Identification Codewords

Question 1

BANDIT

Answer 1

An aircraft positively identified as an enemy IAW theatre identification criteria. The term does not necessarily imply direction or authority to engage.

Question 2

BOGEY

Answer 2

A radar or visual air CONTACT whose identity is unknown

Question 3

BUGSY

Answer 3

Non-friendly unit/entity conducting terrorist or asymmetric warfare activities

Question 4

CHICKS

Answer 4

FRIENDLY aircraft

Question 5

CLEAN

Answer 5

(1) [A/A] No sensor information on non-friendly aircraft of interest
(2) No visible battle damage
(3) Aircraft not carrying external stores

Question 6

DECLARE

Answer 6

Inquiry as to the identification of specified tracks, targets, or correlated group.

Question 7

ECHO

Answer 7

Positive System M/Mode X reply or comparable reply.

Question 8

EYEBALL

Answer 8

(1) Electro-optical (EO)/IR/night vision device NVD acquisition of an aircraft normally followed by number of aircraft observed.
(2) Fighter with primary visual identification responsibility.

Question 9

FRIENDLY

Answer 9

A positively identified friendly aircraft, ship, or ground position

Question 10

FURBALL

Answer 10

Nonfriendly aircraft and friendly aircraft are in close proximity to each other. Can be response to a DECLARE request

Question 11

GOPHER

Answer 11

A CONTACT that has not conformed to safe passage routing, airspeed, or altitude procedures. Will only be used when safe passage or minimum risk routing procedures are part of an ID matrix

Question 12

HOSTILE

Answer 12

A CONTACT identified as enemy upon which clearance to fire is authorized in accordance with theater rules of engagement. NOTE: The above use of hostile is used as a brevity term for air-to-air engagements and should not be confused with the same term in data link and ROE

Question 13

ID

Answer 13

(1) Directive call to identify the target
(2) Aircrew identification accomplished, followed by type (wing, engine, fuselage, and tail)
(3) If requested, provide amplifying information such as tail number and nationality

Question 14

INTERROGATE

Answer 14

Interrogate the designated contact of the identification, friend or foe (IFF)/selective identification feature (SIF) mode indicated

Question 15

INVESTIGATE

Answer 15

Verify specified elements of ROE, PID, CDE, and/or coordination of forces on the referenced target/track

Question 16

LAME DUCK

Answer 16

An aircraft in a minor state of emergency. (Provide appropriate description of emergency as able

Question 17

NEUTRAL

Answer 17

A positively identified aircraft, ship, or ground position whose characteristics, behavior, origin or nationality indicate that it is neither supporting nor opposing FRIENDLY forces

Question 18

NO FACTOR

Answer 18

Not a threat

Question 19

OUTLAW

Answer 19

Informative call that a CONTACT has met point of origin criteria for ROE

Question 20

PAINT(S)

Answer 20

An interrogated group/radar contact that is responding with any of the specified IFF/SIF modes and correct codes established for the identification criteria

Question 21

PLAYMATE

Answer 21

Cooperating aircraft

Question 22

PRINT (type)

Answer 22

Unambiguous non-cooperative target recognition (NCTR) reply.

Question 23

RENEGADE

Answer 23

A civil platform that is assessed as operating in such a manner as to raise suspicion that it might be used as a weapon to perpetrate a terrorist attack

Question 24

RIDER

Answer 24

A BOGEY that is conforming to ACO safe passage procedures

Question 25

SKUNK

Answer 25

A radar or visual maritime surface contact whose identity is unknown

Question 26

SPADES

Answer 26

An interrogated group/radar contact which lacks all of the ATO (or
equivalent) IFF/SIF modes and codes required for the identification criteria.

Question 27

SQUAWKING (mode number)

Answer 27

an informative call denoting a bogey is responding with an SIF mode or code other than prescribed by the ATO/identification criteria.

Question 28

STRANGER

Answer 28

Unidentified traffic that is not a participant with the action in progress.

Question 29

VANISHED

Answer 29

Special case of FADED defined as a group/arm/contact on which there is no available sensor data (on- or off-board) to maintain continuous tracking which meets the following criteria: (1) not in a known sensor blind zone (terrain masking or Doppler blind zone) and (2) correlated to a shot by friendly forces that meet parameters for successful termination

Question 30

WORKING

Answer 30

(1) (system with location) Platform gathering EOB on a designated emitter
(2) Platform executing electronic identification (EID) on a specific aircraft/group to obtain identification necessary for beyond visual range (BVR) employment