Air Defense Tactics

F-106 intercepting a Soviet Bear Delta.

Target Altitude Band	Target Altitude	Speed Condition	Attack Speed	Attack Altitude	Geometry
Low	Surface to 5000 AGL	Advantage Disadvantage	1.2 Vt Vmc	Zt+2000	Stern Cutoff
Medium	5000 AGL to FL 450	Advantage Disadvantage	1.2 Vt Vmc	Zt-5000	Cutoff
High	Above FL 450	Advantage Disadvantage	1.2 Mach	FL450	Cutoff

Definations:

• Vt is Target Speed. (1.2 Vt= 1.2 times Target Speed)
• Zt is Target Altitude. (Zt-5000=5000 feet below target altitude)
• Vmc is best manuverable cruise speed for that particular fighter altitude.
• FL is Flight Level or the altimeter reading set to the standard pressure of 29.92 inches fo mecury.
• Cutoff Geometry is a collision course to a point from which weapons maybe launched and reattack initiated.
• Stern Geometry is a collision course to a turn point from which a turn is made to target with a desired roll out range 3 nautical miles astern of the target.

• Reattack is pursuit geometry. Bearing to target is command heading and will always place the fighter astern of the target. Reattack is initiated after all attacks to insure target destruction. Pursuit is also used when the use of other geometries are unfeasible. Peacetime Identification missions were always Stern Geometry with an HCA (Heading Crossing Angle) of 90 degrees or less.

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