BVR Engagement
On your final 1V1 neutral flight, you will be introduced to a Beyond Visual Range set. This will expose you for the first time to what is the most probable scenario for engaging a real-world bandit. There are countless reasons why you might be forced to a merge, requiring the fighter to employ BFM for a kill. Follow-on prosecution of bandits who have survived BVR weapons, late situational awareness of a threat aircraft, or the very likely requirement to positively identify a bandit by visual means (VID) prior to killing him are all situations which might lead a fighter to the merge. The degree of offensiveness or defensiveness in a BFM engagement, which results from a BVR set, is very often determined by who achieves the first “tally.” With eyeballs on, a fighter can maneuver his aircraft as necessary to achieve either an immediate kill or a highly offensive position on the bandit.
The ability to gain sight is heavily influenced by environmentals (sun angle, haze, cloud decks, etc.), bandit aircraft size and/or aspect, the volume of the threat sector and aircrew fatigue. Getting that early “tally” also becomes easier the more you are exposed to this type of set. Consider all of these as you begin fine-tuning your lookout technique.
If you are able to achieve sight first, you need to take advantage of it. If an immediate shot opportunity presents itself, take it. If not, move your jet as necessary to either capitalize on the turning room that exists or create the separation you need. If the bandit is blind, it should be a quick fight. If he gets sight, evaluate your degree of offensiveness and maneuver accordingly.
If you find yourself unable to achieve a tally at the merge, keep your airspeed up and start looking aft. You can’t have too many knots in this situation. If you pick up the bandit converting on you, evaluate his range and either counter him defensively or keep on truckin’.
To initiate the engagement, your bandit will direct you to call a CAP (combat air patrol) station and altitude block. The CAP stations will be separated by DME along a TACAN radial. Block altitudes will be defined as those altitudes ending in 0 through 5 and those ending in 6 through 10. Between 5 and 6, there will be a safe zone.
Once both the fighter and the bandit are established on station and within their blocks, the fight is on and the two jets will turn toward each other along the designated radial. The bandit should call off his DME in 2-mile increments and you will echo his call with your own DME. Once a “tally” is obtained, you are cleared out of your block and may proceed to humiliate the bandit accordingly.
And was very much contented with it .
