage." BULLDOG: "Delta 11, BULLDOG, bogies declared as bandits, commit." Delta 11: "BULLDOG, Delta 11, copy, permission to engage bandits at BRA 045, 40 miles, nose on, line abreast, Angels 20, granted." Delta 11: "Delta meld" Frequently, VID (Visual Identification) is required. For our little scenario, AWACS has decided that these guys are not good guys and allowed Delta Flight to engage BVR. Maybe the bandits are bit to close to the AWACS for them to feel warm and fuzzy. Figure 6-6 Delta 11: "Bracket On mark." "Mark." Delta 13: "Sorting western bandit." Delta 14: "Sanitizing." Delta 13: "Good track on eastern bandit, naked." Delta 13: "FOX 3" Delta 14: "Re-setting" Delta 13: "Re-setting." Delta 11: "Delta 13, Delta 11, good kill on eastern bandit, continue reset." Delta 13: "Roger Delta 11, resetting."   At this point, the first element is pitching into the fight and coming in behind Delta 13 and 14. Delta 11 and 12 are now in position to engage any bandits that avoid the first volley and Delta 13 and 14 are getting out of harms way if the bandits fire back. Delta 13 has killed the eastern most bandit and is now rejoining his leads formation. Figure 6-7 Delta 11: "Western bandit at 010, for 40, medium, hot." Delta 12: "Roger." Delta 12: "Spike . . . notching west."   The bandit is locking up Delta 12 on RADAR. Delta 12 is turning to the west to "beam" the bandit. "Beaming" is putting the bandit on your 3/9 line which causes problems for many types of RADAR and may cause the lock to break. Figure 6-8 Delta 11: "Copy notch Delta 12." Delta 11: "Fox 3." Delta 11: "Good kill on eastern bandit." Delta 12: "Roger lead, good kill, scope clean . . . naked." Delta 11: "Delta flight, say status and resume formation."   All the bandits have been eliminated. Lead is requesting status of all aircraft and ordering them to reform . Eagles over Gulf © Neville Dawson Back to MENU
This material is copyrighted and may not be reprinted in any form without permission of the publisher. Last Updated December 8th, 1998 This article was originally published at the Combat Simulations site
Comm brevity during fighter combat: See the 349 - Cool pilot talk web page for an unclassified list of the English language tactical comm brevity and abbreviations. Tailhook Association's comm brevity list can be found at Aviator's Slang.

 

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