4.2 BFM Axioms

4.2    BFM Axioms.

There are three basic axioms of BFM that apply to any situation. Whether offensive, defensive, or high aspect (neutral), the following three concepts apply to every situation. They are:
•    Lose Sight, Lose the Fight
•    Maneuver in Relation to the Bandit
•    Energy versus Nose Position

4.2.1    Lose Sight, Lose the Fight.

 In a fight where both aircraft are moving faster than 400 miles an hour, it takes only a few seconds for an object with a total apparent surface area of just a few feet (like a T-38C approaching head on or flying away) to disappear completely. Additionally, most of the world’s air forces apply paint schemes to increase the difficulty of keeping sight of their airplanes. Just a couple seconds of not seeing the Bandit can mean the difference between victory and death. It will be necessary to occasionally take eyes off the Bandit during a fight. Learning when to take eyes off is critical. Offensively, you cannot shoot at an enemy you don’t see. It is relatively easy to keep track of a Bandit that is in front of you. However, defensively, an enemy that you cannot see is at liberty to shoot you while you are unable to defend yourself. There will be times in DBFM when the Bandit flies behind your seat; knowing when and where to get the tally back will be paramount. Do everything possible to prevent going no joy, but if a no-joy occurs, strive to get the tally back! In high aspect BFM, the Bandit will be at greater ranges during the fight than offensive and DBFM. Keeping sight will require a visual scan to stay outside of the cockpit for longer periods of time. As a general rule, stay padlocked on the Bandit until: 1) it is predictable, 2) it is easy to see, and 3) it is not threatening you. If in doubt, stay padlocked and don’t look inside the cockpit.

4.2.2    Maneuver in Relation to the Bandit.

Nearly all maneuvering must be in relation to the Bandit. That means every time you do something with your airplane, it must be either a reaction to what the Bandit has done, or preferably, to drive the fight and cause the Bandit to react to you. All the basic BFM concepts apply no matter what the attitude of your airplane is, so maneuvering in relation to the horizon becomes less important in most fighter type aircraft. Exceptions to this rule include utilizing the effect of gravity to your advantage and maneuvering to avoid the floor, or in actual combat, the ground. Offensively, and at high aspect, maneuver in relation to the Bandit to arrive in the WEZ based on your position relative to the Bandit. Defensively, maneuver in relation to the Bandit to keep him from arriving in a WEZ. Regardless of the situation, you must maneuver in relation to the Bandit in order to defeat him. However, due to lack of performance in the T-38, you must maneuver in relation to the horizon as well as the Bandit to achieve the best performance from the jet.

4.2.3    Energy Versus Nose Position.

The last axiom of BFM is knowing when to fight an energy fight and when to fight a nose position fight. This boils down to either sustaining the current total energy state or cashing energy in for nose position to shoot or defend against weapons employment. Although high-performance A/A ordnance and helmet-mounted sights greatly expand WEZs, it is usually true that you cannot shoot someone unless your nose is pointed at them. That is why it is so important to know when to concentrate on the energy state of the jet and when to concentrate on its nose position. During OBFM, you generally maintain energy until you decide to employ ordnance in a controlled manner for a high probability of kill (Pk) shot. You then use nose position to employ ordnance. Defensively, you concentrate on the Bandit’s nose position. When the Bandit threatens you, cash in energy to defeat his ordnance. When his nose no longer threatens you, concentrate on maintaining or regaining energy to keep him from pointing at you. In high aspect, you concentrate on energy when you want to maintain a high turn rate over time, and cash in that energy for nose position when you want a small turn radius or an increased instantaneous turn rate to employ or deny ordnance. No matter what kind of fight you are in, at any given moment you should always know whether energy or nose position is more important.