What is the importance of Scramble time to an Air force?

[Zarvan]

Scramble time is basically how fast an Air force can get its fighter planes in the air in case of an emergency, like an attack from enemy aircraft or in similar other mission critical scenarios. To “scramble” combat aircraft means to get them started, the crews aboard, and in the air as fast as possible. Scrambling an aircraft means to get them into the air as quickly as possible and into formation in order to defend, interdict, intercept the enemy aircraft.

In earlier times scrambling an aircraft perhaps meant to get them off the ground as quickly as possible to keep them from being destroyed regardless of formation. Presently the procedure of a Scramble includes , Pilots being ready with their G-suits on and always in a ready mode. Then the phone rings , siren goes off and pilots pick up their helmets , dash to their aircraft , jump in the cockpit , quickly strap out , taxi out , line up and take off with full after burners to intercept the enemy aircraft’s . The average Scramble time in case of any emergency should take around 4 to 5 minutes.

We also have something called as cockpit standby time which has an average of 3 minutes. When a radar picks an aircraft that is lurking close to International border but not a threat yet , the pilots are ordered to sit in the cockpits with radios on and wait for the instructions. If the aircraft becomes a threat, then a scramble is ordered and can be carried out within 3 minutes as pilots were already sitting in cockpit.

During warfare a cockpit standby time also lasted for hours and in intense weather conditions it becomes extremely difficult for the pilots to sit in that cramped space of cockpit with helmet and G-suit on for hours. But at the same time during cockpit standbys, there is a certain level of excitement and anticipation in the minds of pilots and they would be waiting for some real action for which they have been training for years.

In critical locations and situations, the military commanders keep airplanes ready with ground crews on standby and flight crews ready to get in the air as quickly as possible in the event of an emerging threat. Thus we conclude by saying that Scramble time it of utmost importance to any Air force in-order to make them more effective against enemy aircraft.

http://www.defenceaviation.com/2011/01/what-is-the-importance-of-scramble-time-to-an-airforce.html

 

[war&peace]

I think PAF maintains a pretty short scramble time on average.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Every AF maintains a less scramble time. I for one hand know IAF pilots during nights sleep or rest with their Gsuits on. During sudden exercises, you are supposed to on the ac in 45 seconds. Those who miss that are given grave dressing down. Sometimes even fired.

 

[f444ran]

Would the scramble time between land based aircraft and carrier based aircraft be similar?

 

[Penguin]

Quick Reaction Alert (QRA)
Specifically QRA (I) = Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor).

Default NATO QRA alert time is 15 minutes (in DEFCON 5), although the local CRC can lower that to ten (DEFCON 4), five (DEFCON 3) or even two minutes (DEFCON 2), depending on current state of affairs. At 5 minutes (DEFCON 3), the engines would be running idle 24/7, at 2 minutes (DEFCON 2) there are pilots in the cockpit 24/7. The various states are defined as RSxx, e.g. RS15 (Readiness State 15) for 15 minutes alert scramble time.

The French AF has 3 QRA levels : 2, 7, 15min. This is the time between the alert and wheels off. Air space protection is effective from 4 bases. On each are 2 planes dedicated to QRA. One plane is on QRA 7m, the other on QRA 15m. Every few hours the 2 pilots on alert switch their reponse time, since the one in QRA 7m already wears his G-pants. Each team (2 pilots/6mechs) stays on alert for 1 week.

I also found 15min standard for Israeli airforces.

In general I would think Navy scramble times are quicker. Not in the last place because alert aircraft would be on deck, next to a catapult.From the 1960s to present day, on deployed aircraft carriers underway, in between routine flight operations in regions where flyovers by potentially hostile aircraft were possible, two to four Navy and/or embarked Marine Corps fighter aircraft are placed on or in the vicinity of catapults, armed, manned and ready to launch within 5 minutes of notification. This "Ready Five" alert (see e.g. the movie Top Gun) was augmented by a Ready 15 alert of pre-flighted, armed, but unmanned aircraft near the catapults with the pilot or crew standing by in the squadron's ready room, ostensibly able to launch within 15 minutes. Alert flight crews for airborne early warning, fixed-wing and rotary-wing antisubmarine warfare, and search and rescue helicopters were similarly established as required, typically in a Ready 15 or Ready 30 mode. This model was employed during the Cold War and continues to be employed to this day, especially when aircraft carriers and their strike groups are operating in areas of increased international tension.

 

[f444ran]

Quick Reaction Alert (QRA)
Specifically QRA (I) = Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor).

