JTAC

Joint Terminal Attack Controller

This page showcases interaction between a pilot and a JTAC or Forward Air Controller (FAC). JTACs are used when aircraft need a particular level of control, either due to potential friendly fire in the area, concerns about collateral damage, or even weather related issues. Employing these procedures assumes the pilots are proficient at deploying their weapons, the JTAC is simply giving them point by point instructions on where to drop them. Procedures here may be abbreviated for clarity, brevity, or just to let things slide a little, but sometimes it's fun to try hard at things.

Checking In

After fencing in and being handed off to a JTAC by Air or Ground Battle Managers, the lead aircraft should call the JTAC and check in. There are several pieces of important information that the JTAC needs:

• Aircraft Callsign
• Aircraft Type
• Flight position and altitude
• Number of Aircraft in flight
• Weapons loadout
• Amount of 'playtime' or how long the flight can employ weapons for the JTAC before having to go receive fuel or RTB.

Example

Stingray, Pontiac 1-1, Checking in, 4-ship F-16, 10 miles north of point Metallica at angels 20, 20 minutes of playtime

JTAC Sitrep

The JTAC will roger the check in, and provide an area of operations update, or sitrep. The JTAC may also direct the flight to a specific marshal area (north, east, west, south of a given point) or altitude to deconflict with other stacked aircraft. The sitrep may contain information such as:

• General non-specific target information
• Known threats such as MANPADS or AAA
• Danger areas such as operations areas for other aircraft/JTACs, or limits of flight such as borders

Example

Pontiac 1-1, Stingray, Roger check-in. The target is a battalion HQ compound with light AAA and heavy MANPADS in the area. Do not operate east of point Anthrax due to neutral country border. Marshal and orbit 10 miles north of Metallica at angels 15.