6.5 Mutual Support

6.5    Mutual Support.

The reason fighters fly in formation is to provide one another with mutual support. Mutual support in its basic form is visual lookout, communication, and firepower. Everything we do in IFF is a building block to get to this point. You learned how to fly formation; provide clear, concise, correct communications; and how to employ simulated weapons through the various phases of IFF. Now it’s time to combine them all in what could be a real-world mission. Your flight lead will brief you on how the flight is going to provide and maintain mutual support throughout the entire sortie.