Combat air patrol (CAP) is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft. A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area, over the force protected, over the critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile aircraft before they reach their target. Combat air patrols apply to both overland and overwater operations, protecting other aircraft, fixed and mobile sites on land, or ships at sea.
Known by the acronym CAP, it typically entails fighters flying a tactical pattern around or screening a defended target, while looking for incoming attackers. Effective CAP patterns may include aircraft positioned at both high and low altitudes, in order to shorten response times when an attack is detected. Modern CAPs are either GCI or AWACS-controlled to provide maximum early warning for defensive reaction.
The first CAPs were characteristic of aircraft carrier operations, where CAPs were flown to protect a carrier battle group, but the term has become generic to both land-based and naval flight operations. Capping operations differ from fighter escorts in that the CAP force is not tied to the group it is protecting, is not limited in altitudes and speeds it flies, and has tactical flexibility to engage a threat. Fighter escorts typically stay with the asset they are supporting and at the speed of the supported group, as a final reactive force against a close threat. When an escort engages, the supported force is left unprotected.
This section applies only to United States forces. Numerous types of combat air patrols have been employed by US military forces since World War II:
BARCAP: "Barrier Combat Air Patrol", in fleet terms, a mission flown between a carrier battle group and the direction from which it is most likely that an enemy attack will come. Also refers to fighter aircraft placed between a friendly strike force and an area of expected airborne threat, also known as a "MiG screen".
CAP/Strike: Aircraft with a primary CAP role and a secondary strike role; such aircraft are permitted to jettison strike ordnance and actively pursue any enemy aircraft sighted, and are not restricted to defensive encounters.
FastCAP: Combat air patrol to protect fighter strike aircraft.
FORCAP: "Force Combat Air Patrol", a patrol of fighters maintained over the strike force, essentially an escort.
HAVCAP: "High Asset Value Combat Air Patrol", flown to protect a "high-value asset" such as an AWACS or J-STARS aircraft, aerial refueling aircraft, or intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft during its specific time on station. Also called HVAACAP for High Value Airborne Asset CAP.[2][3]
JACKCAP: Combat air patrol covering four quadrants with another outer screen[1]
MiGCAP: Used primarily during the Vietnam War, a MiGCAP is directed specifically against MiG aircraft. MiGCAP during Operation Linebacker became highly organized and threefold:
an ingress MiGCAP of 2–3 flights (8–12 fighters) that preceded the first supporting forces such as chaff bombers or SAM suppressors and remained until they departed the hostile zone;
a target area MiGCAP of at least 2 flights that immediately preceded the actual strikers; and
an egress MiGCAP of 1 or 2 flights that arrived on station at the projected exit point ten minutes prior to the earliest egress time. All egress MiGCAP flights were fully fueled from tankers and relieved the target area CAP.
RESCAP: "Rescue Combat Air Patrol", a fighter force, often drawn from aircraft already in the area, used to protect personnel on the ground (such as downed pilots) from ground threats, as well as combat search and rescue aircraft or other rescue forces from both ground and air threats.
SARCAP: "Search and Rescue Combat Air Patrol", an earlier version of RESCAP.
Strike/CAP: Aircraft with a primary strike role and a secondary air defense role, permitted to jettison strike ordnance and engage enemy aircraft only if directly attacked. Strike/CAP aircraft also have an egress CAP role once strike ordnance has been delivered on target.
TARCAP: "Target Combat Air Patrol" is flown over or near a strike target in order to protect specialized attack aircraft such as AC-130 gunships from enemy fighters.
^ abcdeReynolds, Clark G. (1968). The Fast Carriers: The Forging of an Air Navy. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company. p. 290.
^"All Weather Intercept (AWI) Flight Training Instruction" (PDF). U.S. Navy. 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
^Samborowski, Leonard J. (1992). The Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System: Can Procedures be Developed to Support the Requirements of the Land And Air Component Commanders?(PDF). Defense Technical Information Center (Thesis). U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
Griffith, Paddy (1991). The Ultimate Weaponry. Sidgwick & Jackson.
