TACP Integration Flashcards
TACP has two primary missions:
Liaison and Control
TACP has two primary missions:
Advise their respective ground commanders on the capabilities and limitations of AirPower.
Liaison
TACP has two primary missions:
Provide the primary terminal attack control of CAS.
Control
a qualified and certified service member who, from a forward position, directs the action of combat aircraft engaged in close air support and other air operations. Provides the ground commander recommendations on the use of CAS and its integration with ground maneuver.
JTAC
What does TACP stand for?
Tactical Air Control Party
What does JTAC stand for?
Joint Terminal Attack Controller
What does FAC(A) stand for?
Forward Air Controller (airborne)
What does JFO stand for?
Joint Fires Observer
specifically trained and qualified aviation officer. Exercises control from the air of other aircraft engaged in close air support of ground troops. (Imagine a TACP in the sky - airborne extension of a TACP). Authorized to perform terminal attack control. Can do the following:
1- Serve as an additional controller for the TACP
2- Support a maneuver element without a TACP
3- Supplement the capability of a TACP
FAC(A)
List the duties and responsibilities of a FAC(A)
-Brief
-Stack
-Mark
-Control
FAC(A) duties & responsibilities:
Automatically pass information such as:
- operational area updates (situation update and 9 line)
- CAS briefs
- BDA
Brief
FAC(A) duties & responsibilities
Deconflict all CAS assets from surface fires, as well as provide deconfliction for assets upon check-in
Deconfliction will include holding, ingress and egress routings, and target areas
Stack
FAC(A) duties & responsibilities
Provide target marks for CAS attacks
Mark
FAC(A) duties & responsibilities
Provide final release authority to attacking aircraft if delegated this authority by the JTAC
JTAC retains abort authority
Control
Identify aircraft currently used in FAC(A) role
USN: F/A-18
USMC: F/A-18
USMC: AH-1Z, UH-1Y
USMC: AV-8B
USAF: A-10C
USAF: F-16CM
Trained service member qualified to perform the following duties:
• Request, adjust and control surface-to-surface fires
• Provide timely and accurate CAS targeting information to a JTAC / FAC(A), or directly to aircraft when authorized by the controlling JTAC / FAC(A)
• Perform autonomous terminal guidance operations (TGO) providing electronic, mechanical, voice, or visual communications for approaching aircraft and/or weapons
• JTAC / FAC(A) with weapon release authority is required to provide terminal attack control for CAS missions
JFO
List the two Laser Designated Categories
Target Acquisition
Weapons guidance
Laser designated categories:
-Laser spot trackers (LSTs) can provide heads up display cueing.
- Can expedite LASER hand over.
- Can assist in visual or sensor-aided attacks.
Target Acquisition
Laser Designation Categories:
- Allows a LGW to home in on reflected laser energy from a Laser target designator (LTD).
- Allows for standoff attacks.
- Allows precision delivery of weapons.
Weapons guidance
What 4 designation LASER beam characteristics?
1- atmospheric scatter
2- Beam divergence
3- Spillover
4- Target reflection
Laser beam characteristics:
Suspended matter causes reflection / refraction (Snow, rain, fog, dust, smoke…). False seeker lock-on or target indications possible. Also called “backscatter”.
Atmospheric Scatter
Laser beam characteristics:
Spot size (Increases in size at distance & Beam divergence vs target range). Laser with 0.3 mrad divergence (SOFLAM and Type-163): Spot size of [0.3m @ 1000m, 0.9m @ 3000m, 1.5m @ 5000m]
Beam divergence
Laser beam characteristics:
Diameter of the beam (Attention to aim point & Understand beam divergence). Multiple reflections (Observation point (OP) elevations vs aim point.
Spillover
Determine 6 Laser employment considerations
1- Line of sight
2- Pulse repetition frequency
3- Direction of attack
4- Designation timing
5- Delivery within weapon performance envelope
6- Utilization of LASER envelope
JTAC must provide final attack heading (FAH) during LASER TGO.
LASER ENVELOPE
Wedge whose apex is at the target, extends 10 degrees either side of the target-to designator line and extends from surface to infinity.
20 degree Laser Safety Zone
1) ALTD inside 60 degree wide by 40 degree tall cone is DANGEROUS.
o Airborne designators must avoid
o Based off rotary wing (RW) shooter to target line
2) Buddy lase training incident
o USMC F/A-18 struck by Hellfire
o Cause: Seeker to designator lock-on
Rotary Wing Hellfire Designator Safety Zone
