Pete Bonanni - The Art of the Kill

► Identify the offensive BFM entry window

► Describe the procedures for getting to the elbow (also called the “control position")

► Describe the procedures for taking a gun shot

1. What is the effect of airspeed on turn radius at a constant G?

a. The faster the airspeed, the smaller the turn radius.

b. The faster the airspeed, the larger the turn radius.

c. You can’t tell because it depends on the aircraft type.

2. What is the effect of being either below or above corner velocity on turn rate?

a. Turn rate will go down.

b. Turn rate will go down until you get to corner velocity, and then it will stay the same.

c. Again, it just depends on what kind of jet you are flying.

3. You have entered a turning fight with a MiG-29 and are pulling 9 Gs in a level turn. You suddenly notice that your nose is not moving at the rate that it should be for this G load. What should you do?

a. Speed up, you are too slow.

b. Slow down, you are too fast.

c. You are probably experiencing a failure in the pitch axis of the flight control computer. Eject and sort out the problem on the ground.

4. You have just jumped a bandit, and the range in your HUD shows 1 nm. You fire an AIM-9M, but it is a shark killer and dives for the water below. The bandit, a MiG-29, gets a tally on you and takes this attack personally. In response, he pulls max Gs to jam your next missile shot. What should you do in this situation?

a. Start an immediate climb to get turning room.

b. Drive all the way into the bandit in pure pursuit to intimidate him.

c. Drive to the position in the sky where the bandit started his turn. This will put you in the entry window.

5. In the situation in question 4, what is the best way to get turning room against this high G bandit?

a. In the vertical. You can never go wrong climbing above a hard turning bandit.

b. Drive to where the fight started, and you will gain horizontal turning room inside the bandit’s turn. In a 1 nm setup, the bandit will not usually be able to take away or use your horizontal turning room inside his turn.

c. Turning room is not important in this situation because you are at 1 mile. Almost anything you do will work.

6. Which statement about vertical turns is correct?

a. When you pull your nose towards the ground, turn rate and radius increase.

b. When you pull your nose towards the ground, turn rate increases and radius decreases.

c. Gravity’s effect on the turn rate and radius of high G aircraft is negligible.

7. You roll out of a tactical intercept at 2 nm behind a MiG-29. He sees you immediately and dispenses flares, while breaking into you at 8 Gs at corner velocity. Which of the following statements is true?

a. Since an immediate climb will always work, start a pull up in the vertical.

b. A high speed wiffer-shnauntz can be used to decrease aspect and angle-off in this situation.

c. You are outside the bandit’s turn circle. Prepare to fly a head-on BFM fight. Any big moves for turning room may cost you.

8. You are feeling kind of stupid, so you point your nose toward a multi-bogey fight and notice that a MiG-29 has spit out of the fight. As you approach the spitter, he sees you and starts dropping flares while turning into you. You are at 2 nm and notice that he is not generating very many angles on you. What should you do?

a. Do the same thing that you did in the question 7. A MiG-29 at 2 nm is a MiG-29 at 2 nm, so the same thing should work.

b. Fight what you see. The MiG probably got slow in the “food fight.” You are inside his turn circle. Drive for the entry window.

c. It’s a trap. Separate from the fight before it is too late.

9. How do you know when you have entered the offensive BFM entry window?

a. The range decreases to 4,500 feet.

b. When the bandit is 30° off your nose, you are inside the entry window and can start your turn.

c. The entry window light in the cockpit flashes.

10. At what range from the bandit should you normally go from lag to lead pursuit in offensive BFM?

a. 3,000 feet.

b. 4,500 feet.

c. Exact procedures do not apply to modern air combat. Every situation is different, so do what feels right.

Defensive BFM is simple in concept. From an academic perspective, it is far simpler than offensive BFM. When a bandit shows up at your 6 o’clock, you simply create BFM problems. In Chapter 2, we discussed solving the BFM problems of aspect angle, angle-off and range. In this lesson, we will talk about creating these exact same BFM problems for an attacking bandit. We will also discuss what to do after we put some defensive BFM on the bandit and he makes offensive BFM mistakes. The theory of defensive BFM is straightforward, but in the cockpit of modern fighters, the execution is difficult. Defensive BFM requires physical strength and endurance to pull high G loads while keeping track of a bandit at 6 o’clock. This lesson will build your academic foundation in defensive BFM.

Once you’ve read Chapter 3, you should be able to do the following:

► Describe the three ways used to detect an attacking bandit

► Understand the use of aspect in defending against a missile attack

► Understand how to create BFM problems for an attacking bandit

► Describe the procedures for executing a defensive turn

► Describe the visual cues that tell you when your defensive turn is working

► Describe the procedures for defending against a gun shot

1. Your wingman calls for you to break left, and as you rack the jet around in a 7 G turn in response to his call, you see the smoke trail of the missile pulling lead on you. What should you do?

a. Turn to put the missile on the beam (on your 3/9 line) immediately, while dropping chaff and flares.

b. Split-S to face the missile head-on from low altitude, dropping chaff and flares.

c. Just keep your high-G turn coming all the way into the missile, while dropping chaff and flares.

2. You are attempting to separate from a mature engagement above the Mach, but you don’t quite make it. A MiG-29 fires a missile your way, and you decide not to bet your life that he is out of range. How should you turn to defeat this missile?

a. Keep your Mach up as you turn. You can never have too much airspeed.

b. You must slow down quickly to corner velocity so you can turn at your best turn rate.

c. Slow down to the minimum airspeed possible while turning. This will give you the tightest turn radius, which may cause the missile to overshoot.

3. Which statement is true concerning defensive turns?

a. Always put your lift vector below the horizon to preserve energy.

b. Always turn level with the horizon. That way you won’t get disoriented.

c. Don’t worry about the horizon. Put your lift vector directly on the bandit during a defensive turn. If you do anything else, you will give the bandit turning room.

4. You get a tally on a MiG-29 at 7 o’clock at over 2 nm and closing. You crank into an 8 G defensive turn, and as you come around, you notice that the bandit is not moving forward toward your 3/9 line. He is maintaining his 7 o’clock position. Given that your initial range estimation is correct, what is the problem?

a. This guy is very good and must know a lot about offensive BFM.

b. You are probably too fast and are not generating your best turn rate. The bandit, therefore, is inside your turn circle and is matching your very poor turn rate.