After waiting for the thermal batteries to die, how far should you retrace back to the missile?

• A. Retrace 50 meters
• B. Retrace 100 meters and 50 meters back to the missile
• C. Retrace 200 meters
• D. No retrace needed

Answer: (B)

The key idea is safety around the weapon’s backblast and how to recover the launcher after firing. Once the thermal batteries have died, you still need to stay clear of the backblast and heat while you approach to recover the launcher. The established procedure is to move a safe distance away first, then return partway toward the launcher so you can recover it without reentering the immediate hazard zone. Retracing 100 meters away and then coming back 50 meters toward the launcher puts you out of the backblast area long enough for the exhaust and debris to settle, while leaving you close enough to regain the launcher quickly. Other distances either leave you too close to the hazard or require you to stay too far away to recover efficiently.