Lesson 32 — Threat Geometry: SAM Rings, MEZ/LEZ#
A threat ring is not a circle — it depends on where you point your nose and how high you fly. The detection contour is the R⁴ law at the aspect each bearing produces, the radar horizon d = 4.12(√h_r + √h_t) bounds it from outside, and the missile's reach runs from the MEZ, (v_m + v_t)·t_max against a closing target, down to the LEZ, (v_m − v_t)·t_max, where turning away no longer saves you.
Threat Geometry
The aspect-dependent detection contour, the radar horizon and which bound binds, the MEZ and the LEZ, and the overlaps, gaps and seams of a layered laydown.
FlashcardsReview deck
Key terms and relations from the lesson, in a self-test deck.
Pre-flightPre-flight quiz
Five questions to work before class — anyone can be called to the board.
SlidesLesson slides
The deck we work through in class — an HTML deck you can annotate in the browser, with a print view for saving a PDF.
DemoThreat Laydown
Swing the flying wing's heading and watch a SAM site's ring turn into an X, swap in the other L26 airframes and see where their spikes point, drop to the deck and let the horizon cut them back, then open a layered laydown and find the gap.