JTAC Certification

Leading SME: Voldy

Certified JTACs are responsible for using proper five-line and nine-line formats to coordinate with aircraft and direct close-air support. They are expected to know and to utilize these formats during operations to properly direct (or restrict) aircraft. JTACs may also be tasked with arranging landing zones for MEDEVAC or CASEVAC and with tasking ISR flights.

Planning/Prior to Flight Operations

 * 1) Briefing Points
 * 2) Threats
 * 3) Targets
 * 4) Friendlies
 * 5) Artillery
 * 6) Clearance
 * 7) Ordnance
 * 8) Remarks/Restrictions
 * 9) Define ROZ (Restricted Operating Zone) (Keypads/Kill boxes)
 * 10) Mark Grid Reference Graphic/Target Reference Points

Prior To Fire Mission

 * 1) Aircraft Check-In Ordnance, airframe type (if unknown)
 * 2) Clear aircraft into ROZ
 * 3) Observation Plan/Sensor Tasking

Talk-On

 * 1) Killbox/Keypad
 * 2) Smoke/Sparkle/Tracers/Grid/etc

Game Plan/9-Line

 * 1) “Advise when ready for Game Plan/9-Line”
 * 2) Target Description
 * 3) Target Location
 * 4) Type Mark
 * 5) No Mark
 * 6) Mark from (JTAC Callsign) [Laser Code]
 * 7) Location of Friendlies
 * 8) Remarks/Restrictions (Danger Close/FAH/Weapon Away, Splash Call,Etc)
 * 9) “Make all runs (east/west, north/south, etc)”
 * 10) Request weapon away & splash call
 * 11) Danger Close (Requires Ground Commander’s initials)
 * 12) “Go ahead for read-back”
 * 13) Acknowledge Readback
 * 14) “Call in with direction, expect clearance on final”
 * 15) Weapons Release
 * 16) Cleared Hot, Cleared Hot, Cleared Hot
 * 17) Abort, Abort, Abort
 * 18) Battle Damage Assessment

Danger Close Distances

 * 1) Surface Fires/105mm 600m
 * 2) Bombs 300m
 * 3) Missiles/Rockets 200m
 * 4) Guns 100m

Missiles

 * AIM-9X Sidewinder: Short Range Air-to-Air
 * AGM-65 Maverick:
 * D/G - IIR
 * L - Laser H/K - CCD
 * AGM-88 HARM: Air to Surface Anti-Radiation Missile
 * AGM-114 Hellfire
 * K - laser guided HEAT
 * L - radar guided HEAT
 * N - laser guided thermobaric

Bombs

 * Mark 82: 500lb unguided bomb
 * Mark 84: 2000lb unguided bomb
 * GBU-10 Paveway II: 2000lb laser guided bomb
 * GBU-12 Paveway II: 500lb laser guided bomb
 * GBU-24 Paveway III: 2000lb laser guided bomb
 * GBU-31 : 2000lb GPS guided bomb
 * GBU-32 : 1000lb GPS guided bomb
 * GBU-38 : 500lb GPS guided bomb
 * GBU-53 SDB II: 250lb GPS/INS + IIR + Semi-Active Laser + Millimeter wave Active Radar
 * GBU-54 LJDAM: 500lb GPS/INS + laser guided bomb

Rockets

 * Hydra 70 - unguided rocket pods:
 * M151 - 10lb HE
 * M229 - 17lb HE
 * M247 - HEAT
 * M261 - HE Cluster
 * M282 - MPP (Multipurpose penetrator)
 * WDU-4/A APERS
 * APKWS - Laser Guided Hydras
 * M151 - HE
 * M247 - HEAT
 * M282 - MPP (Multipurpose penetrator)

Basic Brevity Codes and Definitions

 * Aborting/Abort/Aborted: Directive/informative call to cease action/attack/event/mission.
 * Angels: Term meaning altitude in thousands of feet (e.g., Angels Five is 5,000 ft).
 * Bingo: Minimum fuel state needed for aircraft to return to base (aka "recovery").
 * Brevity: Radio frequency is becoming saturated, degraded, or jammed and briefer transmissions must follow.
 * Captured: Aircrew has identified and is able to track a specified air-to-ground (A/G) target with an onboard sensor.
 * Cherubs: Height of a friendly aircraft in hundreds of feet.
 * Contact: Sensor contact at the stated position.
 * Guns: An air-to-air or air-to-surface gunshot.
 * In (direction): Informative call indicating a turn to a hot aspect relative to a threat/target.
 * Laser on: Directive to start laser designation.
 * No joy: Aircrew does not have visual contact with the target/bandit/landmark; opposite of tally.
 * On station: Informative call unit/aircraft has reached the assigned station.
 * Push (channel): Go to designated frequency. No acknowledgment required.
 * Rifle: Friendly air-to-ground missile launch.
 * Roger: Radio transmission received; does not indicate compliance or reaction.
 * Scram: Emergency directive to egress for defensive or survival reasons. (Direction)
 * Scramble: Takeoff as quickly as possible.
 * Slew: Rotate aircraft targeting pod to specific direction or target
 * Sparkle: Target marking by IR pointer; target marking by gunship or forward air controller (airborne) (FAC-A) using incendiary rounds.
 * Status: Request for tactical situation.
 * Tally: Sighting of a target, bandit, bogey, or enemy position; opposite of no joy.
 * Talk-On: The process of confirming the aircraft is looking at the correct target. May be accomplished by using a killbox and keypad or passing grid coordinates, and correlating the location with smoke, tracers, an IR laser, a laser designator, or other available methods.
 * Visual: Sighting of a friendly aircraft/ground position; opposite of blind.
 * Weapons
 * FREE at targets not identified as friendly in accordance with current rules of engagement (ROE).
 * TIGHT at targets positively identified as hostile in accordance with current ROE.
 * SAFE (USN) NOTE: USN and NATO use weapons safe to avoid confusion with the phrase hold fire.
 * What luck: Request for results of missions or tasks.
 * What state: Report amount of fuel and missiles remaining. Ammunition is reported only when specifically requested or critical.
 * Active = number of active radar missiles remaining.
 * Radar = number of semi-active radar missiles remaining.
 * Heat = number of IR missiles remaining.
 * Fuel = pounds of fuel or time remaining.
 * Wilco: Will comply
 * Winchester: No ordnance remaining, can be used to refer to specific types ordnance or all ordnance.