Advanced Intercept Techniques

INTERCEPT PROCEDURES TEXTBOOK

4. Determine and communicate merge gameplan (crew coordination)

5. Make a safe radar pass. Left aspect, left of fighter's nose and vice-versa. 10-20 degrees

angle off at 1 nm is sufficient

6. Complete the merge (with at least a 1000' safety of flight bubble, both horizontally and

vertically)

7. Once the fighter crosses the bogey's extended wingline according to the merge gameplan

as determined above, maneuver the fighter offensively, defensively or initiate a "bug out"

(discussed later).

PART II

Advanced Intercept Techniques

Review the Learning Objectives at the beginning of this chapter, as the techniques discussed

below will be with respect to the three stages of the advanced intercept. It must be emphasized

that attaining the parameters for a missile shot is secondary to controlling the intercept

throughout all stages.

Stage I: (Fox-3)

At long range, the fighter's goal is to control the intercept by determining target aspect.

Without the use of the Data Block in the selected radar mode, the most accurate target aspect

estimation is obtained by applying unknown drift analysis as in IP-18. If range permits,

converting less than 25 TA may be possible to attain Fox-3 parameters. Rate of closure and, in

DLS, the heading (simulator) or TA (T-39) vector may also be helpful in confirming aspect

analysis. Remember, an estimation of target aspect must be verbalized before turning for lead.

The gameplan for this and all stages of the intercept will be the student's to create but some

considerations are listed below:

1. There is no requirement to execute textbook "unknown" procedures and the student may

modify them as headwork dictates. The student's procedures should be briefed thoroughly

before each event.

2. With the bogey on the nose in DLS, the heading or TA vector's representation of target

aspect may offer different start points for modified (unknown) drift analysis (eg. 0, 20, or

40 Angle Off).

3. If the bogey is on collision (no drift), ROC can be an indicator of bogey's airspeed; co-

speed, fast, or slow. This is useful only when the bogey is at or near collision. If the

contact is off collision, i.e. after displacement, ROC indications can be masked with

combinations of heading and speed jinks. Without a data block, bogey airspeed cannot

be known with any certainty until through the 90 DTG approaching the rear quarter.

4. In the simulator, the bogey's heading vector (in DLS), at any angle off, can be mentally

transposed to the center of the RMI for a rough estimate of bogey heading. In the T-39,

the bogey's TA vector (in DLS) indicates a rough estimate of target aspect at any AO.

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