Training Material

(Fighting as a Team) (ver 2.0)

Comprising of:
Role of a Wingman
Role of a Section Leader
 Role of a Wingman

Wingman responsibilities.
The wingman’s job is one of little authority but much responsibility. They are the eyes of
the flight during transit and directly support their Lead during combat. A good wingman
will keep their Lead safe; a bad wingman will get their Lead shot down.

Pre-mission
It is important for the wingman to have a grasp of the plans and the reasoning behind
them prior to mission launch. He must ensure that his own aircraft has the correct load
out.

During transit
The wingman must stay with his Lead and move to a position on the outside of the
formation so he can look across formation to provide visual coverage for all other
members of the flight.

During combat
It is important for a wingman to stick with their Lead during combat to protect their six
and to provide a secondary attacker when necessary. Sometimes the Lead will task the
wingman as primary attacker and the Lead will support.

Post combat
Immediately after an engagement they will scan local airspace visually to ‘sanitize’ and
move into position with their Lead.

RTB
The wingman will maintain visual scanning all the way to final approach.

Preparing for the mission

Before a mission you should ensure you are fully briefed by the flight or element Lead.

You will need to know:

• Who your Lead is
• Aircraft to be flown
• Fuel load out
• Armament
• Initial heading after takeoff (departure heading)
• Intended transit height and course to target
• Details of target and attack strategy
• Target egress heading
• Rally point after target egress
• Return transit altitude and course
 Takeoff and form up
Follow your Lead to the taxiway and be careful to not run into him during the taxi. It is
important to keep your speed low to allow you to stop if a collision is imminent.

The width of the taxiways will determine your positioning.

If the taxiway is narrow the best way to safely taxi is to leave enough distance for safety
and to weave left and right as you taxi to ‘clear your nose’ to prevent a collision.
If the taxiway is narrow the best way to safely taxi is to leave enough distance for safety
and to weave left and right as you taxi to ‘clear your nose’ to prevent a collision.

If the taxiway is wide enough your Lead will taxi along one of the edges, allowing you to
taxi on the opposite edge and be able to maintain a visual on him.

Your Lead will give you warning if he is going to slow down or stop but do not assume he
has –frequently check.

After you both cross onto the runway your Lead will move to the far side, allowing you to
form up at his 4/8 o’clock position. If you are taking off in formation your Lead will give
you a verbal cue (or a visual one) to advance your throttle. This should be done gently
with an eye on your turn and slip indicator and your Lead. Reduce throttle if you are at
risk of a collision and separate.

After rotation (i.e. pulling back on the stick and getting airborne) follow your Lead but do
not do it in trail, kick out a little so that he can see you and turn with him to the
departure heading. Once you are both on the correct heading look for the other element
(if there is one) and gently drift to the outside of the formation in either combat spread
or echelon to your wingman. The reason for this is to allow you to look ‘across formation’
and visually cover the six of all other members of the flight.

Transit
During transit keep up your visual coverage across the formation, while trusting the
other wingman to be doing the same. This is very important as by limiting the airspace
you scan to the inside hemisphere of the flight you double the chance of spotting an
incoming bandit and increase the time your flight has to react to their presence.
 The best way to scan is to use your eyes ability to detect moving objects. Turn your
head to view a sector of sky and then scan that sector from top to bottom, left to right.
Turn your head to view the next sector and scan it. When you finish scanning the last
sector you are responsible for swing your head back to the first area you scanned. This
will ensure your scan coverage is even. As you become more experienced you will be
able to scan quicker and more effectively.

Your Leads will perform navigation duties and will point out ‘anchors’ along your course.
The points act as ‘rallying points’ if air combat develops and is used as a reference point.
If you are in trouble and no‐one in your flight has visual on you or you have drifted off
on your own you should attempt to head in the direction of that point or relate the
bearing that point is to you (ie, the river fork is at 270 and I am about 5k out) – this will
allow other members to calculate where they are in relation to you and act accordingly.

