P-385-63 Range Safety Pamphlet Download
Page 151 of 251
(3) The following restrictions apply when firing the 2.75in folding fin aerial rocket with the M278 IR illumination warhead: (a) The pilot/gunner will ensure that the M278 IR illumination warhead deployment occurs at least 1,500 ft AGL on training areas. Deployment of the flare below 1500 ft AGL significantly increases the risk of ground fires. (b) The pilot/gunner will mitigate the hazard of spent rocket motor impact. The spent rocket motor impact point can be approximately 700 m to 1200 m beyond the point of flare deployment. (c) When the rocket with the M278 warhead is fired in the vicinity of friendly troops and personnel in an uncovered position, ground personnel shall wear PPE Level 1. (d) Pilots must exercise extreme caution when operating in the vicinity of IR illumination flares. Once the flare burns out, the flare container and parachute will not be visible during its decent. g. Inertial aided munitions. (1) Inertial aided munitions are smart weapons, such as a GBU–38 joint direct attack munition, GBU–44 Viper Strike, or Griffin small tactical munition, that employ Global Positioning System as an inertial aid to acquire target location. (2) Aircraft employing inertial aided munitions in a bomb-on-coordinate mode or aircraft employing any ordnance in a system delivery mode on coordinates only will adhere to the following prior to release: (a) Aircrew will confirm the accuracy of the aircraft navigation and weapon delivery systems. For the Marine Corps, aircrew will confirm aircraft health, weapon health, and coordinate in accordance with current MAWTS–1 or weapon school technical training procedures. (b) Aircrew will ensure accurate receipt and entry of target coordinates and that they come from a valid target source. These coordinates will be verified via read-back from target data entry displays or will be cross-checked with mission planning data or range guides but must include one other person, in addition to the pilot, verifying coordinate/ elevation accuracy (either in-flight or during mission planning). Examples of valid target sources include, but are not limited to RMAs (Army), RCOs (Marine Corps), Joint terminal attack controllers, range guides, or forward air controller-airborne qualified aircrew. (c) Aircrew will use all means available to verify accuracy of target coordinates/elevation, and that the coordinates are within the anticipated target area. Examples of available means include but are not limited to forward looking infrared radar, synthetic radar aperture map, heads-up display cueing, other aircraft sensors, terrain pointer, map plots, data links, radio communications, talk-ons with JTACs, RMAs (Army), RCOs (Marine Corps), and other aircrew members. (d) Aircrew will confirm and adhere to published range operating procedures and restrictions. h. GBU–44 Viper Strike, Griffin. Both the Viper Strike and Griffin weapon systems have post-launch debris that will fall to the ground after the weapon is launched from the aircraft. This includes aft-launch tube covers, support brackets, and parachutes (Viper Strike). Although the probability of someone being injured by these lightweight items is low, it is recommended that the area below the launch point be cleared of personnel for a radius of 2,000 m. i. AGM–114 HELLFIRE missiles. AGM–114 HELLFIRE missiles shall not be fired if there are tail winds in excess of 20 knots. Further restrictions for HELLFIRE missiles can be found in paragraphs 11–10, 11–11, and 11–12. 139 DA PAM 385–63 • 16 April 2014