Sol75
10-28-2007, 01:09 PM
I wrote this up for an old Falcon 4.0 Squadron, so some terms (such as Missile launch and radar terms) are not applicable to AH, however the majority is. When we get into heated combat, or are flying with a large number of folks on, use of the Brevity Code could assist us in getting our radio communications through quickly and succinctly. By no means do i say not to chat with each other, but we may want to learn to sue this when we are in deep combat, and radio comms are at a premium.
Fighter pilot "slang" has invaded the vocabulary of everyday folk. Prior to the movie Top Gun, I can’t recall ANYBODY outside of the tactical flying community using the word "ballistic." I hear it often now. Most folk that use this term cannot define it, nor explain its origin. I guess slang is "cool" to use, but "Fighter Pilot Slang" was very serious business to those warriors that first developed it. It’s a protocol that met a wartime requirement for effective tactical command and control of a "Flight." In combat, good radio discipline could mean the difference between life and death. The official term is "Brevity Code".
The objective is to communicate the maximum amount of information with minimum words. The requirement for concise, timely, and understood information in air combat has been present ever since man first took to the air to kill another man.. It all began in World War 1 with visual hand and aircraft signals (still in use today, although not as tactically important as then).
Between the World Wars, air combat technology evolved to include the radio. The early radios were notoriously unreliable. This was probably the most likely reason for the development of official brevity code terminology. A second impetus was only realized after the great WWII air battles had begun… mass confusion. As soon as a fight began, everybody talked on the radio at the same time. Factor in fear, low situational awareness, inexperience, possible radio jamming, and you can easily imagine a scene of total chaos. So much for post merge mutual support! The solution, although only a partial one, was official "brief" radio terminology…Brevity Code.
Brevity Code, when used properly, can be a very powerful tool in air combat. There are a few caveats, though. The first is; everybody must understand all of the terminology. Secondly, it must specifically describe an event, observation, action, or status. The radio call "Bandits," is worthless unless accompanied by who it applies to and a relative position call. Third, it must be structured to insure that it’s understood by whom it’s intended for. Conversely, it mustn’t be misinterpreted by other flights on the same frequency. An example would be the typical "bad bandit call." Imagine you’re escorting a flight of strikers, and out of the blue you hear "BANDITS! BREAK LEFT!!" What do you think EVERYONE on that frequency is going to do?
By now I can almost hear everybody thinking…yeah, yeah, very interesting, but… how does this apply to PC flight simulations? WELL…today’s multiplayer flight simulations are rapidly reaching the realism level where effective "Comm" is an advantage. The addition of tools like BattleComm and other voice programs make effective Brevity Code desirable, if not essential. The best "Comm" scenario would be at a LAN meet where everybody can talk to each other. Imagine a 4v4 guns only furball. All the same requirements of the real thing are present, along with some additional limitations imposed by the single dimension monitor we view the fight through. Online multiplayer scenarios impose even more factors that require effective communication. "Good R/T discipline" can be a force multiplier that improves your performance, hence your satisfaction, in the modern PC flight simulation.
Brevity Code - Terms and Definitions
ABORT: Directive commentary to terminate. Applicable to a specific attack maneuver or entire mission.
ACTIVE: An onboard radar self-guidance mode of an advanced AAR like the AIM 120
ALPHA CHECK: A request for bearing and distance to a given point. Generally used to confirm navigational accuracy
ANCHOR: 1.) Begin an orbit at a specific point or location. 2.) A refueling track flown by a tanker aircraft.
ANGELS: Altitude expressed in thousands of feet. Angels 20 means 20,000 ft.
AS FRAGGED: Perform the event as briefed or planned.
BANDIT: Known enemy aircraft. Only used when the contact is confirmed hostile.
BEAM/BEAMER: Descriptive terminology for an aircraft that maneuvered to stabilize between 70 degrees 110 degrees aspect. Can be used to describe your own action. Example: stab 11 beaming North.
BELLY CHECK: Directive commentary to instruct recipient to roll over and check for bandits underneath him.
BENT: Inoperative or "bent" system. "Stab one one gadget bent"
BINGO / BINGO FUEL: A predetermined fuel quantity that is required to safely return to base.
BLIND: Lost visual contact with appropriate friendly aircraft. Generally means that the wingman lost sight of a flight lead. The opposite of this is VISUAL.
BOGEY: An unknown radar/visual contact.
BOGEY DOPE: A request for information about a specific target or threat. Generally directed toward GCI/AWACS or other flight members.
BOX: Groups/contacts/formations in a square, as viewed on a radar display or from above.
BRACKET: Indicates geometry where aircraft will maneuver to a position on opposing sides of a given point / target, either laterally / vertically/ or a combination of both. Basically, it is a relatively short-range pincer maneuver.
BREAK: (Up/Down/Right/Left) –Directive to perform an immediate maximum performance turn. Assumes a defensive situation that requires immediate action.
BREVITY: Denotes radio frequency is becoming saturated/degraded/jammed and more concise/less R/T transmissions should be used.
BUDDY SPIKE: Illumination by friendly AI RWR.
BUG OUT: Separate from the engagement and head for a safe area or home.
BULLSEYE: A pre-briefed reference point. It is used to describe your position or that of the target.
CLEAN: 1.) No radar contacts, i.e. your radar scope is clean. 2.) An aircraft configuration without any external stores or tanks.
CLEARED: Requested action is approved.
CLEARED HOT: Ordnance release is approved.
CLOSING: Bandit/bogey/target is decreasing its range.
COLD: 1.) Attack geometry that will result in a position behind the target. (lag pursuit) 2.) Pointed away from the anticipated threats.
COMMITTED/COMMIT: Intent to engage/intercept.
