Cobra Turn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Cobra Turn is a fighter aircraft maneuver. It is a variation on the Pugachev's Cobra where the aircraft performs the pull-up, but instead of returning to level flight applies rudder or thrust vectoring and turns downward. Many experts consider the Pugachev's Cobra to have little or no use in air combat manoeuvering, but the Cobra Turn is likely to be of some value. The main argument against the traditional cobra is the lack of velocity after the maneuver is finished, but the Cobra Turn would most likely avoid this problem as it gains velocity in its brief near vertical dive.