The low altitude split S is a last line of defense to shake an opponent. The most important aspect of having an opponent on your six is
range.
1. If your attacker is out of range
(approx >3000feet) he has a very low % of hitting you.
2. If your attacker is out of range, this enables you to
create turning room for defensive to neutral conversions with relative safety (depending on ordinance he's carrying).
3. If your attacker is out of range, this buys you
time to prepare a conversion manuoever.
A low altitude split S is good for shaking off rookie to intermediate pilots. An ace pilot gets on your six, the only way you're going to survive is if he makes a mistake, and this isn't likely to happen often.
The natural counter to the low alt split S is a horizontal lag pursuit turn directly over the split S bandit. This keeps you
checking to their six, keeps you
above the bandit, and
sustains your energy to manipulate your opponent in a turning fight , or in the vertical should he try to reverse on you after the split S.
Remember patience is the key. During offensive BFM you should be focusing on:
1. Range
2. Closure
3. Aspect Angle
4. Altitude
5. Airspeed
(not necessarily in this order, whatever suits the pilot best for his instrument scans)
For defensive BFM, you are striving for:
1. Seperation (to get outside attacker's turning circle)
2. Increased aspect angle and angle off attacker's nose (turning room)
3. Jinks for safety every 3 to 5 seconds
4. Corner speed
Most pilots when defensive give up and fling their jet around spending all their airspeed/energy for a last chance at an overshoot. This is the LAST thing you should do.
You should maintain at least the upper end of corner velocity (variable depending on ALT and gross weight). This allows you to make hard break turns at high G in one direction or another, forcing your attacker's nose in lag (his nose snaps below your tail) momentarily.
This creates turning room for a scissor reversal. When you unload and reverse, keep your energy up and watch out for the shot across the scissor. Each time you reverse at corner speed your opponent will slow up trying to stay behind you as an offset to the turning room you create. This enables you to manipulate your attacker in the vertical.
Most ask: "How can I tell how fast my opponent is when he's behind me and I don't have a radar lock?"
First answer: Experience
Detailed answer:
When you're looking back at your opponent while in a breakturn and his nose has snapped below your six (he's
thrown to lag), eventually you'll see him starting to pull lead pursuit again.
In similar platforms, his jet can only turn as hard as yours if you're both in corner range, so if he's turning inside your radius (lead pursuit) he's naturally slower than you, cause he had to slow up and tighten his radius for lead pursuit tracking.
When you reverse he will be
thrown to lag again, but at a slower airspeed. This enables you to continue your break turn, hit the escape window, evade and exit the turn circle for another merge at your choosing.