CONTACT: Radar/IR contact; should include bearing, range, altitude (BRA), Bull’s-eye, or geographic position information.
CONTINUE: Continue present maneuver; does not imply clearance to engage or to shoot.
COVER: Directive R/T to assume supporting role and responsibilities.
Fighter pilot "slang" has invaded the vocabulary of everyday folk. Prior to the movie Top Gun, I can’t recall ANYBODY outside of the tactical flying community using the word "ballistic." I hear it often now. Most folk that use this term cannot define it, nor explain its origin. I guess slang is "cool" to use, but "Fighter Pilot Slang" was very serious business to those warriors that first developed it. It’s a protocol that met a wartime requirement for effective tactical command and control of a "Flight." In combat, good radio discipline could mean the difference between life and death. The official term is "Brevity Code".
The objective is to communicate the maximum amount of information with minimum words. The requirement for concise, timely, and understood information in air combat has been present ever since man first took to the air to kill another man.. It all began in World War 1 with visual hand and aircraft signals (still in use today, although not as tactically important as then).
Between the World Wars, air combat technology evolved to include the radio. The early radios were notoriously unreliable. This was probably the most likely reason for the development of official brevity code terminology. A second impetus was only realized after the great WWII air battles had begun… mass confusion. As soon as a fight began, everybody talked on the radio at the same time. Factor in fear, low situational awareness, inexperience, possible radio jamming, and you can easily imagine a scene of total chaos. So much for post merge mutual support! The solution, although only a partial one, was official "brief" radio terminology…Brevity Code.
Brevity Code, when used properly, can be a very powerful tool in air combat. There are a few caveats, though. The first is; everybody must understand all of the terminology. Secondly, it must specifically describe an event, observation, action, or status. The radio call "Bandits," is worthless unless accompanied by who it applies to and a relative position call. Third, it must be structured to insure that it’s understood by whom it’s intended for. Conversely, it mustn’t be misinterpreted by other flights on the same frequency. An example would be the typical "bad bandit call." Imagine you’re escorting a flight of strikers, and out of the blue you hear "BANDITS! BREAK LEFT!!" What do you think EVERYONE on that frequency is going to do?
By now I can almost hear everybody thinking…yeah, yeah, very interesting, but… how does this apply to PC flight simulations? WELL…today’s multiplayer flight simulations are rapidly reaching the realism level where effective "Comm" is an advantage. The addition of tools like BattleComm and other voice programs make effective Brevity Code desirable, if not essential. The best "Comm" scenario would be at a LAN meet where everybody can talk to each other. Imagine a 4v4 guns only furball. All the same requirements of the real thing are present, along with some additional limitations imposed by the single dimension monitor we view the fight through. Online multiplayer scenarios impose even more factors that require effective communication. "Good R/T discipline" can be a force multiplier that improves your performance, hence your satisfaction, in the modern PC flight simulation.
Brevity Code - Terms and Definitions
ABORT: Directive commentary to terminate. Applicable to a specific attack maneuver or entire mission.
ACTIVE: An onboard radar self-guidance mode of an advanced AAR like the AIM 120
ALPHA CHECK: A request for bearing and distance to a given point. Generally used to confirm navigational accuracy
ANCHOR: 1.) Begin an orbit at a specific point or location. 2.) A refueling track flown by a tanker aircraft.
ANGELS: Altitude expressed in thousands of feet. Angels 20 means 20,000 ft.
AS FRAGGED: Perform the event as briefed or planned.
BANDIT: Known enemy aircraft. Only used when the contact is confirmed hostile.
BEAM/BEAMER: Descriptive terminology for an aircraft that maneuvered to stabilize between 70 degrees 110 degrees aspect. Can be used to describe your own action. Example: stab 11 beaming North.
BELLY CHECK: Directive commentary to instruct recipient to roll over and check for bandits underneath him.
BENT: Inoperative or "bent" system. "Stab one one gadget bent"
BINGO / BINGO FUEL: A predetermined fuel quantity that is required to safely return to base.
BLIND: Lost visual contact with appropriate friendly aircraft. Generally means that the wingman lost sight of a flight lead. The opposite of this is VISUAL.
BOGEY: An unknown radar/visual contact.
BOGEY DOPE: A request for information about a specific target or threat. Generally directed toward GCI/AWACS or other flight members.
BOX: Groups/contacts/formations in a square, as viewed on a radar display or from above.
BRACKET: Indicates geometry where aircraft will maneuver to a position on opposing sides of a given point / target, either laterally / vertically/ or a combination of both. Basically, it is a relatively short-range pincer maneuver.
BREAK: (Up/Down/Right/Left) –Directive to perform an immediate maximum performance turn. Assumes a defensive situation that requires immediate action.
BREVITY: Denotes radio frequency is becoming saturated/degraded/jammed and more concise/less R/T transmissions should be used.
BUDDY SPIKE: Illumination by friendly AI RWR.
BUG OUT: Separate from the engagement and head for a safe area or home.
BULLSEYE: A pre-briefed reference point. It is used to describe your position or that of the target.
CLEAN: 1.) No radar contacts, i.e. your radar scope is clean. 2.) An aircraft configuration without any external stores or tanks.
CLEARED: Requested action is approved.
CLEARED HOT: Ordnance release is approved.
CLOSING: Bandit/bogey/target is decreasing its range.
COLD: 1.) Attack geometry that will result in a position behind the target. (lag pursuit) 2.) Pointed away from the anticipated threats.
COMMITTED/COMMIT: Intent to engage/intercept.
CONTACT: Radar/IR contact; should include bearing, range, altitude (BRA), Bull’s-eye, or geographic position information.
CONTINUE: Continue present maneuver; does not imply clearance to engage or to shoot.
COVER: Directive R/T to assume supporting role and responsibilities.