Av8b helicopter escort mission

Im trying to find some good info on Av8b as a helicopter escort. Flight profile / altitude / formation, armament etc. What does a typical mission look like?

Trying to revive a very old post :-)

Does anybody know how especially the flight profil would look like?

As slow as possible to stay as close as possible to the helos?

Or just flying in front and circling above?

And is there a difference in defending against flying threats and ground-based threats?

Harrier pilot Michael Franzak briefly describes flying a helo escort mission in Afghanistan in his book A Nightmare's Prayer.

I seem to recall that the primary task was rapid response availability to deal with ground threats, orbiting over/ahead of the route.

Not much detail, but something.

they would not fly low and slow with the helicopters because that would leave them open to the same ambush.

that is the job of gunships.

they would not fly low and slow with the helicopters because that would leave them open to the same ambush.

that is the job of gunships.

yes, sounds right.

I just discovered a standard loadout (made by razbam) called helo escort.

It consists of 4 sidewinders and the gun. so only air to air.

Which leaves ground threats to another escort, maybe gunships.