Beyond-visual-range (BVR) fighting did not emerge as a significant aspect of aerial warfare until the 1950s, but it has become increasingly important as detection technology has advanced.
The recent air battle between India and Pakistan has raised public awareness for air-to-air combat—understandable, given that last week’s engagement was the biggest air battle in a generation.
But last week’s air battle probably looked quite a bit different than what the average person imagines when he or she imagines a “dogfight.”
Popular media has informed this conception of an air battle; most people think of two, or perhaps more, jets flying around one another, trying to maneuver into position behind the other in order to shoot it down. That’s what we see in Top Gun. And this certainly is a form of air battle—indeed the type of combat that persisted throughout World War I and World War II, when the popular understanding of an air battle was mostly formed. But the form of dogfighting that existed during the world wars, or is depicted in Top Gun, is simply one classification of air-to-air combat, known as WVR (within-visual-range). The form of combat that took place between Indian and Pakistani forces last week was not WVR, but rather BVR (beyond-visual-range). Understanding the two forms of air-to-air combat, and the differences between them, is critical to understanding what happened last week along the border of India and Pakistan.
Within Visual Range: The Classic Dogfight
As the name suggests, WVR occurs when combatants are within visual range of one another—that is, they can see each other with their eyes. WVR is your classic “dogfighting.” It is far and above what most people think of when they think of an aerial “dogfight,” owing to popular cultural depictions. Top Gun, Iron Eagle, Pearl Harbor, Independence Day—that’s all WVR.
Of course, before the advent of long-range missile technology, all fighting was WVR. So the fighting that took place in the skies during the two World Wars was entirely WVR.
When aircraft engage in WVR, the emphasis is on maintaining visual contact and gaining a favorable position on your opponent. WVR becomes extremely tactical, with pilots engaging in basic fighter maneuvers (BFM). The tactics can of course be either offensive or defensive in nature, and serve to get behind and/or above the opponent.
Beyond Visual Range: What Happened Over the India-Pakistan Border
BVR air combat occurs when combatants cannot see one another, typically beyond 10 nautical miles—which is what happened last week when Pakistani and Indian air forces stayed on their respective sides of the border, yet still engaged one another.
BVR requires both long-range detection and long-range offensive weaponry. To detect the location of adversaries under BVR conditions, aircraft are primarily dependent upon onboard radar, but can also rely upon data links from other aircraft or other external radar sources (airborne or ground-based).
Once an adversary has been detected, BVR engagement is dependent upon long-range air-to-air missiles, typically with a range in excess of 40 kilometers. The air-to-air missiles rely on radar homing themselves in order to close on a target. Examples of long-range air-to-air missiles include the AIM-120 AMRAAM and the AIM-7 Sparrow.
BVR did not emerge as a significant aspect of aerial warfare until the 1950s, but it has become increasingly important as detection technology has advanced. Indeed, missile-centric air combat appears to be the new norm, and as long-range stand-off technology continues to improve, may eventually become the exclusive form of air combat.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the U.S. Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Image: Shutterstock / Soos Jozsef.
