Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

DIVISION TACTICS 281
Figure 7-11. Gaggle Engagement (Continued)
rolls right to check his south side and, finding himself clear, reverses back
left to bracket the attacking bogey.
The bogey pilot, who has not seen the second fighter, continues to press
his attack to time "10" in Figure 7-13, when the unseen fighter reaches a
near "dead-six" position and squeezes off a missile. As the weapon leaves
the rail, the shooter rolls right to check his belly-side (to the east in this
case), then rolls back to assess the results of his shot.
At time "11" in Figure 7-14, the bogey explodes. At about the same
time, the much-relieved defensive pilot announces he is low on fuel and is
"bugging out." That sounds good to the other pilot at this point also, so he
comes hard right to join in combat spread, and the section departs together
to the southeast (time "12").
In summary, gaggle doctrine is loose deuce tactics applied to more than
two fighters, with each pilot operating autonomously once the engagement
begins. Each pilot attempts to define a bogey cloud that encompasses
Figure 7-12. Gaggle Engagement (Continued)