Ed's Note: If you're the sort of avid AIR POWER reader you're supposed to be, you probably ought to recognize these guys. Weasel and Top Wop won the Strike Tournament at ORIGINS rather handily and seem to have earned themselves a permanent place in the journal by having done so. Let me just point out that while I don't always agree with these two, I respect their opinions and their capabilities as pilots. They have a different viewpoint than that provided by the likes of J.D. and myself, and that is refreshing if nothing else. There are worse things you can do than follow their advice (how's that for an introduction, huh fellows?)
The first in a series of semi-regularly appearing columns dealing with the fine art of rearranging real estate with the aerial delivery of high explosives. By Curtis "Weasel from Hell" Maki and Mark 'Top Wop" Bovankovich
"Killer Rick "The California Kid" thought to himself as he sighted the rail yard that was his flagged target for this sortie. Flying low to stay under the local SAMs, it took only a few corrections to line up his bomb laden California ANG F- 16 onto target. Starting to aim, Rick allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. By flying straight and level, low and slow over the switch yard, he could put some righteous Mark 82 "snake eye" hits on target and, more importantly, get back to the O-club pool in time to grind down some Avocado/Bean Sprout sandwiches and catch some rays before the sun set.
Suddenly, Rick's target fixation was broken by the crashing sound of his Falcon being shredded by numerous light gun hits. Before you could say "Bogus!", Rick had a raging fuel fire going and the F-16's fly-by-wire controls were dead. "Looks like I'm heading for the land of the perpetually radical waves", Rick mumbled as the once nimble fighter turned itself (and Rick) into a flaming lawn dart.
Major Bummer Dude, Rick forgot about the AAA.
Historically the attack aircraft's worst enemy has been AntiAircraft Artillery (AAA). American and British bomber crews over the Third Reich feared flak more than they feared the German day of night fighters due to its ferocity, randomness, and because they were unable to strike back at it. Statistics from Vietnam show that 91% of the US aircraft lost in combat met their fate at the hand of flak or small arms fire.
To a successful Air Strike player you must respect AAA and learn how to overcome it. The following are some tactics that we have found to be useful in dealing with gun threats.
Rule 1: If you can destroy your target without flying into Flak envelopes ... DO IT! It may appear radically cool to weave in through tracer strings to deliver your ordinance point blank, but this is a good way to wind up a "Dead Hero". Softer targets can often be blotted out of existence by dive bombing from a release point just above the maximum altitude of whatever aimed Triple A you opponent has. Tougher targets can be attacked with precision munitions to get the desired level of destruction while keeping your strike birds out of the ground fire.
Rule 1 is much harder to follow if you do not know the locations and/or types of your opponents' AAA. Also, flying in higher puts you at risk for SAM attacks when facing an integrated air defense. Remember though, SAMs can be decoyed, gunfire can't.
Rule 2: One of the truisms for air-to-air combat also holds up for air-to-mud drivers - never, ever, fly straight and level if you are in, or suspect you are in, an AAA envelope. Changing heading and altitude makes you a tougher target for plotted barrage and point fire. Maneuvering while inside known and suspected flak envelopes also gives you a chance to use the "jink" rule to turn hits into near misses.
Rule 3: The lower you fly, the more likely you die. Flying at low altitude brings you into the range of light AAA guns as well as the medium and heavy. Light flak does less damage, but is more likely to hit you, and there is always the chance that any hit will be a "Golden B.B." that downs your aircraft. Once again, higher altitude means your trading off immunity to small guns for exposure to SAMs in an integrated defense. Rule 3 exception: If you can get to your target by flying behind terrain that blocks AAA fire, then "low level hell" might be the route to go. Remember that you'll need to use lay down ordinance like napalm or high drag bombs. If you outfit your aircraft with low drag munitions, you'll be forced to pop up in the target area to avoid your own weapons blast zone, and thus, become exposed to Mr. AAA. We have found that carefully planned ingress routes are life savers.
Rule 4: When you are being shot at, pay attention to gun tracking time. Once a gun has feed on you, it may not attack you or any other aircraft until it has completed tracking on the following turn. Optically aimed guns must track you for at least one-half your flight points, radar directed guns for one-third your FPs. Use this reprieve wisely to get out of range (also known as "getting the hell outta' Dodge"), attack the gun or your primary target, or at the very least, to get a jink maneuver in before he can reacquire your bird.
Rule 5: If you must violate one or more of the preceding rules, THINK ABOUT FLAK SUPPRESSION! Rather than blindly flying through AAA to get your primary target, get the guns before they get you. You can configure strike aircraft for self-protection or designate specific flak busting aircraft. During Rolling Thunder operations over North Vietnam, the Navy used F-8 Crusaders with rockets for this mission. You'll want to use standoff weapons like rocket pods or guided missiles so you can hit the guns before they can get a good shot at you. A good tactic is to make a longer range attack and suppress the site, then run in for a closer, more deliberate attack on the next turn to kill the gun while it cannot return fire. Of course, if your wily opponent has sited his guns to give each other mutual support, they may take you under fire. Hey, if being an attack jock was easy, even fighter pukes would do it.
By using these tactics in the appropriate combination for the threat anticipated, you can eliminate, or at least minimize, AAA gun threats. Until next time, fly swiftly and well, kill the bad guys, and come home grinning.
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© Copyright 1991 by J.D. Webster
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