전투기 1992년 토네이도 F3 vs. 미라지 2000C

[백선호]

영국공군의 Tornado F3 WSO였던 David Gledhill이 Operational Tests라는 책에 쓴 것인데 1992년 5월 어느 날 프랑스공군의 Mirage 2000C 2대와 1대2로 모의 교전할 때 이 두 기종의 특성에 맞게 교전할 계획을 짜고 하다가 갑자기 레이다는 제대로 작동하지 않고 구름 없는 곳에서만 기동을 하도록 강제한 평시의 훈련 규정 때문에 구름이 낀 저고도로 도망을 가지도 못해 분하게(?) 깨진 경험입니다.

이 날 일기예보는 맑음이었지만 북해로 가 보니 약 25,000 피트까지 구름이 있었고 (the cloud was solid up into the mid-20s), 저고도 침투에 특화된 Tornado GR1에서 파생된 Tornado F3는 이 고도에서 나는데 문제가 없었지만 일단 기동을 시작하면 커다란 수평 꼬리날개가 항력을 일으키고 Turbo Union RB199 터보팬 엔진은 고도와 속도를 그대로 유지할 수 있는 힘이 없는데, 상대인 Mirage 2000C는 날개가 커서 높은 고도일수록 잘 기동하고 bypass ratio가 낮아서 (M53은 0.36, RB199는 1.1) 터보제트에 가까운 SNECMA M53 터보팬도 높은 고도에 맞춰진 엔진이라서 높은 고도로 올라갈수록 Tornado F3가 불리했습니다.

그래서 Tornado F3는 고도 20,000 피트에서 날며 빠르게 접근해서 더 높이 30,000 피트에 있는 Mirage 2000C를 향해 아래에서 위로 Skyflash 반능동 레이다 유도 미사일을 BVR로 쏜 다음 Mirage 2000C들과의 WVR 전투에 말려들지 않고 그대로 빠져나갈 계획을 짰습니다.

Tornado F3는 미리 생각한 계획대로 Mirage 2000C 2대에게 정면으로 접근하며 Foxhunter 레이다로 쉽게 탐지했고, Mirage 2000C들이 Skyflash의 최대 사거리 안에 들어올 때까지 레이다는 TWS 모드에 두고 다음에 둘 중에 하나 골라 lock-on하고 Skyflash를 아래에서 위로 쏘려고 준비하고 있었는데

이 때까지는 계획대로 잘 되었지만 결정적인 순간에 갑자기 Foxhunter 레이다가 고장이 나면서 Skyflash는 쏘지도 못하고 불리한 고도에서 Mirage 2000C 2대와 WVR 전투에 말려들게 되었습니다. 실전이라면 아래의 구름 속으로 빠르게 내려가 도망가려고 했겠지만 평시의 훈련 규정 때문에 그렇게 하지는 못하고 질 것이 뻔한 싸움에 말려 들어가 지고 말았지요.

As an opponent, the Mirage F1 was in one league but later, I was to find out that the Mirage 2000 is in an entirely different league. Sometimes, the best laid plans go wrong. One May afternoon in 1992, We briefed for a two versus two air combat sortie on the North Sea ACMI range, with two Mirage 2000s of the French Air Force. The weather forecast indicated that the range would be clear of cloud with good visibility, and so ideal for the planned sortie. We briefed and walked as a pair, but our number two had a snag so we took off as a single ship. It was now a one versus two. In the cockpit, we discussed a couple of game plans as we transited to the range.

 
The RAF has strict rules about air combat training, designed to keep everyone safe based on years of learning from mistakes. Principal among them are the weather rules. You may not start an air combat engagement - aggressively manoeuvre against each other - unless you can see the horizon and the sky is clear of cloud. As we entered the ACMI range on that May afternoon, the cloud was solid up into the mid-20s, contrary to the forecast. Now, the F3 can fly around at altitude with no problem. However, once that huge tailplane starts working hard and generating drag, the RB199s do not produce enough puff to maintain either the speed, the altitude, or both. Furthermore, with its huge delta wing, the Mirage 2000 loves to manoeuvre at altitude and was born to do it. Time for another revision of the game plan. Ours involved rushing in fast, and taking a Skyflash shot head on from below, then extending through the merge, going fast and as low as the cloud would allow. We started from the south, accelerating towards the Mirages who we found easily enough on the radar flying in battle formation in the low 30s, just below contrail level. Staying in track-while-scan mode until just before the maximum range for Skyflash we had a good air picture and we had offset them to our right side to make them do a little work if they wanted to take a shot with a radar-guided missile. We selected the target, locked the radar to the one we wanted to shoot, and then committed to a Skyflash shot with a front quarter aspect and a little look up. This was an ideal set up for the Skyflash and all was going to plan, until the radar decided to sulk. It failed unexpectedly and with it, the Skyflash shot and with them, the plan. We were in the heart of the territory you do not want to enter in a Tornado versus two Mirage 2000s. Close to a merge, above cloud, too high for best performance and outnumbered. For real we could have dived into the cloud, but sticking to the rules we became engaged in a manoeuvring fight with a more agile opponent in the environment he loves. The outcome was inevitable.

 
Once the fuel gauge told us to go home, we cleared the range and the airway, burst into clear skies near the Lincolnshire coast, and looked for a passing Jaguar to take out our frustration on. No such luck that day, and we landed back at base after a seventy-minute flight. To emphasise the defeat, we had the pleasure of watching the whole thing again on the ACMI replay.