An AI AAR Affair... that Fails.

[Bowie]

An AI AAR Affair... that Fails.

Situation:

Three division of Marine A-4C's out of Chu Lai SATS (Rota), one fully fueled BarCAP and a coupla CAS loaded w/ a 25% fuel state.

All have mission waypoints South, in the Central Highlands (Guam).

A KC-130 is first off, w/ a 34 NM racetrack station at 16,000 ft just North.

A second station, 60 NM long and directly above at 18,000 ft, is manned by a KC-135MPRS out of Da Nang (Gurguan Point), along w/ two sections of "Skoshi Tiger" F-5E's as escort, and an additional division as BarCAP to back the Marines.

 

The first Track is both tankers on station.

Fighters join up and engage perfectly, and then form up on the tankers, and not continue on their mission route.

 

The second Track is the exact same mission, sans the second, 18,000 ft station out of Da Nang.

First division leader and wingman, while in queue behind the second division, first to arrive on the now singular low station, appear to line up on the same drogue, and the attempt to occupy the same airspace at the same time, fun and high-jinks ensue.

This happens all the time.

Then the other section of that lead division go kinda crazy.

Then they too merge, and appear to be mating.

Along the way, the MiG's break through the cap on this instance, a rarity, with the expected results before being driven off.

The Fighters again join up on the tanker, and fail to continue their mission route.

 

Tanker Love.trk

Tanker Hate.trk

 

Please advise.

 

Bowie