"Engage defensive"

[Bayonet]

Hello Forum.

While flying as #3 in a four ship bombing mission, I heard “engage defensive” repeatedly.
At that time there were no threats appearing in the RWR.
A visual scan spotted nothing.
The other three aircraft (AI) jinked around dropping flares.
After about a minute they continued normal flight.

Why is “engage defensive” called with no obvious threat and what is the normal procedure on hearing that call?

Thanks

Bayonet.

[DBond]

I suspect they were engaged by IR SAMs.

Should be in the log?

[Agave_Blue]

“Engaged Defensive” …. I am being engaged and I am defensive.

Defensive from what … :noidea: … engaged by what … :noidea: .

[Rioevcfenix]

Engaging defensive does not always mean you’re the target under attack, it may be the AI situational awareness. Something is going on nearby and to avoid a dangerous situation, your flight lead tells you to engane defensive. Maybe an aircraft from other flight is under attack or evading missiles in the area; triple A under your aircraft and as you couldn’t see it, you were unable to figure out the defensive order etc… Of course, this is for medium and high altitude flying, if you’re flying low and hear something like “engage defensive or sam launch”, NO MATTER WHAT YOU’RE DOING: ENGAGE DEFENSIVE!!!

[av8orfliboy]

The “engaged defensive” call is not a flight command, it’s an informational call to let everyone else in the flight know the pilot making the call has been engaged and is going defensive. Do with that as you will, but continuing on leaves you vulnerable and likely alone… if you have harms and SA on the shooter, you could engage prior to setting up a rejoin. If you don’t have SA, you might consider going defensive on the threat you don’t see but has probably launched on you.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bayonet]

Thanks Agave Blue, the clarification that the word is “engagED” explains a lot.
As av8orfliboy says “it is not a flight command”

Thanks,

Bayonet.

[Rioevcfenix]

Actually it is a flight command

[bbostjan]

@Bayonet:

Thanks Agave Blue, the clarification that the word is “engagED” explains a lot.
As av8orfliboy says “it is not a flight command”

Thanks,

Bayonet.

I thought he was talking about his spouse. :dhorse: