How does a fighter jet know its being targeted?

Aircraft monitors generally have two modes: search and track. In search mode, the radar sweeps a radio beam across the sky in a zig-zag pattern. When the radio beam is reflected by a target aircraft, an indication appears on one of the pilot's radar display.



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A four-horn acoustic locator was used during World War I to detect enemy airplanes. The low speed of aircraft of the time, combined with their telltale engine noise, made acoustic detection a relatively effective early warning system before the advent of radar.

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In TV and movies, a fighter pilot ejecting from their jet comes across as a cut-and-dry procedure. In reality, the process is complicated, violent, and leaves most pilots with severe injuries. About 20% to 30% of fighter pilots experience some sort of spinal fracture as a result.

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If the pilot needs to warn you that you're going to have to eject in the near future, he will use the word “eject,” as in, “Hey, get ready, we are going to have to eject in about 30 seconds.” If things go horribly wrong and you need to blow out of the ship immediately, the command is, “bailout! bailout! bailout!”

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It's important to note that pilots do not see other planes on radar directly. Instead, air traffic controllers use radar to track the location and altitude of planes in their airspace, and then communicate this information to pilots through their cockpit instruments and radios.

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