Combat Air Patrol: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:49, 17 April 2006

The combat air patrol ("CAP") is a part of a battlestar's early warning network and defensive posture in protecting the Fleet.

CAP typically consists of two Vipers flying a designated pattern in and around the Fleet in order to provide an immediate spaceborne response to incoming threats. CAP flights may sometimes be accompanied by a Raptor, particularly if trouble is anticipated.

It is possible that more than one CAP may be flown at a time, with Vipers positioned at different distances from the Fleet, and occupying different "orbits" around the fleet.

CAP flights are generally backed-up by the Alert Fighters on Galactica (33).

Notes

On Earth, the term "combat air patrol" is most frequently applied to fighter aircraft patrols guarding a carrier battle group; however, it applies equally to flights guarding a fixed land target, other vessels at sea, and (least commonly) slower, more vulnerable aircraft. Series information notes the existence of battlestar groups, which are analogous to carrier battle groups, so the use of CAPs in the series likely parallels real CAPs.

It should be noted that there are two other, less common standard names for types of air patrols which may have parallels in the Re-imagined Series:

BARCAP or BARrier Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown between the guarded and the likely origin of an attack
TARCAP or TARget Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown near a target to protect the attack aircraft from air-to-air attack

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''Combat Air Patrol''' ("CAP") are part of battlestar ''[[Galactica]]'s'' early warning and defensive posture in protecting [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]].
+The '''combat air patrol''' ("CAP") is a part of a battlestar's early warning network and defensive posture in protecting [[The Fleet (RDM)|the Fleet]].
 CAP typically consists of two [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]]s flying a designated pattern in and around the Fleet in order to provide an immediate spaceborne response to incoming threats. CAP flights may sometimes be accompanied by a [[Raptor]], particularly if trouble is anticipated.
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 === Notes ===
-On Earth, the term "[[Wikipedia:Combat Air Patrol|combat air patrol]]" is most frequently applied to fighter aircraft patrols guarding a [[Wikipedia:Carrier battle group|carrier battle group]]; however, it applies equally to flights guarding a fixed land target, other vessels at sea, and (least commonly) slower, more vulnerable aircraft. Series information notes the existence of ''battlestar groups'', which are analogous to carrier battle groups, so the use of CAPs in the series may parallel real-world CAPs.
+On Earth, the term "[[Wikipedia:Combat Air Patrol|combat air patrol]]" is most frequently applied to fighter aircraft patrols guarding a [[Wikipedia:Carrier battle group|carrier battle group]]; however, it applies equally to flights guarding a fixed land target, other vessels at sea, and (least commonly) slower, more vulnerable aircraft. Series information notes the existence of ''battlestar groups'', which are analogous to carrier battle groups, so the use of CAPs in the series likely parallels real CAPs.
-Effective Earth-based CAP patterns can include aircraft positioned at both high and low altitudes, so as to shorten response times when an attack is detected.
+It should be noted that there are two other, less common standard names for types of air patrols which may have parallels in [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|the Re-imagined Series]]:
+*'''BARCAP''' or BARrier Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown between the guarded and the likely origin of an attack
-It should be noted that there are two other, less common, recognised air patrols which may have parallels in [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|the Re-imagined Series]]:
+*'''TARCAP''' or TARget Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown near a target to protect the attack aircraft from air-to-air attack
-*'''BARCAP''' or BARrier Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown between the vessel being guarded and the direction from which an attack will most likely originate.
-*'''TARCAP''' or TARget Combat Air Patrol: a patrol flown over or near a strike target in order to protect the attack attack aircraft from harassment by enemy fighters