[MP-2] Route Selection

Route Selection.  Planning a route is often easier if you start from the objective (if known) and work backwards.  Pay particular attention to the objective area run-in, border/lines of communication (LOC) crossing, and any high threat enroute areas (e.g. troop concentrations, radar facilities, populated areas, air defense units, etc).  Normally, plan to use available terrain features for masking and navigation purposes. To avoid disclosing the objective, try to avoid a direct routing by incorporating sufficient course changes, if practical.   Select routing to avoid enemy threats, LOC's, populated areas, and hazards as much as possible. Consider routing along terrain features for masking and navigation.  Waypoints should be selected which are identifiable, but not so obvious that the enemy is drawn to them also.  Vertical development and high contrast (especially at night) will help identification in flight.  When practical, avoid crossing LOC's, ridge lines, and flat, open terrain.  Ingress and egress routes should be different to avoid flying over threats that may have been alerted during the ingress.

Objective Run-in.  The routing from the IP to the objective is often the single most critical route segment.  Ideally, the IP would be located in a relatively secure area with line-of-sight to the objective to allow visual as well as radio contact with the survivor.  This allows observation and authentication before committing the helicopter and disclosing the survivor's location.

Waypoint Selection:  Normally, do not exceed 20 NM between waypoints when dead reckoning. Since power lines, poles, towers, and other significant vertical man-made obstacles are difficult to see during NVG operations, try not to select waypoints immediately adjacent to them.  Establish an initial point (IP) over a prominent feature, easily identifiable from low altitudes.  The distance from the IP to the objective will vary with the situation, but ideally should be approximately 3 to 12 NM from the objective.

LOC Crossings.  Minimize LOC crossings to reduce the potential for detection and engagement. Crossing direction should be perpendicular to the LOC to reduce exposure time.  Approaches should allow line-of-sight observation from a relatively secure area to assess the actual threat.  Plan departures to allow immediate re-masking.  Many LOC's may include power lines that will force you to higher altitudes during the crossing.  Consider using DASH speed (maximum cruise speed) when performing LOC crossings.

Border Crossings.  These are often the most highly observed/defended enemy areas.  Plan the crossings in detail.  Try to use the most inaccessible, uninhabited areas of terrain for border crossings. Considerations include friendly safe passage procedures and type/depth of enemy air defense.  If the air defense zone is deep, consider planning a "committed" point which indicates where it is safer to continue the ingress through the zone if engaged instead of reversing course to abort.  Alternate border crossing locations and safe passage procedures should be planned in the event the primary location is unusable.

Time On Target (TOT) Considerations.  Missions that require a TOT greatly increase mission complexity and reduce probability of success since an abort may be required if the TOT is missed.  Air refueling, border crossing/safe passage, and survivor recovery are examples which may require TOTs.  TOT refers to the time you must be established in the LZ (either landed, established in a hover, or over the point of operation as required by the mission).  In some cases, consider arriving at the IP or other secure area within line-of-sight communications range at the TOT.  This will allow you to authenticate and instruct the survivor before committing the aircraft to the run-in and compromising his location.  Based on the mission, authentication may not be required when using a TOT.  TOT management is usually accomplished by airspeed adjustments.  If a TOT is required, it may be for the following reasons:  

1)  The survivor is concealed and can only afford to expose himself or a ground signal for a short time.

2)  The survivor was instructed to monitor his radio during a specific window or is following his EPA comm. plan.

3)  The TOT serves as an authentication to the survivor in an area where enemy helicopters are present.  The following tools will aid you in TOT management.

Pre-Planned Delays.  Intentional delays may be built in at selected waypoints or route segments to provide a buffer if the flight runs late.  A planned delay of 5-10 minutes can be eliminated to make up for actual delays due to late takeoffs, weapons/systems malfunctions, or any other reason.  Obviously, plan the delay in a relatively secure area.  If an area to orbit or land is not available, add additional route segments that can be eliminated. An example of this technique is the use of  Timing Triangles.  These are planned route segments that form a triangle of waypoints with the planned option of skipping the triangle's point to make up time.  If, for example, a timing triangle with equal, 2 minute legs along waypoints A, B, and C, is planned, it takes 4 minutes to fly A-B-C, or 2 minutes to fly A-C allowing you to make up 2 minutes if you're late.  You should avoid direct routing when using a TOT.  Direct routes allow little flexibility when the need arises to make up lost time due to strong headwinds, late takeoffs, maintenance delays, etc.

Planned Ground speed.  Plan the route at a ground speed that allows flexibility to speed up or slow down during the mission.  Power available should be considered. Consider the following limitations to your maximum speed when determining the planned ground speed: Low enroute visibility limits higher speeds;  At night, poor terrain definition, low illumination, or flight toward light sources limits higher speeds.

Consider basing your maximum cruise airspeed on continuous power available.  For formations, further reduce this at least 10% to allow wingmen to maintain position without routinely operating at maximum power settings.