Bracket/Bracketing:
A bracket places fighters on both sides of a target banding or group. This tactic is very effective because it sandwiches the target. If the target turns to engage one arm of the bracket, the other arm has an easy 6 o’clock entry. The bracket gives the target two choices both of them bad. Either way the target turns, it winds up with an enemy at 6 o’clock. The bracketing fighters can take missile shots at any time during the intercept. See image below:
- Bracket.png (21.71 KiB) Viewed 996 times
Not to be misconstrued with an internet liaison app of similar name. This is a form of Combat Air Patrol (CAP) that places a flight hot/cold to the likely direction of threat (rather than sitting across the likely direction of threat like a BARCAP). The trade-off is that while a narrower area is covered by a Hot/Cold CAP, there is always at least one aircraft hot to the direction of threat.
Grinder expands on the theory of the Hot/Cold CAP by creating a tactic that allows aircraft to fly individually or in pairs (as required), engage a bandit or group, support their missile and disengage moving back towards friendly aircraft. Then the next aircraft will move forward and deal with any further threats.
This tactic has several benefits. First, there is no sort required (unless engaging as a pair). Second, it allows the engaging pilot to engage a target, crank/notch and then pump to get out of harms way quickly. Third, while the engaging pilot is disengaging, the next aircraft in trail can begin its own sort, monitor the threats and engage as required before disengaging. Finally, this tactic can be used to hold a position, fall back in the face of a threat or advance into a threat.
To set a Grinder up, the location and direction of the Hot/Cold CAP will be pre briefed. The flight lead can then opt to fly horizontally towards the middle of the CAP and then split his flight equally between the Hot and Cold axis. More likely, the flight lead will drag the flight into a pre-briefed separation in trail (in this case the CAP Hot/Cold legs are 20nm, so the flight lead would drag a 4 ship into 5 mile trail or a 2 ship into 10 mile trial). The CAP speed will be pre briefed. In order to safely deconflict airspace. Hot legs are on even number angles (e.g. A20/22/24 etc) and cold legs are on odd number angles (e.g. A19, 21, 23 etc).
The Grinder tactic sets up as per this CAP pattern. When required to advance further or move back further the flight lead will direct the flight based on the lead’s intentions. When flying stationary, a suitable reference point will be used to fly to/from on the required heading, e.g. a steerpoint(s) or notable landmark.
See images below showing a Grinder set up:
- Grinder.png (18.4 KiB) Viewed 996 times