Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

326 FIGHTER MISSIONS
cruise missiles). It is usually preferable in such cases to engage the attacking
aircraft before it reaches launch range, rather than to attempt to find
and destroy multiple weapons inbound to the target.
Aside from the time factor, the CAP is best suited to situations when
the direction of approach or the route of the attackers is known with some
degree of certainty. The volume of airspace which must be covered by one
CAP increases exponentially with the distance it is stationed from the
target. Since it is unlikely that there will be enough defending fighters to
guard all the approaches to a target at a reasonable range, CAPs must be
positioned strategically to make the most efficient use of available assets.
Likely stations are located directly between enemy bases and anticipated
targets,- near natural "choke points," such as mountain passes or restricted
passages between heavily defended surface points; along likely ingress and
egress routes for low-level penetrators, such as in valleys and along mountain
ridgelines, coastlines, and rivers; and over natural low-level navigation
landmarks, such as coastal inlets and points, lakes, river bends,
crossroads, towns, or the end of a ridgeline.
The practical distance from target to CAP station depends largely on the
number of defending fighters and the area that must be covered. As the
possible threat sector expands, and as the enemy's speed and stand-off
weapons range increase, greater numbers of fighters are required to defend
a target adequately. Near-, medium-, and long-range CAPs are usually
optimum if the numbers of defending fighters are adequate, as this gives
depth to the defenses. Surface defenses or GAI often can be substituted for
near- and medium-range CAP. Defense is generally more effective when
the CAP stations are compressed enough to allow each CAP to cover its
entire assigned area reasonably; this is preferable to overextending the
defenses just to reach greater distance. The luxury of compressing CAP
stations may not be available, however, depending on fighter assets, the
extent of the threat sector, and the possibility of stand-off weapons. The
effectiveness of the C 3 system and the fighter's own sensors and weapons,
as well as environmental conditions, affect the size of the area that can be
defended practically by any one CAP.
I was of the opinion that with the existing shortage of fighter aircraft only a
central defense rather than an outer defense ring could promise any success.
Squadrons and wings of fighter planes in the inner circle was my idea, rather
than a few flights in the outer circle.
Lt. General Adolph Galland, Luftwaffe
The practical range of a far CAP is also affected by the aircraft's useful
time on station. As distance from base to CAP station increases, station
time decreases because of fuel considerations. Airborne refueling capability
can be critical to the ability to maintain a CAP at useful distances.
Much valuable time is lost when the CAP must return to base for refueling.
A refueling requirement also greatly increases the number of fighters
necessary to maintain a constant defensive posture.
CAP requirements can be supplemented by the coordinated use of
surface defenses. The necessity for near-CAP stations may be eliminated