Bro, do you even JTAC ?

* * * Rate, Comment & Follow * * *

Indifect Fire(s) will be a seperate guide.

JATC Control Types 1, 2 and 3 will finally be explained...

Introduction

Rotary winged capabilities


We will cover:

• Who/what can be JTAC qualified

• Geneal overview of JTAC duties

• Control Types 1, 2 & 3

• CAS 9 Line

Who/What is a JTAC ?

Please refer to my Air Force Special Operations Guide below...
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1371158657
In essence, a JTAC is a qualified terminal attack control (AKA Bomb Dropped)

Defenition:
A joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) is a:

• qualified (certified) Service member who passes a DOD approved school

• from a forward position, directs/assists the action of combat aircraft

• authorized to perform terminal attack control

CAS allows:

• offensive/defensive use

• the ability to destroy, disrupt, suppress, fix, harass, neutralize, or delay Enemy forces

So What the Heck is CAS Anyway ?

CAS is:

• Air action by fixed/rotary wing Aircraft against Enemy targets

• close proximity to friendly forces (1km or less)

• needs special care/expertise during each CAS mission to:
  • allow the ground forces to conduct fire and maneuver while Enemy targets are being engaged
  
  
  

++++++++++

A) Basic CAS

CAS - By the book...

Close air support (CAS) is the summation of joint fire support capabilities and that:

• necessitate etailed planning, coordination, and training of ground and supporting air forces for safe and effective execution

CAS application allows fires to affect Enemy forces in the area by:

• destroying them

• suppress them

• neutralize them

This also allows for:

• movement and maneuver to take place on the ground

• control of territory, population, infrastructure and key terrain (air/water/land)

CAS is executed by:

• fixed-wing (FW)

• rotary-wing (RW)

Targets that are in close proximity to friendly forces requires detailed integration of each air mission with the fire and movement of those forces. This is the key to being JTAC qualified...

CAS - "Real-World"

CAS 9 Line Request Process

CAS request ARE called a "CAS 9-Line Brief" but it is not read/transmitted like a 'MEDEVAC 9-line Brief' over the radio

1) Request JTAC (Planned or On-call)

2) Recieve Aircraft 'Check-In Briefing'

3) Give Aircraft your 'Situation' update

4) Transmit 9-Line


5)BDA - Battlefield Damage Assessment
After EVERY strike/pass/mission, the JTAC must advise on:

• BDA

• re-attack request

• munitions effect

• what is the physical/structural damage to the target ?

• were the correct munitions used or are different fires necessary ?

8) Repeat process

Control Types: 1, 2 and 3

Type 1

Requires them to:

• visually acquire the attacking aircraft

*AND*

• maintain visual contact with the target under attack

• clear *EACH* pass

Type 2

When either:

• visual acquisition of the attacking aircraft *AND/OR* target at weapons release is not possible

• attacking aircraft are not in a position to acquire the mark/target prior to weapons release/ launch

• clear *EACH* pass

Type 3

When:

• multiple passes are needed

*AND/OR*

• unable to maintain visual contact with the attacking aircraft

• unable to maintain visual contact with the target

• only the *FIRST* pass needs to be cleared

"Bare Bones" CAS Request

At a MINIMUM you need:

1) Aircraft 'Check-In' brief with onboard ordnance

2) 'Situation Brief' given to the aircraft

3) Tracking position(s) of:

• Friendly

• Enemy

• Civilian/infrastructure

4) Aircraft Deconfliction

5) JTAC 9-Line

6) Give Battle Damage Assessment (BDA)

7) Consider reattack

8) Consider ordnance change

++++++++++

B) Advance CAS

Great videos that explain CAS for Amra 3

Radio Use

When using Combined Arms there will be several Radio Nets being used at once.

Some major Comm Nets include:
1. Air to Ground Operations (CAS)
2. Field unit TOC (Company Net)
3. Fire Support (Artillery/MLRS)
4. Dustoff (MEDEVAC)
5. Ground Force Commander (Platoon Net)
6. Guard (for A/C emergencies)
7. UAV (for surveillance)

All the above radios need to be 'Long Range'
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=894678801&searchtext=tfar

Inter Squad/Fire team Net (not used in CAS)
Can be 'Short Range' radio
https://www.teamspeak.com/en/

Aircraft Deconfliction

Several forms of airspace deconfliction:



Seperation Types:

• Lateral - "Stay NORTH of Grid 2340"

• Altitude - "Stay ABOVE 2k AGL and below 4k AGL"

• Time - "Attack window CLOSED from 1408hrs to 1409hrs, OPENS at 1410hrs for TOT and CLOSES again at 1410hrs to 1412hrs"

DANGER CLOSE ! !

