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Brevity Codes and Acronyms

The brevity codes and slang listed here is a non-exhaustive list of codes used for tactical communication between fighters in operations. The point is to provide clear and concise communication with limited confusion on what each other is trying to say. However, in the moment, if you forget the brevity code it's always better to just say what you mean to say than pause to figure out the code.

Situational Awareness Calls

Title
Definition
Aliases
Bingo
At my current fuel state I must begin to egress to ensure a safe return to base
Blind
I do not see you/another friendly aircraft/ground unit. Opposite of Visual.
No Joy
Buddy Spike
I am being locked by a friendly aircraft.
Commit
I (or my flight) intend to engage the enemy group(s) ahead of us.
Defending
I am being shot at and need to maneuver.
Dirt
I have detected radar emissions from a ground-based radar.
Go Cold
Move away from the enemy contacts
Mud
I am being locked by a Surface-to-Air missile system.
Raygun
I have locked an unidentified contact
Shotgun
I have only self-defence armament remaining (i.e. AIM-9, guns).
Singer
I am being warned by my RWR that a SAM is shooting at me.
Spike
I'm being radar locked by an aerial contact
Visual
I see you/another friendly aircraft/ground unit. Opposite of Blind.
Tally

Units and Positional

Title
Definition
Aliases
Alpha Check [Destination]
Request to confirm an aircraft's bearing or range from a point, typically bullseye
Angels
Friendly altitude shorthand. (Ex. Angels 1 = 1,000ft, Angels 12.5 = 12,500ft)
Flight Level
BRAA
Bearing, Range, Altitude and Aspect
Bullseye
An established reference point from which the position of an object can be referenced by bearing (Magnetic) and range (NM) from this point.
Fast
Referenced unit is traveling above Mach 1
Feet Wet/Dry
Wet indicates flight going over water from land, Dry indicates flight going over land from water
Flow Cold
Directive call to fly away from an adversary
Flow Hot (Opposite)
Flow [Cardinal Direction]
Directive call to fly in direction
Yardstick
Directive Call to use A/A TACAN for ranging

Weapon Employment

Title
Definition
Aliases
Bruiser
I have launched an anti-ship cruise missile (e.g. AGM-84 Harpoon)
Duck
I have dropped an air-launched decoy (e.g. TALD)
Fox 1
I have launched a semi-active radar homing missile (e.g. AIM-7)
Fox 2
I have launched a heat-seeking missile (e.g. AIM-9)
Fox 3
I have launched an active radar homing missile ( e.g. AIM-120, AIM-54)
Greyhound
I have launched a ground attack cruise missile (e.g. SLAM)
Guns Guns Guns
I am firing guns/cannon
Mad Dog
I have launched an active radar homing missile visually, without a lock
Magnum
I have launched a radiation seeking missile (e.g. AGM-88 HARM)
Paveway
I have dropped a laser-guided bomb.
Pickle
I have dropped a bomb
Pig
I have launched a glide bomb ( e.g. AGM-154 JSOW)
Rifle
I am firing air to ground rockets or missiles
Ripple
I am dropping/launching numerous weapons
SNIPER
Directive call for an aircraft to employ a range-known HARM against a specific threat

Carrier Operations

Title
Definition
Aliases
Bolter
A carrier touchdown in which the hook on an aircraft did not catch any of the cables
Break
A sharp, level turn with high angle of attack, can be used to bleed speed as in during a carrier landing break.
Groove
The glideslope from 1NM to the carrier that aircraft fly on final.
LSO
Landing Signal Officer
Paddles
Marshal
Air Traffic Controller who informs returning aircraft about the carrier's state, and helps guide them as they return.
Meatball
The yellow glideslope indication light in the center of an IFLOLS that pilots watch when landing on a carrier
Ball
Ramp Strike
Landing gear struck the sloped area at the aft end of the ship
See you at ten
I am ten miles away from the carrier and I have visually acquired it.
Spin it
Immediately perform a left 360 degree turn, climbing to 1200ft and then returning to 800ft, within 3DME of the carrier.
Stack
The orbiting tracks of aircraft waiting to land on the carrier Called if the pattern is full when another flight arrives to the break.
Waveoff
When an aircraft is ordered to abort a landing or attack run

