IP-2: Air Intercept Control

INTERCEPT PROCEDURES TEXTBOOK

IP-2: AIR INTERCEPT CONTROL

For the fighter to fully understand and appreciate the often difficult tasks of air intercept

control, an awareness of the conditions under which the controller operates, the procedures in

use, and the complexity of command and control are useful. This unit will introduce the student

to the Fighter/Controller relationship, with the express purpose of stressing the importance of

teamwork.

Basic Radar

Basic search radars have a search range of approximately 250 miles. They are capable of

identifying IFF return out to 200 miles. They are also capable of seeing through all forms of

weather, enabling the air controller to close-control the fighter into lock-on range without any

appreciable difficulty.

E-2 Hawkeye and E-3 AWACS

The E-2 Hawkeye is the carrier-based Airborne Early Warning (AEW) platform with a 24-

foot diameter saucer-shaped radome housing the APS-138 or APS-145 radar. The E-2 can detect

targets more than 230 miles away, track over 250 targets, and provide control for more than 30

separate airborne intercepts. Passive detection devices can alert the E-2 crew to electronic

emissions more than 500 miles away. The Hawkeye crew is also responsible for "big picture"

coordination of surface and air warfare assets.

The E-3 AWACS is the Air Force's specially modified Boeing 707 that houses a

sophisticated airborne command and control center. The operating altitude of the E-3, combined

with the capability of the radar, allows it to detect targets from 200 to 300 nautical miles,

depending on target size. Like the E-2, the E-3 AWACS is resistant to electronic jamming by

enemy forces. The E-3, like all long-range radar platforms, is limited in its ability to provide

close control to the fighters at the merge.

Planned Position Indicator (PPI) Scope

The planned position indicator scope is the type of radar display that air intercept controllers

use to detect aircraft and control fighter aircraft. It gives the controller what is best described as

a "God's eye view" of the area. It has many features incorporated to assist the air controller,

namely an off center function, a roving cursor, and a variable range control.

The equipment used by the VT-86 GCI controllers, callsign "Gritrock," is relatively old and

very labor-intensive. The Gritrock controllers here at VT-86 will typically be fleet-experienced

Navy Operations Specialists (OS). They are able to "paint" raw returns, but will usually rely on

IFF.