January 01, 1970
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This article is about a type of flying mission For the video game see Combat Air Patrol computer game This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Combat air patrol news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message Combat air patrol CAP is a type of flying mission for fighter aircraft A combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol provided over an objective area over the force protected over the critical area of a combat zone or over an air defense area for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile aircraft before they reach their target Combat air patrols apply to both overland and overwater operations protecting other aircraft fixed and mobile sites on land or ships at sea Two F 15 Eagles from the Massachusetts Air National Guard s 102nd Fighter Wing fly a combat air patrol mission over New York City in support of Operation Noble Eagle Known by the acronym CAP it typically entails fighters flying a tactical pattern around or screening a defended target while looking for incoming attackers Effective CAP patterns may include aircraft positioned at both high and low altitudes in order to shorten response times when an attack is detected Modern CAPs are either GCI or AWACS controlled to provide maximum early warning for defensive reaction The first CAPs were characteristic of aircraft carrier operations where CAPs were flown to protect a carrier battle group but the term has become generic to both land based and naval flight operations Capping operations differ from fighter escorts in that the CAP force is not tied to the group it is protecting is not limited in altitudes and speeds it flies and has tactical flexibility to engage a threat Fighter escorts typically stay with the asset they are supporting and at the speed of the supported group as a final reactive force against a close threat When an escort engages the supported force is left unprotected Contents 1 CAP types 2 See also 3 References 4 Further readingCAP types editThis section applies only to United States forces Numerous types of combat air patrols have been employed by US military forces since World War II BARCAP Barrier Combat Air Patrol in fleet terms a mission flown between a carrier battle group and the direction from which it is most likely that an enemy attack will come Also refers to fighter aircraft placed between a friendly strike force and an area of expected airborne threat also known as a MiG screen BATCAP evening combat air patrol 1 CAP Strike Aircraft with a primary CAP role and a secondary strike role such aircraft are permitted to jettison strike ordnance and actively pursue any enemy aircraft sighted and are not restricted to defensive encounters DADCAP Dawn to dusk combat air patrol 1 FastCAP Combat air patrol to protect fighter strike aircraft FORCAP Force Combat Air Patrol a patrol of fighters maintained over the strike force essentially an escort HAVCAP High Asset Value Combat Air Patrol flown to protect a high value asset such as an AWACS or J STARS aircraft aerial refueling aircraft or intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ISR aircraft during its specific time on station Also called HVAACAP for High Value Airborne Asset CAP 2 3 JACKCAP Combat air patrol covering four quadrants with another outer screen 1 MiGCAP Used primarily during the Vietnam War a MiGCAP is directed specifically against MiG aircraft MiGCAP during Operation Linebacker became highly organized and threefold an ingress MiGCAP of 2 3 flights 8 12 fighters that preceded the first supporting forces such as chaff bombers or SAM suppressors and remained until they departed the hostile zone a target area MiGCAP of at least 2 flights that immediately preceded the actual strikers and an egress MiGCAP of 1 or 2 flights that arrived on station at the projected exit point ten minutes prior to the earliest egress time All egress MiGCAP flights were fully fueled from tankers and relieved the target area CAP RAPCAP Radar picket combat air patrol 1 RESCAP Rescue Combat Air Patrol a fighter force often drawn from aircraft already in the area used to protect personnel on the ground such as downed pilots from ground threats as well as combat search and rescue aircraft or other rescue forces from both ground and air threats SARCAP Search and Rescue Combat Air Patrol an earlier version of RESCAP SCOCAP Scouting combat air patrol 1 Slow CAP A combat air patrol to protect slower aircraft such as the EA 3B EKA 3B P 3A P 3B EB 66 RB 66 B 52 or EC 121 during the Vietnam War replaced by HAVCAP Strike CAP Aircraft with a primary strike role and a secondary air defense role permitted to jettison strike ordnance and engage enemy aircraft only if directly attacked Strike CAP aircraft also have an egress CAP role once strike ordnance has been delivered on target TARCAP Target Combat Air Patrol is flown over or near a strike target in order to protect specialized attack aircraft such as AC 130 gunships from enemy fighters See also editIndex of aviation articles List of aviation avionics aerospace and aeronautical abbreviations List of established military terms Glossary of military abbreviations Counter air patrolReferences edit a b c d e Reynolds Clark G 1968 The Fast Carriers The Forging of an Air Navy New York McGraw Hill Book Company p 290 All Weather Intercept AWI Flight Training Instruction PDF U S Navy 2017 Retrieved 13 August 2020 Samborowski Leonard J 1992 The Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System Can Procedures be Developed to Support the Requirements of the Land And Air Component Commanders PDF Defense Technical Information Center Thesis U S Army Command and General Staff College Archived PDF from the original on November 1 2019 Retrieved 13 August 2020 This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations June 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message Further reading editFutrell L Frank et al 1976 United States Air Force in Southeast Asia Aces and Aerial Victories 1965 1973 Air University Headquarters USAF on line edition Griffith Paddy 1991 The Ultimate Weaponry Sidgwick amp Jackson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Combat air patrol amp oldid 1172727900, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
