BVR Basic Training

Basic 2-ship BVR tactics

Components: Formation, MAR/DOR, communication, mutual support, differences from singleton BVR

Not covered: Advanced aircraft performance, advanced weapon efficiency

Prerequisites: Knowledge of your aircraft's performance, basic radar operation, basic A/A missiles employment

Progression: Advanced 2-ship BVR tactics, weapon employment and combat efficiency

Tactical imperatives

• Keep weapons and a radar pointed in threat direction at all times.
• Stay out of Minimum Abort Range, as long as possible or until you decide to transition to a WVR engagement.

Arriving on station

Fly in chosen formation to station. About 20 NM from station, wingman performs a 360 or a dog-leg to separate roughly 20 NM in a trail. Enter CAP racetrack hold with hot leg in threat direction.

Note: Don't slow down to create the 20 NM separation. It takes a long time and puts you in a tactically vulnerable stance.

Keeping a good racetrack

• Use same airspeed and same bank angle. For example M 0.85 and 30 degree bank angle.
• Communicate reference headings for the hot leg. Example: "Reference heading 020"
• Turn at 12 NM distance to maintain ~20 NM trail separation.

Tip: Use markpoints for the end points of the racetrack, if possible.

Example establishing racetrack with reference heading and markpoints