Formation Rotary Flying
Formation and mutual support
This is a good discussion on formation decisions etc. Exactly the kinds of questions that get asked all the time when mission planning.
Mutual support is a broad term, doesn't simply mean firepower. The comm issues are a benefit, navigation backup, as well as self-SAR capability. With regards to fire power, it is a factor since gunships aren't always available nor do they have the range for certain mission areas. Again, enroute formation is widely spaced out, for several reasons, most importantly being the enemy. Not only does it take you out of the weapons engagement zone of the enemy but it also takes you out of the resolution cell of most radars, obviously dependent on several factors.
Tightening up the formation as you near the objective allows you to place several chalks of troops on the ground at once, or nearly so. This is strictly dependent on the ground force commander's plan. If it's not necessary then you don't need to do it. And fire support here again is a player, a good actions on the objective plan will allow each helo to cover certain areas with their weapons if necessary.
The possibilities can be endless but it's important that "formation" doesn't strictly mean 1-3 rotor disks and it is a tactically-sound method of employment. There are numerous pros and cons to flying formation.
Mutual support is a broad term, doesn't simply mean firepower. The comm issues are a benefit, navigation backup, as well as self-SAR capability. With regards to fire power, it is a factor since gunships aren't always available nor do they have the range for certain mission areas. Again, enroute formation is widely spaced out, for several reasons, most importantly being the enemy. Not only does it take you out of the weapons engagement zone of the enemy but it also takes you out of the resolution cell of most radars, obviously dependent on several factors.
Tightening up the formation as you near the objective allows you to place several chalks of troops on the ground at once, or nearly so. This is strictly dependent on the ground force commander's plan. If it's not necessary then you don't need to do it. And fire support here again is a player, a good actions on the objective plan will allow each helo to cover certain areas with their weapons if necessary.
The possibilities can be endless but it's important that "formation" doesn't strictly mean 1-3 rotor disks and it is a tactically-sound method of employment. There are numerous pros and cons to flying formation.
Close formation seemed to go like this:
"That's close enough" = 2 rotor spans
"No, really, that's close enough!" = 1.5 spans
"JESUS CHRIST!" = 1 span.
If you were really good you could get the blades intermeshing, although you had to time the rotor starts carefully.
"That's close enough" = 2 rotor spans
"No, really, that's close enough!" = 1.5 spans
"JESUS CHRIST!" = 1 span.
If you were really good you could get the blades intermeshing, although you had to time the rotor starts carefully.
