*** Posted by Lorenzo ***
Hi RUN,

Thanks for your coments regarding the SOI, it helped alot. Good news also that your F-16's are being updated, I am sure you will adapt to the using the MDF's in no time, though it may take a little getting used to. I was talking about a year ago with an American F16 pilot at Farnborough airshow and he was explaining to me that he did have some small problems working with the MDF's but he said that all pilot's have their stories to tell about the SOI system some stories funny, some angry.

OK, about the A-A combat situation (Hypathetically). Say for instance your on your way into North Kosovo with you as lead and just one wingman. You have been given an interdiction mission and have been briefed about all the threat's and your target area. Your about 25k's from your target area and you know your looking for ground units and to attack them once they have been identified. Your at about 12000 feet when you get a message from your awacs that you are to intercept two incoming Mig-29,s at 15000 feet and they are about 19 miles away and closing fast on your package. Your wingman has been ordered to carry on with the breifed flight plan. Your armed with AIM 9, but because your mission was in fact a ground based attack you have got mainly LGB's and two external fuel tanks, no long range missles, so you know that your F-16 is also going to be a bit slugish on the handling. Your on your own. OK, they are now at ten miles but the reason they have not engaged you is because they to are on a ground attack mission and have a similar armament to your own aircraft and you are heading directly for one another.

Now I know that it is important to take at least one of the MIG's out but the problem is if I engage one of the MIG's I know that the other MIG's is trying to get on my tail and shoot me down while the other plays decoy. This is what I do. When they are about 3 miles out (heading straight for me) they will split forcing me to follow one of them. I have turned well and I find that the MIG I am chasing is almost on my nose. I lock him up with the radar with one of my AIM and then I find the other MIG right on my tail and I have to break right or left to get away before he takes a shot. I keep getting myself in this situation and have found that the only way I can stop them from shooting me down for a little while at least is by turning in circles while keeping my eye on the MIG's. Eventually they will get a shot at me and I have to Eject.

What am I doing wrong?

Look forward to hearing from you.

Rapier