Tactical Formations Flashcards
Techniques of Movement:
● Traveling
● Traveling Overwatch
● Bounding Overwatch
Traveling:
used to move rapidly over the battlefield when enemy contact is unlikely, or situation requires speed for evading the enemy. All aircraft move the same speed.
Traveling Overwatch:
speed is essential and enemy contact is possible. Lead aircraft or teams move constantly, and trail aircraft or teams move as necessary maintaining
Bounding Overwatch:
Enemy contact expected, greatest degree of concealment required (too vulnerable for non-linear/urban operations). Aircraft or aircraft teams
employ alternate or successive bounds.
Sight picture:
particular angle (traditionally 30 or 45 degrees) that a trailing aircraft sees or cues on when flying in formation. Aviators must become proficient and comfortable with this sight picture to judge attitude changes and relative position to the preceding aircraft.
Lead Changes:
Flight lead initiates by a prearranged signal, and the flight acknowledges beginning with chalk 2.
The lead aircraft then makes a 30 to 90 degree heading change in the pre-briefed direction to depart the formation and establish separation space.
Lead maneuvers a minimum of eight rotor disks to the announced side and begins to parallel the formation.
When chalk 2 (the new lead) confirms and announces the former lead is clear of the flight, the former
lead will slow to 10 KIAS less than the en route airspeed.
The former lead visually (and possibly
verbally) confirms each aircraft in the flight as it passes to prevent rejoining the flight prematurely causing a midair collision.
After the last aircraft (former trail) has passed by, the
former lead aircraft will rejoin the flight and assume the duties of the trail aircraft to include displaying appropriate lighting.
Lost Visual Contact:
In the event an aircraft in the flight loses visual contact with the aircraft they are following, they will immediately make a radio call to lead.
Lead will announce heading, altitude, airspeed, and distance to next waypoint if available.
The aircraft that has lost visual contact with the flight will immediately assume flight lead’s heading and airspeed and attempt to regain visual contact.
Lead must maintain this heading, altitude, and airspeed until all aircraft have rejoined the flight.
The flight will begin reorientation procedures.
The most important consideration when an aircraft has lost visual contact with the flight is reorientation. Except for enemy contact, all mission requirements are subordinate to this action.
*From Army Aviation SOP and Supplement Merge: Aircraft that has lost visual contact will decelerates to 10 KIAS less than the airspeed announced by the preceding aircraft and coordinate altitude deconfliction by climbing 200’ above or descending 200’ below the announced altitude (pending on initial altitude deviance).
Formation Separation:
● Tight (~2 rotor disks)
● Close (3-5 rotor disks)
● Loose (6-10 rotor disks)
● Extended (more than 10 rotor disks as dictated by tactical requirements)
Formation types:
Formation types:
● Staggered
● Echelon
● Trail
● Combat Cruise
Reference:
Reference: TC 3-04.4 Ch. 6
Flight crews will conduct individual WAILRM Fence-out posture as follows:
● W – Weapons armed / safe as required.
● A – ASE set as desired.
● I – IFF / Transponder mode 1,2,3,4 on as briefed.
● L – Lighting as briefed
● R – Recorder on (if installed).
● M – MPD / MFD / EDM configured (as appropriate)
REDCON Levels:
Reference:
Reference: Army Aviation SOP and Supplement Merge Ch. 5
Common Brevity Codes for Multi-Ship Operations:
● ACTIVATE
● BEACON
● REDCON1
● BLIND
● BOOMERANG
● CHECK NAV
● CHECK TIME
● CHERRY
● CLOSING
● COWRICO
● EAGLE WITH #
● EGRESS
● ENEMY CONTACT
● ESTABLISHED
● FALLEN ANGEL
● FIX
● GO AROUND
● GO STERILE
● HAPPY I
● HOLLYWOOD
● HEAVY METAL
● ICE
● INBOUND
● NIGHTMARE
● ROLEX
● STUMBLE
● TORCH
● TOWRICO
● FENCE OUT/IN
Common Brevity Codes for Multi-Ship Operations:
● ACTIVATE Turn On.
● BEACON Used by FLD to signify that all aircraft within the flight reported
● REDCON1 (ready for takeoff). During no/minimal comms operations Trail announces
“Beacon,” signaling FLD that all aircraft turned off their anti-collision lights and are
REDCON1.
● BLIND No visual contact of friendly aircraft/ground position. Opposite of “VISUAL”. Also used to alert flight of loss of visual contact with elements in the flight.
● BOOMERANG Execute immediate flight lead change in direction stated. i.e. “Caveman 25, Caveman 45 taking fire, BOOMERANG, Left 90°.”
● CHECK NAV Call to flight lead by aircraft in flight if lead deviates from the planned route
● CHECK TIME Call to flight lead by aircraft in flight if lead deviates from the planned time
● CHERRY Term used to indicate that an LZ or area has an enemy presence which poses a
significant threat to landing/operating aircraft. The FLD/AMC/GFC determines and brief
the level of enemy presence required to meet “cherry” criteria.
● CLOSING Used to indicate a certain CHALK is closing on/joining with the preceding aircraft in the flight.
● COWRICO Call Off When Ready in Chalk Order
● EAGLE WITH # Flight is formed after takeoff with stated number of aircraft.
● EGRESS Command to emergency egress the aircraft. Repeat three times in succession.
● ENEMY CONTACT Contact has been initiated with known or suspected enemy forces.
● ESTABLISHED Consolidated on control measure/ready to continue mission.
● FALLEN ANGEL A manned aircraft has crashed, or landed in un-secure area with the
crew or aircraft not secured by friendly forces.
● FIX Location, as in “Send me your Fix”.
● GO AROUND A safe landing cannot be accomplished
● GO STERILE Alert to cease all non-operational talk.
● HAPPY Indicates that the relieving AMC, in a BHO/ROS, is satisfied with the handover and has the fight.
● HOLLYWOOD On board recorder is active and recording.
● HEAVY METAL Aircraft unable to maintain airspeed
● ICE Opposite of “CHERRY.”
● INBOUND Aircraft beginning attack run.
● NIGHTMARE Lead aircraft to indicate ready to execute lead change.
● ROLEX Timeline adjustment in minutes; always referenced from original pre planned mission execution time. “Plus” means later; “minus” means earlier. Joint term used in place of “Drop Kick”
● STUMBLE Lead has become disoriented and cannot re-orient himself.
● TORCH Call from Lead to the flight, followed by takeoff in five seconds
● TOWRICO Take Off When Ready in Chalk Order.
● FENCE OUT/IN Pro-word used to signify after takeoff pre-combat checks (each component as applicable to each MDS) are complete using the “Weapons, ASE, IFF,
Lighting, LST, Recorder, MFDs” model.
Reference:
Reference: ATP 1-02.1 Multi-Service Brevity Codes, ATP 3-09.32 Multi-Service Tactics,
Techniques, and Procedures for the Joint Application of Firepower, Aircraft Aircrew Training
Manuals
