There are no bands and cheerleaders; the arena is almost 100 miles away from Tyndall; and the meet takes place in a tri-dimensional area 125 miles by 175 miles by 50,000 feet. No fans see the competition held in the blue skies above the Gulf of Mexico. The score is verified only by judges flying in supersonic aircraft and by electronic and optical computers designed to register scoring hits.
It's the biennial "William Tell '76" meet named after the Swiss archer whose exercise of freedom caused his apple-splitting feat to become a legend to freedom lovers down through history.
William Tell '76 has all the aspects of fierce competition among highly trained teams flying sophisticated supersonic aircraft. Yet it is not a game. The effort and objectives of the meet revolve around the deadly serious mission of defending the skies over the North American continent and in many areas of the free world.
William Tell simulates combat in that the participants know they may be called upon at any time to engage target aircraft trying to penetrate their home area.
William Tell is a practice in survival.... survival of the aircrew but also survival of those who depend upon the air defense forces. It is a practice competition for winning a battle in which second place is disaster. It is a meet with a mission. Four separate profiles are flown, each incorporating a different target or tactic of aerial interception. Everything is scored - weapons controllers at their radar scopes, aircraft maintenance, and weapons systems technicians. The overall team performance contributes to a team's point total.
PROFILE I (Front/Stern Reattack)
Each interceptor will be guided by its ground control team for a front, head-to-head attack against a drone target flying at medium altitude above 400 knots. The aircraft and drone target will be approaching each other at combined speeds of almost 900 knots. The pilot will be required to track the target by a prescribed distance. Airborne detection, however, is much greater than this. After the pilot acquires and tracks the target, missiles or rockets will be launched at the proper distance. Usually, this distance is determined by on-board computers, depending on altitude, speed, closure rates, and attack geometry.
If the first attack does not destroy the target drone, the pilot will reattack by repositioning aircraft for a stern attack. The stern attack requires the interceptor crew to make hard turns, generally, in excess of 3 Gs, (or three times the normal body weight). If the reattack is successful, another missile or rocket can be fired with a minimum of target travel distance.
PROFILE II (Low)
Each interceptor will be committed on a stern attack on a low altitude, towed target at an unspecified altitude. The towed target, either the TDU-25, for the F-101 and F-106, or the TDU-9 for the F-4, is a small unpowered fiberglass target towed behind an F-101 on 26,000 feet of cable. The TDU-25 incorporates a constant heat source to simulate the infrared radiation of a jet aircraft. The TDU-9 incorporates a traveling wave tube to provide a constant source of energy for radar missiles. Infrared missiles are fired at the TDU-25 and radar missiles at the TDU-9. Like their powered big brother, the Firebee, it has radar reflectors to make it appear bomber size target on radar scopes.
PROFILE III (High Front)
This profile uses, for the first time, the BQM-34F, a supersonic drone, and is designed as a minimum time intercept from a scramble status. Each interceptor will be committed on a front attack against a high-altitude Firebee. Target altitude will be 50,000 feet minimum at mach 1.2. Each aircraft will be allowed only one engagement against the target.
PROFILE IV (F-101/106 ECM)
No armament will be fired on this mission. Targets will be manned EB-57s and F-101 aircraft equipped with radar detection devices (jammers and chaff) and radar confusing devices. These targets will be difficult to find since their altitude and speed will be unknown until the fighters are airborne. The attack geometry will vary depending on altitude and angle from which the fighter attacks. To make this profile even more difficult, radar ground control teams will be required to commit two fighters simultaneously against the EB-57 and F-101.
PROFILE IV (Hook/ID)
Profile IV for the F-4 will require the identification of a Firebee by tail number before receiving permission to fire. A pair of F-4s (Eyeball and Shooter) will depart in formation, with the Eyeball identifying the large number painted on the tail of the drone. The Shooter will position for a stern firing position. If the number called to the ground by the Eyeball is correct, a cleared to arm and fire will be called. At that time, the drone target will begin a 3G turn and the shooter will fire, attempting to destroy the drone.
Scores of these four profiles will be pooled for the team score.
Other scored items will be radar intercept directions, radio
transmission, and takeoff times. Radar intercept directors manning
automated or manual command and control consoles at the Air Defense
Weapons Center at Tyndall will be scored on their ability to guide
the interceptors to the target. The judges for the William Tell
Competition are tasked with computing scores, deciding points, and
arbitrating disputes to choose the winning teams for the weapons
meet. Their decisions are final.
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