Combat Air Patrol

A Combat Air Patrol, or "CAP", is a part of a battlestar's early warning network and defensive posture in protecting the Fleet.

CAPs typically consist 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 are sometimes 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 backed-up by the alert fighters on Galactica (33).

Given that, despite having 40 Vipers at her disposal, Kara Thrace finds mounting full CAPs difficult in the episode "Sine Qua Non", it is likely that on high alert conditions Galactica has several full-strength CAPS on station simultaneously, plus the 2 Vipers sometimes seen on screen escorting Colonial One. Given that CAPs must be flown continuously in shifts with alert fighters also held on standby, this would explain the strain on pilots and planes.

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 a parallel to real CAPs.
There are two other, less common, standard names for types of air patrols which may have parallels in the 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 attacks

See Also

Notes