CMQ

The Hornet is a multirole combat aircraft capable of handling a wide range of missions. Combat Mission Qualification (CMQ) is designed to expose pilots to all combat related weapons and systems of the F/A-18C Hornet and the associated tactics used by real life Naval Aviators. To pass IQT and MCQ training you were required to demonstrate proficiency in the airmanship skills associated with those training syllabi. Gaining proficiency with all the items on the CMQ syllabi is a much more difficult thing to do. The knowledge and skills are perishable and requires constant application and refresher training to stay proficient. While virtual pilots of vCSG-3 should strive for that level of proficiency, it is unrealistic to require it during the training phase. Completing CMQ and being considered Fully Mission Qualified (FMQ) requires that you have been trained on all the weapons, systems, and tactics, not necessarily that you can employ them perfectly, all the time.

Just like the Navy’s Top Gun program, our CMQ training ends with a graduation hop. It will consist of the graduating student leading a flight in a mission environment with specific tasking and the IP acting as his wing man. The hop could be an A/A, A/G, or some combination of the two. Mission success is not a requirement for graduating, but a pilot who has a good grasp on operating the Hornet in a tactical environment should be able to compete any of the hops.

The CMQ Syllabus is split into 2 sections, Air to Air, and Air to Ground. This document is the Air to Ground Combat Syllabus.

Air-to-Ground Training Syllabus

Tactics/Techniques and Associated Weapon Systems and Deployment

1. Unguided Weapons Delivery

   1. Wing Over Attack Profile

      1. Tactical Advantage / Disadvantages

      2. Execution

      3. Appropriate ordnance - All Non-PGM (Guns / Rockets / CBU / GP)

         1. Guns

            1. Rate of Fire

         2. Rockets

            1. CCIP

            2. Salvo

         3. CBU

         4. Burst Height

   2. Pop Up Attack Profile

      1. Tactical Advantage / Disadvantages

      2. Execution - Z diagram calculator

         1. Offset

         2. Oblique

      3. Appropriate ordnance - GP Bombs / CBU /Rockets / Guns

         1. GP Bombs

            1. CCIP

            2. Fusing (including VT for CBU)

            3. Qty Settings

   3. Low Level Attacks

      1. Tactical Advantage / Disadvantages

      2. Execution

      3. Appropriate ordnance - GP Retarded

         1. Snake-eye

            1. CCIP

            2. Ripple - Qty / Interval settings

2. Precision Guided Weapons Delivery

   1. Targeting Pod

      1. Track Modes

      2. Target designation

      3. Laser Setup and Usage

      4. Laser Spot Track

      5. Laser Codes

   2. Wing Level Attacks

      1. Tactical Advantage / Disadvantages

      2. Appropriate ordnance - All Laser Guided

   3. Standoff Attacks

      1. Tactical Advantage / Disadvantages

      2. Appropriate ordnance - GPS Weapons (JDAM/JSOW/SLAM)

   4. GPS Weapons Setup

      1. Modes

         1. PP

         2. TOO

      2. Settings

         1. Fusing

         2. Manual

         3. Loft

      3. JDAM

         1. Types

      4. JSOW

         1. A vs C usage

5. LGB’s

   1. Auto Mode

   2. Fusing

   3. Paveway II family

   4. Paveway III (GBU-24)

   5. Self Lase

   6. Buddy Lase

   7. Moving Targets - AG Radar - GMT mode and track mode with pod

6. AGM-6E Maverick

   1. Fusing

   2. Echo - Laser

   3. Foxtrot - IR

3. SEAD

   1. Mission - SEAD vs DEAD

   2. Missile Defense

      1. Counter Measures

      2. Defeating Kinematically

      3. Using Terrain

   3. HARM - Anti-Radiation

      1. SP

      2. TOO

      3. PB

   4. HAAS (HARM as a Sensor)

4. Misc

   1. A/G Radar - Sea Mode

   2. SLAM - SLAM-ER

      1. Datalink Pod

      2. Steerpoints (SLAM-ER Only)

   3. Harpoon - Anti Ship

      1. Modes

      2. WP steer

Advanced Techniques

1. Time on Target

2. Close Air Support

   • Keyhole

   • Target Correlation/Talk Ons

   • 9 Lines

The Hornet is a multirole strike fighter capable of handling a wide range of missions. Combat Mission Qualification is designed to expose virtual Hornet pilots of vCSG-3 to all combat related weapons and systems of the F/A-18C and the associated tactics used by real life Naval Aviators. To pass IQT and MCQ training you were required to demonstrate proficiency in the airmanship skills associated with those training syllabi. Gaining proficiency with all the items on the CMQ syllabus is a much more difficult thing to do. The knowledge and skills are perishable and requires constant application and refresher training to stay proficient. While virtual pilots of vCSG-3 should strive for that level of proficiency, it is unrealistic to require it during the training phase. Completing CMQ and being considered Fully Mission Qualified (FMQ) requires that you have been trained on all the weapons, systems, and tactics, not necessarily that you can employ them perfectly, all the time.

