Sun position (air combat)
Encyclopedia
The sun position in aerial combat is the pilot's ability to position the aircraft
relative to the sun
in relationship to the position of the enemy aircraft.
The sun position has had different application to different generations of aircraft. During the period when the dogfight
dominated air combat, it was used to make visibility and acquisition
of own aircraft difficult for the enemy if the sun was behind own aircraft. With the introduction of infrared homing
air-to-air missile
s, the use of the sun by the pilot was used to confuse the missile guidance
system.
The advantages of the sun position were realised early in the history of aerial warfare and is included in the first rule of the Dicta Boelcke
.
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
relative to the sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
in relationship to the position of the enemy aircraft.
The sun position has had different application to different generations of aircraft. During the period when the dogfight
Dogfight
A dogfight, or dog fight, is a form of aerial combat between fighter aircraft; in particular, combat of maneuver at short range, where each side is aware of the other's presence. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane...
dominated air combat, it was used to make visibility and acquisition
Targeting (warfare)
Targeting is the process used to select objects or installations to be attacked, taken, or destroyed in warfare.Technologically advanced countries can generally select their targets in such a way as to minimize collateral damage and civilian casualties. This can fall by the wayside, however, during...
of own aircraft difficult for the enemy if the sun was behind own aircraft. With the introduction of infrared homing
Infrared homing
Infrared homing refers to a passive missile guidance system which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum to track and follow it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers", since infrared is just below the...
air-to-air missile
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
s, the use of the sun by the pilot was used to confuse the missile guidance
Missile guidance
Missile guidance refers to a variety of methods of guiding a missile or a guided bomb to its intended target. The missile's target accuracy is a critical factor for its effectiveness...
system.
The advantages of the sun position were realised early in the history of aerial warfare and is included in the first rule of the Dicta Boelcke
Dicta Boelcke
The Dicta Boelcke is a list of fundamental aerial maneuvers of aerial combat formulated by the first great German flying ace of the First World War, Oswald Boelcke.-1. Try to secure the upper hand before attacking...
.