Default NATO QRA alert time is 15 minutes (in DEFCON 5), although the local CRC can lower that to ten (DEFCON 4), five (DEFCON 3) or even two minutes (DEFCON 2), depending on current state of affairs. At 5 minutes (DEFCON 3), the engines would be running idle 24/7, at 2 minutes (DEFCON 2) there are pilots in the cockpit 24/7. The various states are defined as RSxx, e.g. RS15 (Readiness State 15) for 15 minutes alert scramble time.

The French AF has 3 QRA levels : 2, 7, 15min. This is the time between the alert and wheels off. Air space protection is effective from 4 bases. On each are 2 planes dedicated to QRA. One plane is on QRA 7m, the other on QRA 15m. Every few hours the 2 pilots on alert switch their reponse time, since the one in QRA 7m already wears his G-pants. Each team (2 pilots/6mechs) stays on alert for 1 week.

I also found 15min standard for Israeli airforces.

In general I would think Navy scramble times are quicker. Not in the last place because alert aircraft would be on deck, next to a catapult.From the 1960s to present day, on deployed aircraft carriers underway, in between routine flight operations in regions where flyovers by potentially hostile aircraft were possible, two to four Navy and/or embarked Marine Corps fighter aircraft are placed on or in the vicinity of catapults, armed, manned and ready to launch within 5 minutes of notification. This "Ready Five" alert (see e.g. the movie Top Gun) was augmented by a Ready 15 alert of pre-flighted, armed, but unmanned aircraft near the catapults with the pilot or crew standing by in the squadron's ready room, ostensibly able to launch within 15 minutes. Alert flight crews for airborne early warning, fixed-wing and rotary-wing antisubmarine warfare, and search and rescue helicopters were similarly established as required, typically in a Ready 15 or Ready 30 mode. This model was employed during the Cold War and continues to be employed to this day, especially when aircraft carriers and their strike groups are operating in areas of increased international tension.

Nice explanation. Also for land based , when we are talking about air alerts, would it only consider forward areas or entire region itself. An example would be northern and western part of India is high alert. Does it also mean Airbases in other regions(south) would be at same alert level?Or depending on the situation , it can vary?

 

[gambit]

When I was active duty and stationed at RAF Upper Heyford (F-111E), we had what was called 'Victor Alert' jets.

http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2011/March 2011/0311victor.aspx

Over the years, thousands of pilots and a handful of very prominent aircraft from the F-84 to the F-15E would learn the rigors of a mission that became known as Victor Alert.

The main reason for arming short-range fighters with nuclear weapons was to provide more firepower for NATO.

The F-111 wings in England in the 1970s were tasked with quickly launching up to 60 aircraft under certain war plans. F-111s could carry multiple B61 warheads.

Just a side note, the Soviets were practically terrified of the UK based F-111s that they brought up their removal at every arms reduction talks. NATO basically told them to STFU and move on to the next issue.

Anyway...Crews assigned to VA duty stays with their jets. They had to be in duty uniform at all time. Their flight gear had to be prepped for immediate donning. Their navigation cartridges programmed. I can go the BX to shop, base gym, or the main chow hall. But if there is a call to flight over the base public alert (PA) system, all VA jets had to be airborne in 30 min or less. If tension between the two sides ratcheted up, all VA crews could literally be sleeping under their jets.

Thirty minutes alert is when you are in duty uniform but not in your flight gear. You have 30 min from wherever you are at to get to your jet.

Fifteen minutes alert is when you are in flight gear and in the cockpit vicinity. Not actually in the cockpit, just around there. The g-suit and harnesses do not have to be tightened, just have to be readied. You have 15 min to get into cockpit, run up the engines, and get to end-of-runway (EOR).

Five minutes alert is when your engines are running, your nav spooled up and waypoints readied, and you are at EOR waiting for final order to launch. You may have to wait at EOR for an hr, but if the order to launch is given, you have to be at mission altitude in five minutes.

Five minutes alert is when you can no longer afford to think of your will to your family about your personal affairs, or your son's first birthday, or your impending divorce, or if you made the cut off for promotion (hoo-rah), or if ABC-XYZ Airlines accepted your application.

Five minutes alert is when there is no philosophical debate, internal to yourself or with your partner, about what you might have to do in the next few hrs. Both of you follows procedures that you trained for over yrs. Whichever side of the cockpit you sit, the switches for that side are well familiar to you to the point of going by feel so that if you hear the order to launch, you move without conscious thoughts.

