**3.4 Noncombat aircraft (NCA)**

The NCA are not designed for combat as their primary function but may carry weapons for self-defence. NCA mainly operate in support roles and may be developed by either military forces or civilian derivative aircraft (CDA). NCA military applications include many different types as discussed below [1, 5]:


**11**

applications are:

radar system.

*Military Aviation Principles*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87087*

**4. Rotary-wing aircraft (RWA)**

to turn the helicopter either left or right (yaw) [8].

**4.1 Military application of helicopters**

India uses IL-76 aircraft as an aerial fuel tanker.

3.*Air-to-air fuel tanker***—**air-to-air refuel procedure has become very popular in modern aviation and especially in military. In this, aviation fuel is transferred from one aircraft (tanker) to another aircraft (receiver). The aerial refueling permits the receiver aircraft to take off with greater payload (weapon, cargo or personnel) and less fuel to keep the AUW limitations. The aircraft after being airborne can be topped up with extra fuel by the tanker to increase the operational range or endurance for loiter on target location. However, both the receiver aircraft and the tanker have to be specially equipped with the precision probe and drogue system, where the receiving aircraft has fuel probe in the forward zone and the tanker is equipped with drogue to transfer the fuel.

4.*Other NCA roles*—military also uses many other aircrafts for noncombat operation. These include experimental aircraft, trainer (basic trainer and advanced trainer), reconnaissance and surveillance, search and rescue aircraft, etc.

A RWA (also known as helicopter) does not have wings, but its rotor blades perform an identical role of the wings of an aeroplane. When rotor blades spin, flow of air takes place over the wings or rotor blades—hence the name rotary-wing aircraft. The magnitude of the lift can be changed by altering the angle of attack (AOA) of air over the rotor blades. The AOA is changed by mechanically increasing or decreasing the rotor blade pitch angle. For this, the pilot uses a control called 'collective' which is on his left side in the cockpit. The pilot can change the altitude of flying as well as hover the helicopter at a place by operating the collective.

Another control known as 'cyclic' is used to move the helicopter in different directions. The cyclic is operated by the pilot using his right hand. When cyclic is operated, the pitch angle of the rotor blades is changed, but it alters each blade individually by a different amount. When cyclic is operated, the total vertical force produced by rotor blades is inclined, the vertical component keeps the helicopter afloat and horizontal component moves the helicopter in the desired direction. The helicopter cyclic control system is designed in such a way that when the cyclic is moved forward, the helicopter moves forwards, when it is moved sideways the helicopter moves sideways and when cyclic is moved aft the helicopter moves backwards (which a fixed wing aircraft cannot do). The third helicopter control is the yaw pedals. These alter the pitch angle of the tail rotor—the small rotor at the end of the helicopter. Doing this enables the pilot

The helicopter is a very useful machine for military applications. Due to its design features, helicopters can hover at a point, fly at very low altitude and above all take off from the land at any place it desires. Military helicopters are also installed with protective armor/windshield against bullets. Some of the typical

1.*Attack helicopter*—attack helicopters are used in the antitank and close support roles. These helicopters are equipped with antitank-guided missiles, guns and rockets. To enable them to find and identify their targets, some modern attack helicopters are equipped with very capable sensors such as a millimetre wave

**Figure 7.** *Military aircraft combat mission profiles (hi-lo-hi) [5].*

### *Military Aviation Principles DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87087*

*Military Engineering*

**3.4 Noncombat aircraft (NCA)**

b.Aircraft with higher ordnance (weapon payload) will have low ROA.

dropped and permit aircraft to run away from the area of action.

applications include many different types as discussed below [1, 5]:

d.Drop tank (D/T) increases ROA due to extra fuel, and D/T once empty can be

Many offensive attack missions are normally planned a mix of hi-lo-hi mission. A typical profile is shown in **Figure 7**. The F-16 Fighting Falcon has the combat radius of 550 km (340 mi) on a hi-lo-hi mission with six 450 kg (1000 lbs) bombs.

The NCA are not designed for combat as their primary function but may carry weapons for self-defence. NCA mainly operate in support roles and may be developed by either military forces or civilian derivative aircraft (CDA). NCA military

1.*Military transport (MT) aircraft***—**both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft are used for MT operation for transferring military personnel and cargo including military weapons and equipment for routine as well as urgent military operations. The operations may include rescue, tactical and strategic airlifts onto places with unprepared or semi-prepared runways. The transfers are effected to forward bases as well as areas where commercial air operations are not available.

2.*Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C)*— is an airborne platform equipped with radar, electronic intelligence (ELINT), gathered through sensors to monitor communication and radar emissions and electronic support measure (ESM) system designed to detect aircraft, ships and vehicles at long ranges and perform command and control of battle management (C2BM) in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack aircraft strikes. As the aircraft flies at altitude, the radar and other sensors have better visibility, and the onboard processor can detect, identify and track both ground and slow-moving targets. Thus, AEW&C units carry out surveillance and using the command data link act as C2BM. The AEW&C aircraft are equipped with EW system and self-protective jammers so as not to be vulnerable to counter-attack. Airborne warning and control system (AWACS) is the name of the specific system installed in the E-3 and Japanese Boeing E-767 aircraft but is often used as a general synonym for AEW&C. The Indian Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is developing AEW&C on Embraer ERJ145 platform.

c.A high-level mission will have higher radius of action.

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**Figure 7.**

*Military aircraft combat mission profiles (hi-lo-hi) [5].*

