Fighter Combat - Tactics and Maneuvering

384 TACTICAL INTERCEPTS
target on the nose. Unfortunately this technique provides little control
over intercept geometry. When it is started near the bogey's flight path,
pure pursuit usually results in a very high angle-off at the intercept with
little fighter advantage. When it is begun with lots of target aspect, it
generally ends in a tail chase, possibly well out of firing range. A purecollision
intercept is also fairly simple, offers minimum raid penetration,
and probably provides the best chance of completing the intercept. Again,
however, the geometry may not be optimum for a VID or weapons employment.
The choices of intercept tactics should be limited by the capabilities
of the aircrews, weapons systems, and air controllers. If proficiency is not
high enough to ensure completion of a stern conversion, for instance, then
tactics that employ simpler techniques, such as pure-collision geometry,
should be chosen.
Probably the next most important factor to consider in selection of
intercept tactics for use against fighters, or in a hostile environment, is
defensive potential. Formation, separation, and flexibility are the keys to
defensive potential. Many tactics require extended portions of the intercept
to be run in trail formation or with very wide, offensive splits. Such
conditions are not conducive to defensive mutual support. Flexibility
becomes important when something unexpected happens, such as a radical
bogey jink, attack by an undetected enemy, or perhaps the leader's
radar shooting craps late in the intercept. A flexible tactic permits ease of
adjustment to such circumstances by quick maneuvering, immediate defensive
support, lead changes, etc. Flexibility is degraded by great distances
between fighters, and particularly by nose-tail separation. Tactics that
require an early shift into such configurations may be asking for trouble,
particularly in poorly controlled situations.
The third most important factor in selection of intercept tactics is
offensive potential. When the fighters are intercepting bombers or are in a
permissive scenario, this factor may even be more critical than defensive
potential. Offensive potential implies that the fighters will have a tactical
advantage over the enemy at the completion of the intercept. This generally
means arriving in a firing envelope before the enemy does, or at least
being closer to this firing position than the enemy. Relative weapons
capabilities are therefore essential to evaluating the offensive potential of
any intercept. A head-on approach is offensive if the fighters have allaspect
weapons and the enemy does not. A stern conversion is offensive in
most cases. The rules of engagement must also be considered, especially
the requirement for a VID. Optimum offensive capability provides for the
earliest possible VID, which generally implies some displacement from
the bogey's flight path to generate a planform or profile view for enhanced
recognition. Offensive potential is further improved if the VID occurs in
the fighter's weapons envelope. Another desirable offensive feature is
surprise: increased probability of an unseen attack by one or more fighters.
Unfortunately, there is usually a tradeoff between offensive and defensive
potential, since the offense is normally enhanced by large splits, trail
formations, etc. The general rule is to select the most offensive tactic
available within the capabilities of the fighter crews which allows what is