Your flight or element Lead will coordinate your turns – most turns will be ‘tactical turns’
or ‘reversals’ that allow the flight to turn in a coordinated manner so your flight keeps
cohesion. After a turn you must quickly re‐establish visual scanning across formation.

During transit your Lead may ask you to position yourself differently. The best way to do
so is gently as it allows you to maintain airspeed and will allow you to continue your
visual scan. Turning 10 degrees from your Lead’s course will be sufficient to drift into
position.

Bogeys spotted!
If you spot a bogey your must report it in a helpful manner. Number followed by
Bearing, Range,
Altitude and Track provides everything that the flight and element Leads immediately
need.

Number: If you are in formation you can report the number of bogies you see. I.e.:
‘Three bogeys’. If you are split from the flight or you are in combat you can report the
total number of aircraft that are at the location you are reporting.

If you are not the aircraft spotting you should immediately rescan the local airspace you
are responsible for to check for additional aircraft.

Bearing: Because you are in formation you can use the o’clock reference, otherwise use
360 degrees

Range: Distant, Mid or Close

Altitude: Dirt, Low, Co‐Alt, High or Extremely High

Track: Steady, Left or Right

At this point your flight Lead will assess the situation and will start coordinating the
 attack.

Combat positioning and tactics execution

Once combat is joined your role is to stick with your Lead unless specifically asked to do
something else.

In a multi aircraft combat the easiest way to stick with him is to treat him like a bandit
and drop into trail about 500 meters behind him. If you are engaging a lone aircraft you
can climb up and obtain the ‘perch’ above the combat, keep scanning local airspace for
additional bogeys and also dive down to assist your Lead if needed.

During combat your Lead may ask you to execute a maneuver that is part of coordinated
combat tactics. It is important that you execute those instructions and confirm you are
doing them with a simple ‘roger – (whatever the command was)’.

Warning your Lead

You are the eyes in the back of your Lead’s head while he is ‘padlocked’ onto a target.
Your main job is to ensure nobody gets to engage him without warning him in enough
time to execute an evasion. If he is under imminent attack tell him to break – and if
possible – the best direction to break on (usually into the bandit if he is approaching to
one side). If the bandit is moving into position to engage but is too far away for a guns
shot inform your Lead of this. If the bandit is closing fast a warning of their approach
may arrive too late – better to transmit a break warning early than a bandit closing one
too late.

If your Lead is actively engaged and the attacking bandit breaks off you need to
immediately inform your Lead that he has done so with details of which direction the
broke – this allows your Lead to immediately stop evasive maneuvering, restock energy
and re‐engage.

Assisting your Lead

If your Lead is defensive and you are moving to assist you must take the relative
maneuverability of your aircraft versus that of the enemy into account. If your element
is in aircraft capable of turning tighter defensive maneuvering is simply a case of chase
the bandit. If you cannot turn as tightly defensive tactics are a little more complicated.

If your Lead is turning tightly and the bandit is as maneuverable or better or the fight is
at high speed you may never be able to obtain a position to engage the bandit by
following them.

If you have the speed to catch them you may also be going too fast to turn inside the
fight. You may vector roll opposite and turn back in but if your Lead continues their turn
you may still end up unable to engage.

The solution is a coordinated defence – an opposite split. If you and your Lead turn
opposite directions and continue your turns the Lead will be able to drag the bandit
across your nose allowing you a high deflection shot – the beam defence.
If your bandit continues to engage you can now execute a thach weave.
The aircraft weave back and forth across each other’s flight path, dragging the bandit
across the guns of the supporting wingman that will fire a sustained burst that the bandit
will fly through, raking their aircraft from nose to tail.

After the bandit has been fired upon Lead will reverse direction and drag the bandit
across his wingman’s nose again.

This weaving back and forth will continue until the bandit is neutralized or he breaks off
his attack.

This defense works best when the supporting aircraft has high rate of fire weaponry with
high muzzle velocity, good forward visibility and sufficient ammunition to allow multiple
sustained bursts.

