Calculating release intervals & TOT

[WelshZeCorgi]

As a RIO, I wanted to know how to calculate release intervals to control the distance between each bomb and the TOT so that I can figure out the speed needed to reach a waypoint in the Flightplan (strike target, waypoint, CAP point.) at the correct, scheduled time.

 

I tried googling it but couldn't find anything. Wanted to know if anyone knew the formulas.

Edited March 9, 2020 by WelshZeCorgi

[Spiceman]

Ripple distance depends on speed. Just do the math and make yourself a cheat sheet. That’s what they had IRL. Take your speed in knots (NM per hour), divide by 60 (NM per minute), multiply by 6000 (feet per minute), divide by 60 (feet per second), divide by 1000 (feet per millisecond). So every knot is .0017 feet per millisecond. If you’re doing 500 knots, it’s 0.85 feet per millisecond. 100ms would be 85 foot spacing.

 

For TOT, let your mission planning software do it for you (I recommend Combat Flite), or do the math again to plan your push time and then ground speed between waypoints to hit them at the time you want. Same math process as above to get NM per minute, or per second if you choose. If you hook a waypoint in flight and press RNG on the CAP, you’ll get Time To Go to that waypoint on your TID.

[charenton]

I love the math, by other ...pilot!

[draconus]

For intervals use chart in the kneeboard. For mission planning use ME.