Rotary close air support - UNITAF Force Manual (FM)

Group

Rotary close air support
This group is not in a published chapter and should not be relied upon.

FM/G167 - Rotary close air support

Guide

FM/BG-844 - The 5-line CAS request

Guide

The 5-line CAS request is the standardised method of requesting support from rotary wing or gunship aircraft.

The request

A 5-line request consists of five elements done in a single transmission.

Line	Content
1	Block Not Found
2	Block Not Found
3	Block Not Found
4	Block Not Found
5	FM/BS-843 - Transmit remarks and restrictions during a CAS request

The readback

The aircraft reads back specific parts from the 5-line, and starts the attack phase (shared with the 9-line CAS request)

Skill

FM/BS-901 - Perform a complete rotary-wing CAS request as a FAC

Skill

Transmission 1: Alert the aircraft

Alert the aircraft that a CAS request is about to start. This is the only transmission during the entire request where FM/BS-822 - Initiate a conversation on a transactional network is performed

[callsign of aircraft], this is [callsign of FAC], advise when ready for 5-line

Transmission 2: 5-line

FM/BS-899 - Transmit a 5-line CAS request

Skill

FM/BS-846 - Understand the different CAS types of control

Skill

Type	Meaning
TYPE 1	Individual attack passes Each pass is requested by the FAC Each pass requires clearance FAC requires visual on both the target and aircraft
TYPE 2	Individual attack passes, Each pass is requested by the FAC Each pass requires clearance FAC does not require visual on the target or aircraft
TYPE 3	Multiple attack passes under single clearance Aircraft continues making passes until the target is destroyed or the FAC ends the attack FAC does not require visual on the target or aircraft

Skill

FM/BS-897 - Transmit a CAS request game plan

Skill

Transmit a game plan in the following format:

[callsign of aircraft],
[callsign of FAC],
[type of control] control,
[method of attack],
[ordnance requested]

The type of controls are explained here: FM/BS-846 - Understand the different CAS types of control

The methods of attack to chose from are:

Method of attack	Meaning
BOMB ON TARGET	The aircraft will acquire and engage the target
BOMB ON COORDINATE	The aircraft will not acquire the target, instead relying on another platform for terminal guidance of the ordnance

Skill

FM/BS-894 - Transmit a location during a CAS request

Skill

Give a location in one of the following formats:

Type	Transmitted as	Example
Grid	grid [grid coordinates]	grid 1234 tack 5678
Offset from reference	[reference/landmark] [offset]	from the hospital, 200m south next to the communications tower

Type

Transmitted as

Example

Grid

grid [grid coordinates]

grid 1234 tack 5678

Offset from reference

[reference/landmark] [offset]

from the hospital, 200m south

next to the communications tower

If desired, multiple types can be combined for more accuracy
Grid should not be used for friendly positions

Skill

FM/BS-895 - Transmit a mark during a CAS request

Skill

Transmit a mark in one of the following formats:

Type	Transmitted as	Example
Smoke	[color of the smoke] smoke	red smoke
Tracer	tracers, from the [cardinal direction of where the tracers are originating]	tracers from the east
Sparkle (IR pointer)	sparkle, from the [cardinal direction of where the tracers are originating]	sparkle, from the west
Laser	laser (laser code)	laser

With tracers and sparkle, care must be taken to transmit the correct direction, as from the air the origin and target can otherwise be difficult to determine
If using a non-standard laser code, it must be oncluded

Skill

FM/BS-843 - Transmit remarks and restrictions during a CAS request

Skill

Name	Transmitted as	Meaning	Type
Danger close	danger close	Required if relevant see Block Not Found	RESTRICTION
Ingress	ingress [cardinal direction]	Direction the aircraft should approach the target location from	RESTRICTION
Egress	egress [cardinal direction or left/right]	Direction the aircraft should proceed after engaging the target (only relevant in a 5-line)	RESTRICTION
Time on target (TOT)	time on target [relative time in minutes / absolute time in real life UTC]	The aircraft should should push to arrive on target at the specified time	RESTRICTION
AA threats	No specific format	A discription of relevant AA threats in the area	REMARK

Skill

FM/BS-899 - Transmit a 5-line CAS request

Skill

As a FAC, transmit a 5-line CAS request for rotary-wing aircraft in the following format:

(1) FM/BS-897 - Transmit a CAS request game plan
(2) My position FM/BS-894 - Transmit a location during a CAS request (marked by FM/BS-895 - Transmit a mark during a CAS request)
(3) Target location [cardinal direction from the position given to the target] [distance from the position given to the target in meters]
(4) [brief description of the target] (marked by FM/BS-895 - Transmit a mark during a CAS request)
(5) FM/BS-843 - Transmit remarks and restrictions during a CAS request

Line numbers are not spoken

Skill

FM/BS-845 - Respond to a 5-line

Skill

Respond to a 5-line with:

[readback of all restrictions]
pushing

See FM/BS-843 - Transmit remarks and restrictions during a CAS request for a list of restrictions

Skill

FM/BS-906 - Understand the phraseology of the attack phase of a CAS request

Skill

Transmitted as	Meaning	Transmitted by
Continue	Response to callouts from the aircraft, telling the aircraft to continue as planned	FAC
Abort	Can be called anytime to abort the request	FAC
Looking	I'm trying to locate the target	Aircraft
Tally	I see the target	Aircraft
No joy	I cannot locate the target	Aircraft
10 seconds	I will begin my final attack run in 10 seconds	Aircraft
Laser on	Turn on your laser designator	Aircraft
Lasing	Laser designator is on	FAC (or other platform providing the laser mark)

Skill

FM/BS-905 - Control the attack phase of a CAS request

Skill

Use the correct phraseology to control an aircraft performing the attack phase: FM/BS-906 - Understand the phraseology of the attack phase of a CAS request

Clear the aircraft to engage depending on the type of attack:

Type of attack	Required parameters	Transmitted as
Type 1	Safety of ground forces is ensured Visual on aircraft Visual on target Correct attack geometry	Cleared hot
Type 2	Safety of ground forces is ensured Visual on aircraft or target Correct attack geometry	Cleared hot
Type 3	Safety of ground forces is ensured Correct attack geometry	Cleared to engage

Skill

FM/BS-652 - Fly the initial attack phase of a CAS request

Skill

Leave the IP/BP to arrive at the briefed TOT, and transmit:

Pushing

On route to the target, use the correct phraseology to inform the FAC of what is happening: FM/BS-906 - Understand the phraseology of the attack phase of a CAS request

When ready to engage the target, begin the final attack phase FM/BS-904 - Fly the final attack phase of a CAS request

Skill

FM/BS-904 - Fly the final attack phase of a CAS request

Skill

Commence the final attack phase by transmitting:

In with [heading of your aircraft]

Await clearance to engage from the FAC. The clearance will come as either:

Cleared hot: Type 1/2 attack
Cleared to engage: Type 3 attack

Clearance can come at any point during the CAS request, and is never a requirement to proceed to the next step in the attack phase.The entire attack phase is still performed if no clearance is given, with the only difference being the employment of weapons.

After the engagement (or if clearance was not given in time), egress out of the target area by transmitting:

Egressing [direction of the egress]

Guide

FM/BG-907 - Rotary CAS example: Type 1 BOT

Guide

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