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ACM-1C

ACM-1C
Aircraft: 3 (T-38 or approved fighter aircraft alternative) Time: 1.2
Crew: IP/X, P/IP, P/IP, P/IP else IP, P
Prerequisites: HB-1C

Mission Objectives:

  1. Introduce air combat maneuvering principles and gameplans. 
  2. Introduce air to air missile defense.
  3. Introduce ACM perch setups.
  4. Introduce forward quarter ACM setups.
  5. Practice applying engaged and supporting fighter contracts.
  6. Demonstrate proficiency with air-to-air missile employment.

Specific Mission Tasks:

1. Interval Takeoff
2. Departure

3. Armament switchology/FENCE check

4. G-awareness turns

5. *Defensive perch setups (≥ 2)

      a. counter plane and phase maneuvering
6. *Offensive forward quarter setups (≥ 3)

7. Fuel management
8. Battle damage check
9. RTB procedures
10. Tactical Overhead pattern

Special Instructions:

  1. On the defensive perch sets, emphasize correct BFM decisions using aggressive split-plane maneuvering while maintaining deconfliction responsibility if required.
  2. The offensive perch setups should be from short range setups (25NM max). The DLO of this sortie is effective element A/A maneuvering – focus on deconfliction constructs/responsibilities and visual maneuvering, not BVR radar work.
  3.  Flight leads should be group owners with wingmen focusing on formation first, then fulfilling their auto-share contract. Emphasize spike awareness and deconfliction while executing Launch and Decide tactics.
  4. IPs should allow for mature engagements that require ACM at the merge (i.e. declare - Pk miss when desired). Kills IAW TR.
Description 

Prior to beginning F-2C students should have completed F-1C and should exhibit sufficient contract knowledge and formation proficiency to operate within a 4-Ship formation. 

F-2C is a consolidated syllabus ride incorporating components of the Formation and Surface Attack Tactics (SAT) phases. This sortie should introduce students to the nature of 4-Ship formations in preparation for SAT-1C.  Students should attempt to prepare ahead of the sortie by completing prerequisite academics and IPs should check knowledge for accuracy and assumptions.  These preparation skills will be necessary in subsequent 455th vAEW courses. 
 
The LATN and ridge crossing exercises are included as an initial steppingstone towards SAT exercises and primarily serve as an exposure point to access contract knowledge prior to execution of more advanced tactics. This inclusion allows the IP to introduce tactical considerations and discus ingress route planning. This allows the student pilot to better conceptualize these topics in later academic phase briefs and draw parallels to previous experience. Lastly, this allows the IP to assess task saturation and formation contract execution in the student pilots.  

While the intent is to conduct a 4-Ship low altitude ingress, 2-Ship ingress is also sufficient so long as 4-Ship DLOs are completed. 

Academics

T-38A/C Formation Phase

F-16C Formation Phase Block I

F-16 Formation Phase Block II

Knowledge Check
Briefing Guide
MDC and DTC
Sub Elements:

Gradesheet: 455_900_IFF_ACM.pdf

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