Military
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 28; Flight Crew Total 2800; Flight Crew Type 1000
Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft
I was the wingman pilot of a section of [Aircraft]. We were a standard formation until reaching ZZZ. Due to system issues; I did not have electronic means to measure my distance from the lead aircraft. The two primary electronic systems that we use; the Air-Air TACAN and Datalink; were both inoperative. After departing ZZZ; I lost visual sight of the lead aircraft. Almost immediately following the lost sight event; my aircraft lost the ability to communicate to ATC; the lead aircraft; and with the other crew member in the cockpit. This lost comm event lasted approximately 3-5 minutes. The first priority was to ensure deconfliction from my lead aircraft; which I accomplished via lateral separation. This sequence of events led to us not maintaining standard formation and we got to about eight miles from the lead aircraft.After regaining communications; I requested a separate squawk code and clearance from ATC. Once I received my clearance; the deviation/event was complete.After a thorough debrief; one step that I should have accomplished was to squawk [priority] or lost comm. Either one of these codes would have kept ATC in the loop and they could have adjusted accordingly.
Pilot reported lost comms during a formation flight.