Figure 9-10 Pursuit Curves

CHAPTER NINE

BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERING (BFM) THEORY

Closure rate (Vc) is the hardest of these basic principals to grasp. The fighter crew must

visualize how fast range to the bogey is changing. Closure must be controlled in order to either

achieve or maintain a positional advantage. If excessive closure on a bogey cannot be

controlled, an overshoot is likely. An overshoot may result in complete loss of the offensive

advantage.

Pursuit Curves

The concept of pursuit geometry between attacker and defender in the BFM environment is basic

to every tactical maneuver. Pursuit curves are technically defined by the orientation of the

attacking aircraft's velocity vector. Since the fighter crew does not always have an indication of

the precise direction of their velocity vector, nose position may be substituted as a reference. In

maneuvering situations, these two references (velocity vector and nose position) will be treated

as the same for our purposes.

Depending on where your nose is pointed, you will fly a distinctive pursuit curve in relation to

your opponent (Figure 9-10). There are three basic types of pursuit curves:

Lead Pursuit

Pure Pursuit

Lag Pursuit

Figure 9-10 Pursuit Curves

Each type of pursuit curve will be defined in terms of their effect on range, angle-off-the-tail

(AOT) of your opponent, and closure rate (Vc). As discussed earlier in this chapter, these are the

key factors to being able to get to and maintain a guns firing solution.

9-16

BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERING (BFM) THEORY