| ANCHOR/ANCHORED: |
Orbit about a specific point; refueling track flown by tanker. Informative call to indicate a turning engagement about a specific location. |
| BEAM/BEAMING: |
Target stabilized within 70 to 110 degree aspect; generally (direction) given with cardinal directions: east, west, north, or south. |
| BANDIT: |
An aircraft identified as enemy, in accordance with theater ID criteria. The term does not necessarily imply direction or authority to engage. |
| BANZAI: |
Informative call or directive flow communication when deciding to go to the merge from a beyond visual range (BVR) position. |
| BLANK: |
A SEAD aircraft does not detect any emitters of interest. |
| BLIND: |
No visual contact with friendly aircraft/ground position. Opposite of VISUAL. |
| BOGEY: |
A radar or visual air contact whose identity is unknown eg. ECM Contact |
| BOGEY DOPE: |
Request for target information as briefed/available. |
| BOX: |
Groups/contacts/formations in a square or offset square. |
| BRAA: |
Bearing, Range, Altitude, Aspect, The format ALL Bandit and Bogey calls MUST be given in. |
| BREAK: |
Directive to perform an immediate maximum performance turn in the direction indicated. Assumes a defensive situation. |
| BROKE LOCK: |
Loss of radar/IR lockon (advisory). |
| BUDDY SPIKE: |
Friendly aircraft airtoair indication on RWR. To be followed by |
| BUGOUT: |
Separation from that particular engagement/attack/operation.(Direction) No intent to re engage/recommit. |
| BULLSEYE: |
An established point from which the position of an object referenced. Made by cardinal/range or digital format. |
| BUSTER: |
Directive call to fly at max continuous speed (military power). position/heading/altitude. |
| CHEAPSHOT: |
Not guiding an Active missile until its fully supported Pitbull time. |
| CHECK: |
Turn left or right and maintain new heading.(LEFT/RIGHT) |
| CHERUBS: |
Angels expressed in hundreds of feet, i.e. cherubs 3 would be 300 feet. |
| CLEAN: |
Reply to RAYGUN call if you are not being locked. |
| COLD: |
Aircraft is flying away from you / other aircraft. |
| COMMIT/COMMITTED: |
Fighter intent to engage/intercept; controller/aircrews continues to provide information. |
| CONNING: |
Enemy AC leaving contrails. |
| CRANK: |
FPole maneuver; implies illuminating target at radar gimbal (Direction) limits. |
| CRUISE: |
Informative or directive call to return to cruise speed (after BUSTER or GATE). |
| DANGER ZONE: |
Above Angels 40. |
| DECLARE: |
Inquiry as to the identification of a specified track(s), target(s), or correlated group |
| DEFENSIVE: |
Aircraft is under attack, maneuvering defensively, and unable to ensure deconfliction or mutual support. |
| DRAG(ING): |
Target stabilized at 060 degrees aspect.(Direction) or 120180 degrees angle from nose. |
| ENGAGE: |
A fire control order used to direct or authorize units and/or weapons systems to rire on a designated target. |
| ENGAGED: |
Informative interflight call from a fighter maneuvering in the visual arena (NOTE: definition is, “Descriptive call indicating maneuvering with intent to kill”) |
| EXTEND: |
Short term maneuver to gain energy, distance, or separation;(Direction) Normally with the intent of reengaging. |
| FADED: |
Radar contact is lost. (Termination of track plotting is not warranted.) |
| FENCE IN: |
Set cockpit switches as appropriate before entering/exiting the combat area. (training will confirm what this is) |
| FLOAT: |
Directive/informative call to expand the formation laterally within visual limits to maintain radar contact for a defensive posture. |
| FLOW (direction): |
Directive call to fly stated heading. |
| FOX (Number): |
ONE (SARH) semiactive radar homing. AIM7/R27R/T/ER/EM. TWO (IR) infrared guided missile. THREE (ARH) active radar guided missile. AIM120/R77. FOUR infrared guided medium range missile R27ET. |
| FREE: |
Fighter is available to support and not currently engaged. |
| GATE: |
Directive/informative to fly as quickly as possible, USING afterburner/max power. |
| GORILLA: |
Large force of indeterminate numbers and formation. |
| GOT EYES: |
Do you have visual? Usually a call from Lead ‘Have you got eyes on me?’. |
| HOLDING HANDS: |
Aircraft in visual formation. |
| HOOK (direction): |
Directive call to perform an inplace 180degree turn. |
| HOUNDOG: |
Call made by free fighter indicating that he is in a position to employ weapons. |
| HOT: |
Target is flying towards you / other aircraft. |
| HOME PLATE: |
Home airfield or carrier. |
| JINK: |
Directive call to perform an unpredictable maneuver to negate a tracking solution. |
| JOKER: |
Fuel state above BINGO at which separation/bugout/event termination should begin. |
| JUDY: |
Aircrew has radar/visual contact on the correct target, and has taken control of the intercept, and only requires situational awareness information. |
| KNIFE FIGHT: |
Gunzo fight. |
| LADDER: |
Picture label with three or more groups on the same azimuth but separated by range. Group names should be LEAD GROUP, MIDDLE GROUP, TRAIL GROUP |
| MAD DOG: |
The launch of an Active missile without locking the target with radar/visual launch. |
| MAGNUM: |
Launch of an antiradar missile. |
| MARKING: |
Friendly aircraft leaving contrails. |
| MERGED: |
Friendly aircraft merging with a bandit at close range. |
| MILITARY POWER: |
