Air Combat Maneuvering
Flight Procedures
The free fighter’s extension responsibilities were described above during the single-switch scenario
involving tactics against a one-circle fight. A more difficult scenario, shown in Figure 36, arises when the
free fighter must extend for weapons separation and then reengage when his wingman is involved in a
two-circle fight.
The scenario is
especially
Chunk
deceiving since a
Cont. 4
two-circle fight can
be mistaken as a
switch. If the
engaged fighter
Luther
4
Bogey
?
calls engaged in a
Cont.
Cont. 4
two-circle fight, the
free fighter must
gain additional
separation while
keeping the fight
90 degrees to his
WRONG
aircraft. The free
fighter must avoid
Chunk
the tendency to pull
Cont. 4
inside the two-
circle fight, which
would eliminate
Luther
necessary
4 Cont.
Bogey
Not enough separation
separation for a
4
Cont.
for shot
shot. If the bogey
continues in the
two-circle fight, the
result will be
similar to the
Figure 36: TWO-CIRCLE END GAME
counterflow where
the free fighter will
have a 90-degree cold-side shot. Should the bogey decide he cannot continue in the two-circle fight and
switches off late to the free fighter, the free fighter would delay his turn but still meet the bogey head-on,
allowing the previously engaged fighter room to maneuver for a shot.
Here is an example of voice comm that could occur during a multi-switch engagement:
Free fighter: “Luther, break right, bogey right 5.”
Engaged fighter: “Tally, Luther’s engaged.”
Free fighter: “Chunk’s free pulling for shot.” (After seeing bogey switch)—”Switch—Bogey’s
switched, coming to me, right-to-right.” (Bogey acknowledges)—”Chunk will engage
north.”
New free fighter: “Luther’s free extending south—turning in, two in sight.”
Engaged fighter: “Bogey’s high right—switch—bogey’s switched.”
Free fighter: “Roger, left-to-left, Luther will engage west.”
New free fighter: “Chunk’s free, extending east—turning in, two in sight.”
New engaged fighter: “Bogey’s on the right in left-hand turn.”
Free fighter: “Tally visual—Fox 2, on the right in left-hand turn.”
T-45C Revision 1
Page 49
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