Target Attacks

CHAPTER SIX

SECTION LOW ALTITUDE TACTICS AND PROCEDURES

3. Check your Fuel State and compare with the MCF and Joker fuel states. The disorientation

may have caused more problems than just navigation. If completely lost, remember the "Five

C's" (confess, climb, conserve, communicate, and conform) before your fuel state becomes a

significant factor.

4. Do not complicate matters. Immediately upon realization that a problem exists, decide

upon a temporary plan. Avoid wandering aimlessly in space while planning what to do next. In

most cases, continue flying preplanned headings and times while climbing to a higher altitude to

increase visibility. In unusual circumstances, enter holding (orbit) or fly toward a known

landmark. If practical, climb to conserve fuel or, if holding, slow to maximum endurance

airspeed.

5. Reorient. The crew must find landmarks and identify them on the chart. Care must be

taken to avoid following a hunch or making a decision based on uncertain information. The

crew must comply with FAA speed restrictions if they suspect that they have exceeded the

applicable route widths described in AP/1B. A water tower with the town's name painted on the

side has reoriented more than one naval aviator in the past.

6. Correct on course. Once oriented, correct on course using the techniques discussed

previously. These procedures will not be possible unless the crew's chart includes sufficient area

coverage to account for disorientation.

TARGET ATTACKS

During the Weapons syllabus flights, a minimum of one target attack will be executed on each

low-level. During the flights, "pop" attacks will be introduced and practiced. "Pop" attacks

enable an attacker to ingress a target at low altitude and "pop" to a higher altitude for a dive run.

"Pop" attacks enable a section of T-2Cs to fly a planned low-level, utilize "Z" diagrams, and

conduct 10 degree dive runs while maintaining the limits of the low-level route structure. Target

attacks prior to the IP will be conducted from an ingress airspeed of 300 KIAS, while attacks on

the target leg (past the IP), will be conducted from a 360 KIAS ingress airspeed.

The crew will have a choice of three types of pop attacks:

Mirror pop attack (different targets).

Crossing pop attack (same target).

Offset pop attack (same target).

In each of the above attacks, while the pilot's target area maneuvering differs, the same "Z"

diagram (Figure 6-12) will be utilized. As a result, the student's attack comms are identical

in each type of attack.

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SECTION LOW ALTITUDE TACTICS AND PROCEDURES