Just like the Navy’s Top Gun program, our CMQ training ends with a graduation hop. It will consist of the graduating student leading a flight in a mission environment with specific tasking and the IP acting as the wing man. The hop could be an A/A, A/G, or some combination of the two. Mission success is not a requirement for graduating, but a pilot who has a good grasp on operating the Hornet in a tactical environment should be able to successfully complete any of the hops.

The CMQ Syllabus is split into 2 sections, Air to Air, and Air to Ground. This document is the Air to Air Combat Syllabus

Air-to-Air Training Syllabus

ACM (Air Combat Maneuvering)

1. Sensors

   1. Mark I Eyeball

   2. ACM Radar Modes

      1. Gun Acquisition (GACQ)

      2. Boresight (BST)

      3. Vertical Acquisition (VACQ)

      4. Wide Acquisition (WACQ)

      5. Helmet Acquisition (HACQ)

2. BFM (Basic Fighter Maneuvering)

   1. Energy Management

      1. Turn Rate vs Turn Radius

   2. Pursuit - Pure/Lead/Lag

   3. One Circle Flow

   4. Two Circle Flow

   5. Offensive BFM

   6. Defensive BFM

      1. Using Flares

   7. High Aspect BFM (Merge)

   8. Out of Plane Maneuvering

   9. Redefining the fight

   10. Extending / Bugging Out

3. Weapons Employment

   1. Guns

      1. Radar Gun sight

      2. Gun Funnel

      3. HUD Symbology

   2. Heat Seeking Missiles (Fox 2)

      1. AIM-9X vs AIM-9M

      2. HUD Symbology

      3. JHMCS (for 9x)

4. BFM Advanced Techniques

   1. Understanding the Bubble / Control Zone / Attack Window

   2. Over Shoots

   3. Advanced maneuvers

      1. Scissors (horizontal and vertical)

      2. High Yo-Yo

BVR (Beyond Visual Range)

1. Systems and Sensors

   1. SA Page

      1. Link 16 Data Link

      2. HAFUs

   2. IFF

      1. CIT

      2. NCTR

      3. Two Factor

      4. HUD Symbology

   3. Attack Radar

      1. Range While Scan (RWS)

         1. Single Target Track (STT)

         2. Latent Track while Scan

         3. HUD Symbology

         4. Usage - Pros/Cons

      2. Track While Scan

         1. L&S

         2. DT2

         3. HUD SYmbology

         4. Usage - Pros/Cons

      3. Azimuth / Elevation View (AZ/EL)

      4. Identify Friend or Foe (IFF)

         1. 
            

2. Weapons Employment

   1. Active Radar Guided Missile (Fox 3)

      1. AIM-120 B/C AMRAAM

      2. Pitbull (Dangers of shooting into a fuball)

   2. Active Radar Guided MIssile (Fox 1)

      1. AIM-7 M/MH Sparrow

3. BVR Fundamentals

   1. Picture Callouts / Bullseye Sorting

   2. Detection (Scan Hi/Lo)

   3. F-pole/Crank

   4. Notching

4. BVR Timeline

   1. Pre-commit Picture Building

   2. Commit

   3. Label / Name

   4. Target

   5. Meld

   6. Sort

   7. Shoot

   8. Decide

   9. Merge

5. Types of Missions

   1. CAP

   2. BARCAP

   3. TARCAP / RESCAP

   4. Fighter Sweep

   5. Intercept

   6. Escort

   7. Rules of Engagement

      1. Weapons Free

      2. Weapons Tight

      3. Weapons Hold

6. Advanced BVR Tactics (not required for sign off but should be taught)

   1. Offensive Split

   2. wide Azimuth

   3. Grinder

   4. Beam Deploy (Pincer)

   5. Offensive Fire and Pump (Chainsaw)

   6. Missile Defense

Air to Air combat is broken into 2 distinct types of engagements. Beyond Visual Range (BVR) is when the enemy aircraft is outside the range of being detected with the Mark I eyeball. Once the engagement transitions into the visual range, often called a dogfight , Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) is used. We’ll start with ACM.

