JTAC-Aircraft CAS procedures

This is an example sequence of events for the typical modern NATO CAS employment, based on real-world techniques but greatly simplified for Arma. Aircraft: “Sniper” JTAC: “Yankee”

• JTAC has decided he needs CAS on a particular target. He first establishes communication with the aircraft and cues them to get ready to listen to a longer transmission.

JTAC: Sniper, Yankee, advise when ready-to-copy fire mission.

Aircraft: Yankee, Sniper, go ahead.

JTAC gives full transmission of 1) target location 2) target description 3) general location of nearest friendlies 4) type of weapon requested, then asks the aircraft to confirm he understood the target.

JTAC: Target is on the northwest side of town Reallybad, marked with red smoke. Target is a squad-size group of infantry with a technical moving across a large field. Friendlies are 700 meters to the south of the target. Requesting rockets. Readback target.

Aircraft: Target is marked by red smoke on the northwest side of town Reallybad. Attacking with rockets.

JTAC: Readback is correct.

Aircraft looks for target or marking and calls “tally” if he sees the actual target and “contact” if he sees the marking method. In this case, he likely sees the red smoke well before seeing the actual target, and the use of the word “contact” instead of “tally” tells the JTAC exactly what he's seeing. “Visual” is reserve only for friendlies.

Aircraft: Contact.

Aircraft repositions if necessary and begins attack run. He makes the “in” call which also tells the JTAC he is ready for weapons release and where he is coming from.

Aircraft: In from the south.

JTAC visually confirms aircraft nose-position if possible before clearing hot.

JTAC: Cleared hot.

Aircraft weapons release.

JTAC: [Battle Damage Assessment, adjusting of fire, etc.]