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

20-30 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

• Coordinate airspeed and bank angle. For example M 0.85 and 30° 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. This helps with situational awareness.

Example establishing racetrack with reference heading and markpoints

Engaging

TODO

Contingency plans

It is natural to progressively lose situational awareness during a prolonged engagement. Always try to regain SA but don't freeze. If SA becomes permanently poor, it is very beneficial to have a contingency plan in the back of your mind. Usually this consists of a heading to fly when SA is lost. If you know that friendlies are southwest of your engagement, flying southwest when you lose SA is very likely to save you.