Think about the ordnance used and the effect it will have on both Enemy and friendly forces (cluster bombs may affect friendly movement due to 'duds').

Use correct ordnance based on the threat (area or point target, Anti personnel or armour piercing etc)

A PI value of less than 10 percent PI can be interpreted as being less than or equal to one chance in one hundred


A PI value of less than 0.1 percent PI can be interpreted as being less than or equal to one chance in one thousand

BDA

BDA - Battlefield Damage Assessment

After EVERY strike/pass/mission, the JTAC must advise on:

• BDA

• re-attack request

• munitions effect

1) What is the physical/structural damage to the target ?

2) Is a re-attack necessary ?

3) Were the correct munitions used or are different fires necessary ?

++++++++++

C) Advance Tactics/Planning

CAS 3 Phases and 5 Step Planning

Phase I
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1221180757
Planning Phase

• Step 1: Receipt of Mission
  • Who, What, Where and Why

• Step 2: Mission Analysis
  
  • Enemy Situation - Surface-to-air threats, decoys, camouflage etc

• Step 3: Course of Action (COA) Development
  • make 3 COAs if time permits

• Step 4: COA Analysis/Wargame
  • Given the situation and results, pick the best COA

• Step 5: Orders Production
  https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1217995942
  
  • Dissiminate the Orders to any and all affected players

Phase II
Preperation Phase

• Step 1: Rehearsals
  • Terrain model, map, over the radio, in person

• Step 2: Movement

• Step 3: Observation
  • Locate NAI, preplanned targets, priority targets and targets of opportunity

Phase III
Execution Phase

• Target Tracking
  
  • Friendly Tracking/marking

• Aircraft/artillery deconfliction
  

• Anti Air suppression

• Aircraft Check-in/JTAC Situation brief/JTAC request (9-Line)

• Attack begins/Control Type 1 and 2 clearance/weapon release

• Weapon impact

• Battle Damage Assessment

• Reattack consideration

• Munition choice

CAS 5 Step Planning:

Step 1: Receipt of Mission

Step 2: Mission Analysis

Step 3: Course of Action (COA) Development

Step 4: COA Analysis/Wargame

Step 5: Orders Production

Battle Tracking

Battle tracking is the:

• process of building/maintaining an overall
  picture of the battlespace that is accurate, timely, and relevant

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1286024568

Laser Designator Use

With the use of the 'Remote Designator' you can 'lase' a target and have a guided missile strike

You can also utilize a 'Laser Designator' to accomplish the same task

Brevity Codes & Visual Aids

9 Line

FINAL ATTACK HEADING should always be parallel to firendly troops on the ground
Important take aways:

• 'Target elevation' is not important for Arma 3

• NEVER give your (friendly) postion in any way other than cardinal direction and distnace in meters

• Important remarks include:
  • Commander's Initials for Danger Close
  • Restrictions ("Guns only/ 'Continue Dry'/ Stay WEST of the river/ Enemy vehicles only" etc)
  • Threats to the Aircraft ("AAA 500m SOUTH of target")
  • Final attack heading (azimuth degree or cardinal direction; "FAH 90 or 270 ONLY")
  • Give Battle Damage Assessment (BDA)
    • "Successful" / "Unsucessful" ("GOOD HIT")
    • Reattack criteria (another pass/change to rockets etc)
      • Corrections - given in cardinal direction and distance in meters from the
        previous bomb impact point ("100m SOUTH of 1st pass strike")
      
      

[5th SFG Buenger]

I honestly believe he only meant a rotary 5 line.

[Mighty]

I would love a dedicated Rotary-Wing/Loitering (MQ-9/AC-130) CAS guide

[Greybeard]

Kam...sure...a dedicated guide?

[Kam]

Could you add a rotary wing 5 line

[Tangy]

daaamn boi those leaked arma 4 clips be look'n fire

[Mighty]

Sure does, I snooped around the internet and found a script that tracks arty shells so I did some testing and found the rough altitude of shells.

[Greybeard]

Kaiser: Check the 'maximum trajectory' of the specific ordinate fired and keep the A/C above that height. Pre-planning your fire support will also let you know the specific flight path (it depends on the angle of flight, charge type, weapon system and rounds used). Hope that helps ! !

[Mighty]

As for airspace deconfliction, how do you figure out the alititude of artillery shells?

[Maj. John Brown]

Bro... it's a game.

[ESKImo]

It’s been a min since I’ve done done JFO shit and this is the most helpful shit I’ve seen so of course it’s a steam guide.
Better than army training.