Dogfight, Close Range F-16 TNI AU and F-16 USAF
The third day of the Joint Exercise between the Indonesian Air Force and the United States Pacific Air Force (TNI AU - USPACAF) Cope West 2023, presented Air Combat Maneuver (ACM) material, in which two F-16 aircraft will fight one F-16 aircraft.
This close air combat exercise took place in the western airspace of the Roesmin Nurjadin Pekanbaru air base training area, Thursday (6/15/2023).
Indonesian Air Force F-16 fighter pilots and United States Air Force (USPACAF/USAF) F-16 fighter pilots carry out close dogfight tactics of two on one.
In this air battle, the cooperation of pilots from two aircraft that will fight one aircraft is needed.
Previously, the pilots of the two air forces had carried out Basic Fight Maneuver (BFM) training materials, explained the Indonesian Air Force in a news broadcast via social media accounts.
Pnb Captain Yanuar "TEN-GU" Widyantoko, one of the training participants said, BFM and ACM ( Air Combat Maneuver ) were Within Visual Range (WVR) exercises.
The composition for BFM is one plane against one plane, while for ACM it is an exercise with a composition of two planes against one plane.
As mentioned above, the ACM training scenario that was carried out was two against one, plus one more aircraft so that it became 2V1 + 1.
Two aircraft as Blue Force are tasked with carrying out CAP ( Combat Air Patrol ) or air patrols at predetermined points with a radius of 10 NM.
1+1 is an opposing aircraft that is used as a training tool that takes turns to attack two friendly aircraft that are carrying out the CAP.
The two air forces alternated between scenariod roles, either as a two-plane Blue Force or as an enemy aircraft.
The F-16 fighter pilots of the two air forces practiced tactics and strategy in implementing the ACM.
According to "TEN-GU", before participating in ACM material, combat pilots must first thoroughly understand BFM tactics, so that the survival objective in ACM training can be achieved optimally.
This Iswahjudi Air Base 3 Air Squadron pilot feels proud to be able to take part in joint training with USPACAF. Because, it can increase and increase knowledge, as well as insight into air combat tactics.
The pilot officer who served as Kasubsibinlambangja of the 3rd Air Squadron, and also participated in the international Pitch Black training in Australia in 2022, revealed that although Cope West 2023 uses the same F-16 aircraft platform, tactics can vary or be different.
This is a valuable opportunity for the F-16 pilots of the two air forces to share knowledge, tactics and experience, because tactics and knowledge are crucial in winning dogfights .
Cope West 2023 involves six Indonesian Air Force F-16 fighter planes.
While the US PACAF involved six F-16 fighter aircraft from the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Wing "Wolf Pack", Kunsan Air Force Base (AFB) at Gunsan Airport, west coast of the South Korean peninsula.
In 2023 Cope Weat was recorded as the 10th exercise with the host Indonesia, since it first started in Medan in 1989.
This exercise is an implementation of bilateral relations that have long existed between the two countries to jointly maintain regional stability in Southeast Asia.