Often your Lead will ask you to ‘Take the perch’. You will climb above the combat by a
couple of thousand feet and will keep an eye on local airspace as well as your Lead and
his bandit. This is to ensure that your Lead can concentrate on his bandit while his six is
clear and to give ample warning if additional bogeys are approaching the combat.

Be prepared to assist your Lead on his request or provide information on the

maneuvering of the bandit if your Lead loses sight of him.

Post combat
It is important to ‘sanitize’ local airspace with a thorough visual scan after a combat. A
quick method to ensure that you don’t have bandits in the local area is to count the
number of total aircraft you see. If you see more aircraft than you have in the rest of
your flight the extras will need to be treated as hostile. It is helpful to report ‘Sanitizing’
when you’re scanning to let your Lead know what you are doing and report the number
of contacts once you’ve completed your scan.

During this period do not approach your Lead at his six o’clock as an aircraft approaching
from behind is likely to make him nervous and he may take evasive actions that will
prolong the time it takes to reorganize the flight and continue the mission.

Once local airspace is sanitized you will reform and continue transit.

Return to Base
The flight is not over until you are walking away from the aircraft. As wingman it is
important for you to keep up your visual scanning all the way until final approach.
Follow your Lead’s instructions for joining the landing pattern and maintain enough
spacing to allow yourself to react if he suffers a landing mishap.

Role of a Section Leader

Section Leader Responsibilities

The Section Lead job is to manage their section in support of the Flight Lead section and
be ready to take over flight leadership if necessary.

Pre-mission
It is important for the Section Lead to have a grasp of the plans and reasoning behind
them prior to mission launch and check that his wingman understands them. He must
ensure that his own aircraft has the correct loadout as well.

During transit
The Section Lead must position his section with that of the Flight Lead according to Flight
Lead's requests and ensure his Wingman is in position to scan across formation. He will
perform backup navigation duties and check on the positioning of all aircraft in the
formation.

During combat
The Section Lead positions his section to support the attack of the Flight Lead's section
(Lead Section) and execute attacks as requested, be they spoiling attacks or full
engagement. The Flight Lead may swap element roles and have you attack whilst his
own section covers.

Post combat
Immediately after an engagement scan local airspace visually to 'sanitize' and move into
position with the Flight Lead's section.

RTB
The Section Lead will continue to perform backup navigation and ensure his section joins
the landing pattern in good order.
Preparing for the mission
Before a mission you should ensure you are fully briefed by the Flight Leader. You will
need to know:

1. Who your Flight Lead is

2. Who your Wingman is
3. Aircraft to be flown
4. Fuel load out
5. Armament
6. Initial heading after takeoff (departure heading)
7. Intended transit height and course to target
8. Details of target and attack strategy
9. Target egress heading
10. Rally point after target egress
11. Return transit altitude and course

Takeoff and form up

Your section will take off after the Flight Lead's section

After rotation turn to the departure heading and locate the lead section.

Once spotted report that you tally and drift into position.

Report 'second section in position' once you are in place.

Transit
During transit keep an eye on the general positioning of aircraft in the flight, heading
and altitude. If you are flying just below contrail height help to ensure that no-one gives
your flight position away by drifting high enough to produce contrails.

During transit it is important to:

1. Know the location of your flight

2. Know the heading to 'safe' areas in case your flight has to flee
3. Know the bearing to the target
4. Know the bearing home
5. Identify anchor points to rally the flight
6. Monitor radio traffic to help establish and maintain a 'battlefield picture'
7. Be prepared to broadcast a flight status update to other flights
Your Flight Lead will co-ordinate your turns - most turns will be 'tactical turns' or
'reversals' that allow the flight to turn in a coordinated manner so your flight keeps
cohesion. Because your wingman maybe on the outside of a turn you must check that he
turns in the right direction otherwise he may rapidly pass out of visual range of the flight
and get lost.

During transit your Flight Lead may ask you to position your element differently. The
best way to do so is gently as it allows you to maintain airspeed ans will allow you to
continue your visual scan. Turning 10 degrees from the lead section's course will be
sufficient to drift into position.

