CAS Mission types:

• Preplanned – Used when air support is planned along with the operation. For example to hit a bunker identified before mission planning. This can also include aircraft being present in the AO just in case.
• On demand – aircraft are tasked with moving to the AO either from a different task or from an airbase. This is done on demand of the ground commander or a TACP.
• Emergency CAS – used when the ground element is in dire condition and does not have a JTAC. It can be a group of infantryman who were able to contact an aircraft nearby. In this situation the observer has no knowledge of how to guide in aircraft so it’s the pilot’s task to get the necessary information from the amateur observer.
• Non-kinetic CAS – Show of force used to make your and above all the aircraft’s presence known to the enemy to decrease morale or change the enemies mind about ambushing your element. Show of Force has been widely used in COIN operations in Iraq and Afghanistan but will probably not work against a near peer enemy.

Control Type:

Type 1 – The JTAC has to see both the target and the attacking aircraft. The final clearance is called out as Cleared Hot before every attack.
Type 2 – The JTAC sees the target but does not have to see the aircraft. Final clearance is called out as Cleared Hot before every attack.
Type 3 – The JTAC does not see the target and does not see the aircraft. Most often used either when attacking multiple targets easily spotted by the aircraft and far from friendlies or when a different asset sees / is marking the target (e.g. drone operator). Final clearance is called out as Cleared to engage after which the pilot is free to attack without JTAC’s clearing it further.

Attack Types:

BOC – Bombs on Coordinates – Usually used for preplanned targets
BOT – Bombs on Target – Pilot can be given coordinates but has to visually acquire the target
SHOF – Show of Force – Non-kinetic attack

Munitions

One of many rules of calling in supports is optimizing the usage of munitions. It means using the smallest possible munition that can still achieve the desired effect. In practice it means not dropping a GBU on every possible target because when you actually need it later you won’t have any left.

Fighter to JTAC brief

The aircraft crew informs the JTAC of:

• the number and type of aircraft,
• aircraft’s position,
• available air-to-ground armaments,
• playtime (how much time the aircraft can spend over the AO),
• other capabilities (targeting pods, other sensors, data links etc.),
• abort code.

Example:

Voodoo 2-1, this is Viper 5-1, 2 times A-10,
GRID 421 brake 056,
I have GBU12, Hydra, 1000 cannon,
playtime is 20 mikes,
abort code is: Avalanche,
available for tasking, what do you have for us?

JTAC to Fighter brief

JTAC describes the situation on the ground in short. They talk about threats (AA, aircraft), friendly aircraft, enemy forces, friendly forces and artillery activity in the AO.

Gameplan

Gameplan is a report from the JTAC to the pilot. It is made after the check-ins and before the 6/9 - line. It includes:

• control Type (1, 2 ,3),
• attack type (BOC, BOT, SHOF),
• munitions requested.

CAS 6-line / 9-line

6 and 9-lines are  structured ways of relaying the characteristics of the fire mission to the aircraft. When both the person calling in the airstrikes and the pilot know the procedure well, it makes sure the right targets are engaged at the right time and in the proper way. This is the main part of the CAS mission. I go into more detail about both 6 and 9 lines as well as the entire CAS procedure in  separate posts.