Military combat pilots require concentration, sharp instincts, and eagle-like reflexes to get their job done in the most precise and swift way imaginable. To achieve and maintain their high concentration levels and razor-sharp reflexes; military pilots stay engaged in continuous and rigorous training which involves, among other things, formation flying.
We have all seen military planes flying in formation and have you noticed how people are unable to take their eyes off them for even a second? Well, that is for good reason, formation flying involves fighter jets nearly sticking together while performing gravity-defying maneuvers. To put it simply, formation flying is risky, and it requires the highest precision and situational awareness of the pilots involved.
So why do military planes in formations?
Military planes fly in formations during combat missions to gain tactical advantage by being able to strike simultaneously and to provide mutual defense if attacked. Additionally, close formation flying of fighter jets helps in confusing enemy ground radars so that they are unable to detect the total number of planes in a formation. During air-to-air combat, various combat formations help military planes avoid detection and radar lock by enemy aircraft.
Although formation flying fighter jets provide are a sight for the public, these formations have defined objectives during combat missions. Let us have a look at how formation flying can provide a strategic advantage in a battle!
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How does flying in formations help military planes during combat?
Formation flying of military planes has been around since World War-I. At that time, strike packages including formations of fighters, bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft would fly together towards the target. Militaries around the world have experimented with different formations and attach strategies to minimize their losses. These trails have provided valuable information to airmen and combat strategists alike.
Although formations are tactically important, let’s see if it is important for military planes to maintain them during combat.
Formation flying during combat
A combat mission is planned, keeping the available resources and objectives in mind. These missions commonly have several stages where fighter jet formations may change and even break-off altogether. Military planes, therefore, do not remain in one formation through-out combat.
An offensive military air combat mission starts with a strike package containing fighter jets in multiple roles such as air-superiority, ground attack, bomber, etcetera.
The strike package then breaks into different formations, each one with their own set of combat objectives. Before engaging their targets or upon getting attacked, fighter jets may adopt battle-spread by increasing their mutual distance for maneuvering.
Once the mission objectives are achieved, these jets re-group into pre-decided flying formations and head back.
Military planes, therefore, adopt varying formations according to their combat plans and battle scenarios. However, there are some formations that are commonly utilized around the globe.
Common flying formations used by military planes
Militaries around the world continuously improve their strategies and flying formations to surprise their enemies when push comes to shove. But, of course, there are some tried and tested flying formations utilized by fighter pilots such as:
- battle-spread (which we have discussed earlier)
- the fingertip
- the fluid-four
- ladder
- the box
- the trail
These formations have different advantages according to the tactics being employed in the mission. Although we cannot discuss all flying formations here, let us have a look at a few:
Box formation
The box formation is made up of four aircraft flying together in a square. If we imagine a combat scenario where enemy aircraft are approaching head-on, the box formation hides two aft fighter jets from enemy radar lock.
Despite this advantage, the box formation also restricts the aft two aircraft from being able to fire their air-to-air missiles until the formation is broken off.
Fingertip formation
The fingertip formation was widely used in World-War-II and is named so because it looks like the fingertips of a human hand.
The fingertip formation has two elements, the lead element (two aircraft on the left) and the second element.
Both elements have their own leader which enables an easy break-off from fingertip into two formations.
Nowadays this formation is often used as a missing man formation and is flown to pay respects to fallen fighter pilots.
In addition to precision, military planes flying in tight formations require teamwork and continuous communication with each other to maintain their separations safely. To earn a place in these tightly flying formations, pilots under-go rigorous training in combat schools.
What is the required training for formation flying?
Combat pilots learn basics of formation flying during their initial training and keep practicing it whenever they transition to a new squadron, or undergo a conversion course.
Their training starts at a significant distance from other aircraft but with practice, they close this gap. Not only does a fighter pilot learn how to stay a few feet from other aircraft; constant and clear communication along with exact knowledge of aircraft behavior at these tight separations must be mastered.
Most air forces around the world maintain a group of fighter pilots that fly in the tightest formations and produce stunning displays of aviation aerobatics.
For example, the United States maintains a group of precision formation flying squadrons known as US Navy Blue Angels and US Ari Force Thunderbirds.
These pilots are trained in special formation flying schools and require continuous training to maintain the levels of concentration and situational awareness required to pull-off stunning aerobatic displays.
But have you ever wondered, just how far are military planes from each other during these missions?
How far away are military planes during formation flying?
Each formation is made of one or more wingmen following the leader of the flight. In larger flight formations, there can be multiple smaller ‘elements’, each with a leader of its own but following the formation leader.
During formation flying these fighter jets must maintain a specified horizontal and vertical separation from each other. The exact separations and angle between leader and wingman vary based on their practice and aircraft characteristics.
For example, a T-45 formation of two maintains a wing-to-wing separation of 3 feet and the wingman stays 5 steps below and at a 30-deg bearing from the leader.
However, precision formation flying pilots such as the Blue Angels have been noted to maintain just an 18inch from each other.
Another key factor in being able to maintain these separations is throttle control. In a formation, a pilot must keep one hand on the throttle to make very minute adjustments to stay at the exact speed with other aircraft. One slight variation in throttle, bearing or attitude of an aircraft endangers the complete formation as they may crash into each other.
Is formation flying risky?
Short answer? Yes, flying in formations is risky but it is mitigated through flight proficiency and intense practice by these pilots.
This higher level of training embeds formation flying in their muscle memory and eventually, they can maintain separations with the accuracy of a few inches. However, to error is human, and in case of military planes flying in formation, an insignificant movement or lack of concentration has catastrophic results.
If we ask a fighter pilot whether formation flying is dangerous, an appropriate response can be that flying, in general, is not risk-free.
But all this is the military aspect of formation flying. Have you ever wondered why there is no formation flying in commercial or general aviation?
Formation flying in commercial airplanes
The commercial aircraft are built to be safe, stable and, programmed to maintain distance from other aircraft. The Aircraft Collision Avoidance Systems (ACAS), a common feature of modern commercial planes, warns a pilot in case there is traffic nearby and this system has the ability to take-over in case it senses that a collision is imminent. Therefore, formation flying goes against the basic DNA of commercial flying.
However, there are some recreational flying clubs that perform formation flying of private or sport aircraft under strict regulations of regulatory authorities.
Conclusion and Summary
Military airplanes fly in pre-planned formations during combat missions to achieve their strategic targets through concentrated firepower and mutual defense in case of an attack.
These flight formations and tactics are part of mission planning and their significance towards the outcome of combat is undeniable.
Flying within the distance of two wingspans from another military pilot, where it may seem like a collision is on the cards, is achieved through intense practice so much so that it becomes muscle memory for the fighter pilots.
To a common eye, military planes flying in formation may seem mesmerizing but for the pilots inside these formations, it is a tough job that is only possible after years of training.
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