If your Flight Lead asks you to gain altitude you will end up lagging behind the lead
section. This is acceptable as the altitude can rapidly be traded in for airspeed. There is
also a tactical advantage to having a trailing high section as an enemy may commit to
attacking the lower lead section before your trailing section is in sight.

Bogeys spotted!
If you spot a bogey you must report it in a helpful manner. Number, followed by
Bearing, Range, Altitude and Track provides everything that the flight lead needs - as
specified in the wingman article.

At this point your Flight Leader will assess the situation and start coordinating the
attack.

Combat positioning and tactics execution

As the second section lead you will provide critical support for the lead section. Your
flight lead will ask you to execute tactical manoeuvring to allow your flight to control and
win the engagement.

An experienced section leader will be able to position his element for the tactical
situation and disposition of the enemy. It is critical for the section leader to inform Flight
Lead of any manoeuvring e.g. 'Second element going high'

In combat it can be unwise to commit all of your forces to the fight without leaving a
reserve to deal with a changing tactical situation. An uncommitted second section
provides both insurance against surprise and an ace up the sleeve.

In combat as Section Lead it is your job to:

1. Assess the tactical situation and inform the Flight Lead of any additional aircraft
approaching or other tactically relevant info.
2. Recognise developing threats, report them and intervene if necessary.
3. Maintain an awareness of your flight's location.
4. Execute coordinated tactics as requested by your Flight Lead.
5. Order your wingman to perform coordinated tactics or under special circumstances
the lead section.

Assessing the tactical situation

Keeping an eye on the surrounding airspace for approaching bogeys is critical, the earlier
they are spotted the better. If the enemy has a height advantage they may have
difficulty spotting the combat and you may be able to direct lead section to drag the
flight away from the approaching enemy to prevent their interference. It is up to you to
keep your lead informed of anything that could put the flight at risk.

Recognise developing threats, report them and if necessary intervene

For your flight to win combat you aim to obtain and hold one or more of height, speed or
numeric advantage. As a section lead you need to be able to identify when you've lost
the tactical advantage and order actions that will allow you to regain it or extract your
section safely.

As a supporting section you are in the position to assist the lead section and prevent or
counter enemy action that may pass the tactical advantage to them.

Spoiling Attacks
You can prevent your opponents from gaining height and speed advantage over the lead
section by making 'spoiling attacks'.

These are only intended to force the enemy to make defensive manoeuvres to avoid
your attack and give up altitude and speed to do so. While the enemy is defending they
are prevented from taking offensive action - reducing the enemy's numeric advantage or
even inducing a disadvantage. These spoiling attacks are high speed passes on a bandit
rather than a prolonged engagement. If the enemy doesn't manoeuvre defensively you
may get a kill which neutralises them permanently.

Maintain awareness of your flight's location

Knowing where your flight is and the heading to friendly lines will prevent you from
getting lost and will allow you to quickly return to friendly airspace and other support.
Execute coordinated tactics as requested by your flight lead
Your flight lead will order coordinated attacks and defence that will increase the
effectiveness of your flight. On the offense these will usually have the aim of providing
vertical, horizontal or angular separation to confound the enemy's defensive tactics. On
the defensive these will usually aim to drag a bandit into the gun sight of a supporting
aircraft or to allow a flight member to disengage safely.

Order your wingman to perform coordinated tactics or under special

circumstances the lead section.
If your section is offensive you will order you wingman to execute coordinated tactics.

If you are the supporting element you may see a tactical situation developing and may
request the lead section execute manoeuvres that will allow you to take advantage of it.
A flight lead may deny your request if he has something else in mind or is busy.

Once a trust is developed between a Flight Lead and a section lead those requests are
more likely to be accepted.

Post combat
It is important to 'sanitise' local airspace as detailed in the Wingman article. Once local
airspace is sanitised you will reform. Identify your Lead aircraft and move into formation.

Confirm your flight's location with Flight lead and continue transit.

Return to Base
Once the flight is returning to base the second section will take spacing behind the lead
section leaving enough room to react if there is a landing mishap.