Tactical Role o the NFO

CHAPTER NINE

BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERING (BFM) THEORY

Preparation for Training

You fight like you train! Thorough preparation for lectures and briefs is essential during BFM.

This FTI should be the first source of training. The BFM lectures will make more sense to the

student who has previously read this FTI. While this is true for every phase in the training

command, the complexity of the maneuvers and dynamics of BFM make solid study particularly

valuable.

Aggressiveness

The desire to be offensive in a fight and aggressively gain superiority over opponents is a quality

that absolutely must be present in any aircrew tasked to destroy other aircraft. Without an

adequate dose of aggressiveness, the chances of success in an air-to-air engagement are nil. You

must, however, learn to temper your aggressiveness with solid headwork.

Knowledge/Progress

Knowledge will be gained through training and study. In VT-86, a building block approach will

be used. A mechanical approach to air-to-air tactics will at first be necessary, but the spatial

picture should form quickly as your experience increases. The successful student will gain the

ability to visualize the constantly changing parameters of air-to-air maneuvers.

During the later half of the BFM syllabus, the student will have the opportunity to practice and

refine the BFM skills presented. Gradually, student responsibility and control of the

engagements will be increased during this phase of training.

904. TACTICAL ROLE OF THE NFO

During BFM training in VT-86, the student will be trained to the point that they will be given

complete tactical control of the air-to-air engagements. While the IPs will always serve as the

aircraft commander and safety observer, the training objective is to have the student direct every

facet of a dogfight utilizing directive communications and crew coordination. In the fleet, the

NFO's role will become more specialized depending upon the weapons system of their aircraft.

Weapons System Operator

The complexity and sophistication of many modern aircraft place demands on the pilot, which

can be too great for them to maintain safety of flight and still effectively employ the weapons

systems. To alleviate this problem, a second person is placed in the aircraft with the specific

mission of providing expertise in the operation and tactical utilization of the aircraft's weapon

system.

Lookout doctrine

For fighters, the extra set of eyes of an NFO provides a quantum advantage when compared to

single seat aircraft. In air-to-air work, many of the initial tallyhos are obtained by the NFO.

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BASIC FIGHTER MANEUVERING (BFM) THEORY