| Janes F15: Tips and Tactics Series Eric "Snacko" Marlow VFS 303rd Sidewinders Denver, CO |
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Ordnance Delivery Profiles "I had never flown an eighty-one thousand pound jet before, and we were surprised when we started taxiing. We felt a thump, thump, thump underneath us. We were concerned until we realized that all that weight standing on the tires had molded a temporary flat spot on them" – F-15E Pilot, Capt. Bill "Moons" Mullins In Part I we discover how to properly plan a ground attack mission. In this article we’ll take a closer look at the proper way to accurately "shack" a target. The F-15E is currently rated to carry a variety of bombs – these include both precision guided munitions (PGMs) as well as dumb gravity bombs. Prior to the Gulf War, the only bombs rated for the F-15E were the Mk82/84 series. The GBU 10/12 were rushed into compliance during the early days of deployment as were the Mk20 cluster bombs. The F-15E was not rated to use the AGM-65 Maverick or the AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles during that period - something to keep in mind for you realism-based freaks. Also, contrary to popular request, the F-15E has not been rated to handle the AGM-88 HARM missile – sorry guys, SEAD missions will have to be left up to the Viper and Hornet drivers for the time-being. Each type of ordnance has its own unique delivery and blast characteristics. Even so, you can break down the types of bombs into the following categories that reflect delivery/blast profile:
Given that the REFERENCE section of F-15 provides a wealth of information, I won’t go into to much detail on the characteristics of each sub-type of munition. The WEAPONS ADVISOR is a good place to start to understand what types of ordinance will destroy the target you are tasked with destroying. I’ve also found that Tom Clancy’s book "Fighter Wing – A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing" is a good source to better understand the types of munitions available today.
Each bomb series type can be dropped using at least one of the four types of target designation methods:
By far, the most common bomb delivered in the Gulf War was the Mk series of dumb gravity bombs. Fully 63% of all unguided ordnance and 60% of the entire munition count dropped on Iraq were of the Mk slick (low drag) series. Most missions, if planned carefully, can be conducted successfully with either the Mk82 or Mk84 bomb. When resources are tight such is the case in the Iraq campaign the plentiful nature of the Mks should not be overlooked. The Mk series of munitions is the F-15E’s bread-and-butter, let’s learn how to spread it around.
I conducted tests to determine the lowest altitude that the bombs can safely be dropped. Though these tests may not model real life bomb fragmentation patterns and blast damage, this is what I found: |
In other words, don’t go below these recommended minimum heights or you risk damage to your aircraft. If you perform a DIVE profile on your attack run, you’ll need to give yourself some extra altitude to pull out of the dive before the bombs explode. You can designate targets for the Mk series using any of the four targeting methods mentioned earlier. All three bombing modes are applicable for the Mks: CDIP, AUTO, and AUTO LOFT work for bomb delivery. Choosing which targeting method and bombing mode is most appropriate depends on your planned attack profile. I’ve found that marking a target using an HRM patch map or using the CDIP mode works best. If you choose the patch map targeting method, go for the AUTO bombing mode, it’s more accurate. Make sure you’ve set up your bomb release quantity and interval to effectively cover your target. Stay tuned for more details in this area. 
BSU Series
The BSU series employs a ballute air-inflatable retarding system that slows the bomb down so the aircraft can escape the blast fragmentation envelope. The ballute differs from the traditional "snakeyes" – the earlier retarding system that used spring-loaded fins to slow the bomb’s forward progress. The BSU series is great when a high launch profile is not recommended, such as in a heavy-threat area. Low and fast is the name of the game for dropping the BSUs. I conducted tests to determine the lowest altitude that the bombs can safely be dropped. Though these tests may not model real life bomb fragmentation patterns and blast damage, this is what I found:
You can designate targets for the BSU series using any of the four targeting methods mentioned earlier. All three bombing modes are usable for the BSUs: CDIP, AUTO, and AUTO LOFT work for bomb delivery, though the AUTO LOFT approach is rendered less effective due to the reduced glide characteristics of the BSU. Choosing which one is most appropriate depends on your preferred attack profile. We’ll discuss these methods in more detail in the next article "Attack Profiles". Note** Bombing modes will be covered in detail in the Attack Profiles article, but a little tidbit to keep you out of trouble: AUTO LOFT bombing mode has been identified as having errors in its implementation. Most notably the ESL is not present and bombs fall short of the target due to a release timing problem. You can overcome these problems as follows:
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Last Updated May 21st, 1998 |
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