The maximum possible thrust from the engines WITHOUT afterburner. |
| MILLER TIME: |
Informative call indicating completion of airtogroundordnance delivery. |
| MUD SPIKE: |
Lock by a SAM Radar |
| MUSIC (ON/OFF): |
Electronic radar jamming. (On AI radar, electronic deceptive jamming.) |
| NAILS: |
Contacts on TEWS who are painting you. |
| NAKED: |
No TEWS contacts. |
| NEW PICTURE: |
Used by controller or aircrew when tactical picture has changed. Supersedes all previous calls and reestablishes picture for all players. |
| NO FACTOR: |
Not a threat. |
| NO JOY: |
Aircrew does not have visual contact with the target/bandit/Landmark. Opposite of TALLY. |
| NOSE HOT/NOSE COLD: |
Turn Radar ON and OFF. |
| NOTCH(ING) (direction): |
Directive/informative call that an aircraft is in a defensive position |
| OFF (direction): |
Informative call indicating attack is terminated and maneuvering to the indicated direction. |
| ON STATION: |
Informative call unit/aircraft has reached assigned station. |
| PADLOCKED: |
Informative call indicating aircrew cannot take eyes off an aircraft, ground target, or surface position without risk of losing TALLY/VISUAL. |
| PANCAKE: |
Land or I wish to land (e.g. PANCAKE AMMO, PANCAKE FUEL). |
| PAINTING: |
To illuminate or be illuminated by radar. |
| PICTURE: |
Tactical situation status pertinent to mission (update). |
| PIGEONS: |
Magnetic bearing and range to home plate (or specified destination). (Location) |
| PICKLE: |
Drop all ordnance or a drop tank. |
| PITBULL: |
Informative AIM120 is at MPRF active range. |
| PKB: |
Probability of Kill Band. (between Angels 22 and 26) and maneuvering with reference to an airtoair threat. |
| PLAYTIME: |
Amount of time aircraft can remain on station. |
| PORT: |
Left side. |
| POSIT: |
Request for friendly position; response in terms of a geographic landmark or from a common reference point. |
| PRESS/PRESSING: |
Directive to continue the attack. |
| PUMP: |
A briefed maneuver to minimize closure on the threat or geographical boundary with the intent to reengage. Used to initiate a Grinder tactic. |
| PUSH/PUSHING: |
Aircraft heading towards another aircraft / location / heading. |
| RAYGUN: |
Indicates a radar lockon to unknown aircraft. A request for a (Position/Heading/ “BUDDY SPIKE” reply from friendly aircraft meeting these Altitude) parameters(to prevent fratricide). |
| RENO: |
Indicates that more than one radar contact is observed and the pilot is able to distinguish his assigned target(s). |
| REPEAT: |
Instruction to fire again. |
| RESET: |
Proceed to a prebriefed position or area of operation. |
| RIFLE: |
Launch of Air to Surface guided missile. |
| ROGER: |
Yes / I understand. |
| SADDLED: |
Informative call from wingman/element indicating the return to briefed formation position. |
| SAUNTER: |
Fly at best endurance. |
| SAY: |
Request for information eg. ‘Phoenix 11, Phoenix 12 SAY Picture’ |
| SAY AGAIN: |
Repeat your last transmission [Repeat is NEVER used for this purpose because the term means to fire again] |
| SCRATCH: |
Enemy ship kill. |
| SHOOTER: |
Aircraft/unit designated to employ ordnance. |
| SKATE: |
Informative call to initiate ‘Launch and Leave’ tactics. |
| SKOSH: |
Aircraft is out of or unable to employ active radar missiles. |
| SLICE/ SLICEBACK: |
Directive calls to perform a highG descending turn in the stated direction, usually 180 degree turn. |
| SMASH: |
Directive to turn on/off NAV lights. |
| SNAP (direction): |
An immediate vector to the heading / direction described. |
| SNUGGLE UP: |
Close the formation distance. |
| SPIKE: |
RWR indication of an AI threat in track or launch. |
| SPLASH: |
Enemy AC kill. |
| STANDBY: |
Wait, also expressed as “wait one” |
| STARBOARD: |
Right side. |
| STORES: |
Release of Air to Ground guided bomb/s. |
| SITREP: |
Similar to ‘PICTURE’ request for update on current situation. |
| STINGER: |
Bogey/bandit in trail of a formation. |
| SWEET: |
Up and running normal. |
| SPLASH: |
(A/A) Target destroyed. |
| SHACK: |
(A/G) Weapons impact. |
| STATUS: |
Request for tactical situation. |
| STROBE: |
Radar indications of noise jamming. |
| TALLY: |
Sighting of a target, bandit, bogey, or enemy position; opposite of NO JOY. |
| TARGETED: |
Group/pilot responsibility has been met. |
| TIGER: |
Enough fuel and ordnance to accept a commit. |
| TRACKING: |
1. Stabilized gun solution. 2. Continuous illumination. 3. Contact heading. |
| TRASHED: |
Informative call that missile has been defeated. |
| TUMBLEWEED: |
Indicates limited situational awareness; NO JOY; BLIND; a request for information. |
| UNABLE: |
Cannot comply as requested/directed. |
| VISUAL: |
Sighting of a friendly aircraft/ground position; opposite of BLIND. |
| WEEDS: |
Indicates that aircraft are operating close to the surface. |
| WHAT STATE: |
Report amount of fuel and missiles remaining in the order below. Active = number of active radar missiles remaining. Radar = number of semiactive radar missiles remaining. Heat = number of IR missiles remaining. Fuel = pounds of fuel or time remaining. eg. 4, 2, 2 and 10k = 4 Slammers, 2 Sparrows, 2 Sidewinders and 10,000lbs of fuel. 6, 2, 0 and 10k = 6 Slammers, 2 Sparrows, 0 Sidewinders and 10,000lbs of fuel. |
| WILCO: |
Will comply. |
| WINCHESTER: |
No ordnance remaining. |