Air to Air Tactics

Title
Definition
Aliases
Abort [Direction]
A maximum performance turn away from the enemy, exiting the turn when the enemy is at your 6 O'clock.
Hard [Direction], Out [Direction]
Anchored
Informative call that a fighter is in a turning engagement with a hostile
Avalanche
Informative call that a friendly force needs immediate reinforcements
Azimuth
A picture label indicating 2 or more groups separated laterally from a reference point
BVR
Beyond Visual Range - Describes air combat fought with Fox 3s from greater than 18 miles away or in IMC
Bandit
Positive ID on hostile aircraft
Banzai
Execute launch-and-decide tactics. Typically means trying to force a merge after engagement with FOX 3 missiles.
Bogey
Unidentified air contact that is potentially hostile
Bugout
Egress from your position or situation rapidly
Crank
A maneuver to the left or right of the adversary after engaging but before DOR where you fly with the adversary at the gimbal limit of your radar (the edge of your radar). This reduces your closure speed to the adversary as much as possible without losing radar lock.
DOR
Desired Out Range - The minimum range that you can defeat an adversary's missile and make a decision to reengage and engage before hitting MAR.
Faded
Sensor data, typically radar, has been lost on a target of interest
Gorilla Group
Large amount of aircraft within 3NM of each other
Group
1-3 aircraft within 3 NM of each other
Heavy Group
3 or more aircraft within 3NM of each other
Group
Hostile
A contact identified as an enemy unit and that has either fired on you or you are cleared to fire on it.
MAR
Minimum Abort Range - The range at which an aircraft can safely abort and defeat any missiles fired by the adversary.
Meld
Focus radars on a particular group of bandits instead of sanitizing the whole airspace.
Merged
Aircraft have entered one another's visual arena
Range
A picture label indicating two or more groups separated along the same bearing from a reference point
SORT
Directive call to assign responsibility within a group, and launch criteria
Skate
Execute launch-and-leave tactics with FOX 3 missiles. Typically this means turning away from the target as your own missile goes active.
Target
Assignment of a friendly fighter to engage a specific group
Targeted
A friendly fighter has acquired their assigned group
Timeout
A missile has reached the end of its computed flight time and should have terminated
WEZ
Weapon Employment Zone - The 3D bubble surrounding an aircraft where any aircraft inside of it can be engaged by its weapons, and any aircraft outside of the bubble cannot. Each type of missile on an aircraft has a different WEZ.
WVR
Within Visual Range - Describes air combat fought with Fox 1s, guns, and Fox 2s within 18 miles away. "Out" (add cardinal direction) - Informative call to indicate that the aircraft is cold to the threat and heading a particular direction.

General Terms

Title
Definition
Aliases
AA
Anti-Air
AAA "Triple-A"
Anti-aircraft artillery
ACM
Air Combat Maneuvering
Dogfighting
AIC
Air Intercept Controller
GCI, AWACS
AO
Area of Operations
AWACS
Airborne Warning and Control System.
Anyface
Callsign for any friendly C2 agency to respond on radio
BAI
Battlefield Air Interdiction. The act of attacking enemy troops on the ground when your own troops aren't involved.
Bingo Field
Alternate airfield
Alternate, Divert
Bogey Dope
Where is my highest priority threat? (asked to AWACS/GCI)
Shopping
Buster
Proceed at military power (best speed without afterburner).
Mil
CAG
Commander of the Air Group
CAP
Combat Air Patrol
CAS
Close Air Support
Double Ugly
A Hornet weapons loadout with a centerline and one wing tank, to allow for more ordinance.
Fence In
Turn on weapons systems and prepare your aircraft for combat. Opposite of Fence Out.
Furball
A confused aerial engagement with many combatants. Several aircraft in tight ACM
Gate
Proceed at afterburner
Burner
Lights Out
Alternate term for radar off. Avoid usage due to confusion with aircraft lights being turned off at night
Lowdown
A request to the AIC to be provided tactical ground information pertinent to your mission, including SAM statuses, in a bullseye format.
Picture
A request to the AIC to be provided tactical air information pertinent to your mission, including the location of threatening hostile or unknown groups in a bullseye format
SAM
Surface to Air Missile
SEAD
Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses
DEAD(Destruction of...)
Six Shooter
An F-14 loadout with 6 Phoenix missiles, and two AIM-9s.
TACAN
Tactical Aid to Navigation which can provide bearing and sometimes distance
Winchester
I am out of missiles/ammunition.
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