monkey wrote:
"Thomas Schoene" wrote in message
link.net...
"tw" wrote in message

First off, why "fox"? "Fire one" - "F- One" - "Foxtrot One"-
"Fox
one"?

Secondly, in "Sea Harrier Over the Falklands" Ward describes Fox 2
as
denoting a missile launch from astern the target at one point and a
heat seeking missile launch at another (which could presumably be
head on with an AIM9L). From what I have read about SEA, it seems to
me that "Fox 1" was used when launching a Sparrow/SARH and "Fox 2"
when launching a 'winder/heat seeker, and "Fox 3" for guns. Is this
generally correct? What would an F 14 pilot call when launching a
phoenix? Fox 1, I presume.

IIRC, Phoenix is Fox 3; AMRAAM is Fox 4. (You really need a unique
call for
an active radar missile, since it will behave differently and can't
be
called off at a certain point). Guns is "guns, guns, guns" (if you
call it
at all; I get the impresion it tends to be omitted in the heat of the
action.)

Finally, why make the call at all? It seems redundant - the chap
being fired at will know soon enough, and it isn't really anyone
else's concern is it? (or if it is, there isn't much they can do
about it)

Everyone else in the fight needs to know there's a missile in the
air so
they don't stumble across in front of it. Missiles tend to be
non-discriminating killers.

Also, in peacetime training, it alerts participants to a simulated
launch so
they can behave accordingly.

--�
Tom Schoene Replace "invalid" with "net" to e-mail
"If brave men and women never died, there would be nothing
special about bravery." -- Andy Rooney (attributed)

in our flying we use fox 2 for ir missile, fox one for semiactive
(sparrow), fox three for active (amraam). a guns shot can be called
with "guns" or "trigger/trigger down" for a tracking shot, or "snap"
for a high angle snapshot.

Thanks for a different perspective. Out of curiouosity, where is "our
flying"? (your e-mail address doesn't indicate).

The US Navy may have had to adopt a scheme using Fox 4 because it operates
Sidewinder, Sparrow, Phoenix, and AMRAAM all at the same time. Each has
distinctly different issues to worry about. Or perhaps I've just picked up
some bad gouge somewhere. Always possible.

FWIW, I've also heard Fox 4 for ramming attacks in the continental air
defense role, but I really suspect that's an urban legend.

--
Tom Schoene Replace "invalid" with "net" to e-mail
"If brave men and women never died, there would be nothing
special about bravery." -- Andy Rooney (attributed)