ACM Basics - Kill or Be killed

ACM is the art of maneuvering your aircraft into a position to be able to employ short range weapons (typically guns or heat seeking missiles) against an enemy aircraft before it can do the same to you. ACM dates back to WWI and many of the concepts developed in those early days are still applicable to Modern Jets.

Sensors

The most important sensor used for ACM is the Mark I Eyeball. A pilot that loses sight of his opponent will be put in a defensive position very quickly.

The Hornet’s APG-73 has several Air Combat Modes designed to aid the pilot in quickly acquiring a radar lock on a target while aggressively maneuvering the aircraft. ACM modes are listed below and are explained in detail in this video. A kneeboard is included in the mod pack for quick reference.

Basic Fighter Maneuvers (BFM) - BFM Powerpoint BFM (wikipedia)

BFM consists of the specific maneuvers a pilot makes to get behind an aircraft before the opponent can do the same. A CMQ’d pilot should understand and be able to implement the following:

Energy Management - Potential (Altitude) vs Kinetic (Speed) and the tradeoff between the two

Pursuit (Lead, Pure, and Lag)

Turn Rate vs Turn Radius

Once Circle vs Two Circle Flows

Offensive vs Defense Sets

High Aspect (Merge

Out of Plane Maneuvering

Redefining the fight

Extending / Bugging Out

Weapons used during BFM include the 30MM Cannon and IR guided (Heat seeking / Fox 2s).

Gun - Wags Video

Sidewinders - Wags Video Wags Video - JHMCS and AIM-9X

Advanced BFM Concepts

PIlots should be familiar with following advanced concepts:

The Bubble, The Attack Window, and the Control Zone

Overshoots - Flight path, in close, and 3/9 line over shoots

Advanced Maneuvers

Scissors

Split S / Immelman

High Yo-Yo

ACM Deep Dive Reference Material

The Art of the Kill

US Navy T-45 ACM, Flight Training Instruction Manual

Beyond Visual Range (BVR) - First See, First Shoot, First Kill

BVR engagements take place beyond the range of human eyesight. The most important aspect of a BVR engagement is target identification. A pilot must use every sensor and system in the Hornet to ensure he is not committing fratricide (blue on blue kill). BVR is very difficult to master, and forces you to trust the systems and sensors in the jet.

Systems and Sensors

CMQ’d pilots should be familiar with using the SA Page to build a picture of the battle space, use the attack radar in RWS and TWS modes, and follow the BVR timeline to engage enemy aircraft.

Situational Awareness (SA Page) - Ravagetalon Video Wags Auto IFF Video

Link 16 Datalink System

HAFUs

Identify Friend or Foe (IFF)

Attack Radar - VFA-14 Fajita - Hornet Radar (must watch)

Range While Scan (RWS)

Track while Scan (TWS)

Azimuth / Elevation (AZ/EL)

Weapons

CMQ’d pilot should be able to properly employ both AMRAMM and Sparrow missiles. Pilots should understand how the AIM-120 goes active or pit bull and the dangers of firing an one in the vicinity of friendly aircraft.

AIM-120 B/C AMRAAM - Wags Video

AIM-7 M / MH SParrow - Wags Video

BVR Fundamentals - BVR Fundamentals and TimeLine PPT

CMQ’s pilots should be familiar with using their own radar, Data link donors/AWACS to build a picture of the battle space. Pilots should be familiar with Picture callouts in both BRA vs Bullseye formats. Pilots should have a basic understanding of radar sorting (hi low scan), F-pole/Cranking, and Notching.

Bullseye - Tactical Pascal Video

F-pole / Crank - GS Video GS Video vs multiple targets

Notching - Jabbers Video

BVR Timeline - BVR Fundamentals and TimeLine PPT

CMQ’d pilots should be familiar enough with the BVR timeline to fly as a wingman in an engagement where lead is utilizing the timeline and appropriate callouts.

Types of Missions and ROEs - BVR Fundamentals and TimeLine PPT

CMQ’s pilots should be familiar with the common A/A mission tasking and Rules of Engagement (ROE)

Combat Air Patrol (CAP) and variants (BARCAP/TARCAP/RESCAP)

Fighter Sweep

Intercept

Escort

ROEs (Weapons Free, Tight, Hold)

BVR Advanced Techniques - (not required for sign off but should be taught)

CMQ Pilots should be familiar with some of the advanced BVR tactics. There is kneeboard in the pack with diagrams for each. PIlots should also understand the basic concepts for defeating an A/A MIssile fired at them

Offensive Split

Wide Azimuth

Grinder

Beam Deploy (Pincer)

Offensive fire and pump (Chainsaw)

Missile Defense - 167th VAR ppt