For the 3 yrs in Heyford, I have never gone past 30 min. I have heard of past stories of how ground personnel, men and women, cried at watching their aircrew and jets taxied out at five minute alert status, and they cried again when they heard the 'stand down' order over the radio. You barely know these people. You may not even like some of them. But all of you are members of a tribe and you wear the same markings (patches) of that tribe. You may be strangers, but you mean something to each other nevertheless.

 

[Penguin]

Nice explanation. Also for land based , when we are talking about air alerts, would it only consider forward areas or entire region itself. An example would be northern and western part of India is high alert. Does it also mean Airbases in other regions(south) would be at same alert level?Or depending on the situation , it can vary?

This can involve multiple bases in multiple regions
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/NORAD

 

[sparten]

PAF has aircraft at various alert levels at different bases. The above posters have covered it well, but you might have 2 aircraft on 5 minute alert (basically ready to go if ordered) and other at 15-30 minute alerts. The above is for air defense.

For strike missions, especially nuclear strike missions you have the added complication of nuclear weapons release procedures. You have similar alert levels upto ground alert, with weapons loaded, pilot in cockpit and engine idling. You also have another further alert level whereby aircraft are in the air orbiting on a path which will take them to their targets, basically waiting an order to go.

It is known (IIRC admitted) that in 1990 and 2002, PAF aircarft were ready on maximum ground alert. Rumour has (and persistent ones) that at one point in 2002, the PAF had planes in the air flying minutes from their targets. AT that time BTW, the weapons are released to the pilots, i.e unlock codes have already been issued/entered. At this point they only thing awaited is an order to go.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

The Swedish Air Force requires the fighter to be in the air less than one minute after the decision to go,
when on highest alert, and that is a requirement that influences SAAB fighters since J-35 Draken.

A Draken pilot that was criticized for beeing slow, sat in the plane inside the hangar
during his next guard duty, and when the start order was received, he lit the afterburner
inside the hangar burning a hole in the back, and took off on the taxi strip.

He was within the limits this time.

 

[Penguin]

And if you thought the Russians invented the Cobra manoeuvre, see 1:54

Sat in this one (Saab AJSH37 Viggen, ex Swedish AF, 37901, c/n 37-901). Correction, attempted to sit in it (very tight for my 6'2" frame ;-)

Kick *** short landing and take off capability.

 

[Penguin]

Note folded tail

 

[SQ8]

The Swedish Air Force requires the fighter to be in the air less than one minute after the decision to go,
when on highest alert, and that is a requirement that influences SAAB fighters since J-35 Draken.

A Draken pilot that was criticized for beeing slow, sat in the plane inside the hangar
during his next guard duty, and when the start order was received, he lit the afterburner
inside the hangar burning a hole in the back, and took off on the taxi strip.

He was within the limits this time.

A lot has to do with the fact that every aircraft since the Draken from SAAB has the ability to be up with a combat load under 800m(rumoured that the Viggen has done much much less using a barrier on the wheels and full AB)

 

[wiseone2]

The Swedish Air Force requires the fighter to be in the air less than one minute after the decision to go,
when on highest alert, and that is a requirement that influences SAAB fighters since J-35 Draken.

A Draken pilot that was criticized for beeing slow, sat in the plane inside the hangar
during his next guard duty, and when the start order was received, he lit the afterburner
inside the hangar burning a hole in the back, and took off on the taxi strip.

He was within the limits this time.

what is the real requirement to be that quick ??

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

what is the real requirement to be that quick ??

A fighter flying 2000 kph flies 33 km per minute, and an incursion from international waters
at that speed can reach Stockholm in less than 2 minutes.
We want to be able to respond.
The most successful feat of the Air Force was hunting SR-71s.
When turning west after passing by the baltic countries, it had difficulties turning fast enough
to avoid a minor incursion in Swedish air space.

The SR-71 was detected when passing south of Sweden, and then due to geography
it was known exactly where it would be 15 minutes later (within seconds),
so a JA-37 Viggen started climbing to altitude with a single missile.
A good firing position was established, when the SR-71 flew between the islands of Gotland and Öland,
where international waters are only 3 km wide.
When shown to US diplomats, they made the US Air Force slow down the SR-71 so they could
make the turn without a violation.

Kick *** short landing and take off capability.

Nice video! If you look closely, You see the trick:
The jet outlet has "doors" which are closed at the landing forcing the jet exhausts forward,reversing the trust.
Unfortunately the video fails to show the full refuel/rearnament which occurs between two frames around 0:44.

The J-35 Draken top speed was not known, since it ran out of fuel before that could be reached, LOL.