I 



2-3] AIRCRAFT CARRIER TASK FORCE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM 53 



(2) To provide target data for the ship-based combat information center 

 (CIC), which supplies vectoring information to piloted interceptors 

 and guidance information to ship-based missile radars. 



Two combat air patrols (CAP) are maintained. Each CAP contains 6 

 all-weather interceptor aircraft. In addition, interceptors may be launched 

 at a maximum rate of 1 per minute from each of the two carriers during 

 attack conditions. Aircraft availability limits the total number of deck- 

 launched interceptors to 36. 



During an attack, only one CAP (6 aircraft) engages the raid; the other 

 is held in reserve to guard against attacks from other directions. Thus, a 

 maximum of 42 interceptors can be used to engage a raid. 



The interceptors are armed with air-to-air guided missiles and are 

 required to perform the interception function at altitudes from sea level to 

 60,000 ft. 



An optimum battle-control and communications system is assumed. 

 This is to say, the deployment of interceptors by CIC is such that any 

 interceptor which enters the interceptor zone is able to make an attack so 

 long as there are targets within the zone. As will be shown later, system 

 performance is sensitively affected by this assumption, which represents a 

 condition most difficult to realize in practice. 



Airborne Early Warning System (Fig. 2-4). The basic functions of 

 the AEW system have been described. 



The carrier-based aircraft available for this purpose is assumed to be 

 capable of housing an antenna with a maximum dimension of 12 ft in the 

 mushroomlike appendage shown. 



The exact disposition of the AEW aircraft and the AEW radar and data 

 processing requirements will be determined by study. 



A major unknown is the contribution of AEW target information accu- 

 racy to interceptor effectiveness. 



Interceptor Aircraft System (Fig. 2-5). The known and unknown 

 characteristics are defined as shown. The determination of detailed radar 

 requirements will require an analysis of the dynamics of the closed-loop 

 system formed by the target, the interceptor, the pilot, and the AI radar 

 and fire-control system. 



The interrelationships among the aircraft system, the air-to-air missile 

 system, and attack tactics are also unknown and must be analyzed as a 

 prelude to the ascertainment of radar requirements. 



A major unknown, to be determined by the system study, is the con- 

 tribution of vectoring accuracy to interceptor effectiveness. 



