MTTP/A2S

9 / Air-to-Surface Communication

Fundamentals

Air-to-surface operations require a shared vocabulary for describing the progression from finding a target to destroying it. The Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, and Assess (F2T2EA) sequence governs the flow of a surface attack and the brevity that supports it.

Target Acquisition Brevity

The following brevity codes describe the state of sensor awareness on a surface target. They are used throughout the F2T2EA chain by both fighters and controllers.

Brevity	Definition
DIRT	Radar warning receiver indication of a surface threat in search mode. The threat is radiating but has not yet established a track.
MUD	Radar warning receiver indication of a surface threat in track mode. The threat has established a track on the aircraft.
SINGER	Radar warning receiver indication of a SAM launch. The threat has fired.
SCAN	Search the indicated sector and report any contacts.
WORK	Directive call to conduct geolocation on a specific target or area.
INVESTIGATE	Verify specified elements of ROE, positive identification (PID), and coordination of forces on the referenced target or track.
FIXED	Target has been located and its position established. Followed by accuracy qualifier: LOW ACCURACY (inside 1 nm) or HIGH ACCURACY (inside 1,000 ft).
MONITOR	Maintain sensor awareness on a specified GROUP or object. Implies tactically significant changes will be communicated.
TRACK	Directive call assigning responsibility to an asset for maintaining sensor or visual observation of a defined object or area.
CAPTURED	Object has been acquired and is being actively tracked.
COVER	Directive call to be ready for reattack or re-engage if weapon effects are not achieved.
HOUNDDOG	Aircraft is in a position to employ weapons. Used in response to COVER.

Threat Reaction

When a SAM threat is detected, the aircraft communicates on the mission tactical NET to enable reactive SEAD and maintain the common tactical picture.

Fidelity	Format	Example
Low	Call sign · RWR indication · bearing · DEFENDING with cardinal direction · ownship BULLSEYE	HORNET 1, SINGER ELEVEN, BEARING 3-6-0, DEFENDING WEST, BULLSEYE 3-4-5/30
High	Call sign · RWR indication · threat BULLSEYE/location · DEFENDING with cardinal direction	BOLT 1, SINGER ELEVEN, BULLSEYE 3-6-0/32, DEFENDING WEST

High fidelity is defined as a 5 nm semi-major ellipse accuracy or better. Use high fidelity when available — it enables SEAD aircraft to engage with precision rather than azimuth alone.

TRESPASS

Called when an aircraft enters a non-previously-known SAM MEZ or when any non-SEAD aircraft crosses inside the maximum recommended intercept range of a known SAM. The calling entity directs an immediate SNAP heading away from the threat.

Station	Phrase
Controller or Aircraft	{CS} SNAP {Heading} TRESPASS {Threat Type} BULLSEYE {Bearing/Range}

 RAMBO 2, SNAP 1-7-0, TRESPASS FIFTEEN BULLSEYE 3-2-0/32.

Game Plan

The flight lead issues the game plan before pushing to the target. All flight members acknowledge in sequence. The game plan assigns targeting responsibility, cover responsibility, and establishes the push time and TOT. The Following are two examples for possible Gameplans. Note that this part is highly flxible

Station	Phrase
MC	HORNET, BOLT, PYTHON, STANDBY GAME PLAN
FLs	"HORNET" "BOLT" "PYTHON"
MC	“HORNET, TARGET AND SCAN ALPHA ALPHA 0-1, TWO VEHICLE CONVOY BULLSEYE 2-7-5/69, MOVING SOUTH, BEST. PUSH AT 21:17 FROM RED OSCAR.” “BOLT, COVER ALPHA ALPHA 0-1.” “RAMBO ESCORT AND PYTHON SEAD PER BRIEF.”
FLs	“HORNET.” “BOLT.” “PYTHON.”

Station	Phrase
FL	SHADOW11 #1 AND #2 TARGET {Target Description} · #3 AND #4 COVER {Target Description}
All Members	#2 · #3 · #4

Target and cover assignments may be communicated digitally via data link. Each player acknowledges GOOD DATA if received digitally.

Strike

A strike is a planned attack against a pre-briefed fixed or moving ground target. Strike coordination occurs before and during the attack through a structured game plan, with clear assignment of targeting and cover responsibilities within the package.

Push

Once the game plan is acknowledged and the push time arrives, the attacking element calls PUSHING with the TOT. The cover element acknowledges readiness with HOUNDDOG, indicating they are in position to employ if the primary attack fails.

Station	Phrase
Attacking Aircraft	{Controller-CS} {CS} CAPTURED {Target Description or Bullseye} PUSHING TOT {Time}
Cover Aircraft	{CS} HOUNDDOG

Weapon Away

The attacking aircraft calls weapon employment with time of flight. If the weapon requires continued support such as laser designation or scanning, this is added as a fill-in.

Station	Phrase
Attacking Aircraft	{Controller-CS} {CS} ONE WEAPON AWAY {Target Description} {Time of Flight} SECONDS {LASING / SCANNING if applicable}

Assessment

The attacking aircraft calls the result. Two outcomes are possible:

Station	Phrase
Desired weapon effects generated
Attacking Aircraft	{Controller-CS} {CS} SPLASH {Target Description} SUCCESSFUL
Desired weapon effects not generated
Attacking Aircraft	{Controller-CS} {CS} SPLASH {Target Description} FUMBLE {CLEAN / HIT}

FUMBLE CLEAN indicates no visible battle damage and no weapon impact noted. FUMBLE HIT indicates weapon impact was noted within a lethal distance but desired effects were not generated.

Reattack

If the primary attack results in FUMBLE, the cover element is directed to reattack.

Station	Phrase
FL	(intraflight) {CS} COVER {Target Description or Bullseye} · {Cover CS} PUSH
Cover Aircraft	{Controller-CS} {CS} PUSHING TOT {Time}
Cover Aircraft	{Controller-CS} {CS} ONE WEAPON AWAY {Time of Flight} SECONDS
Cover Aircraft	{Controller-CS} {CS} SPLASH {Target Description} {SUCCESSFUL / FUMBLE}

Egress

Following the attack, the flight egresses using one of three calls depending on the situation:

Call	Condition	Phrase
MILLER TIME	Last striker in the package has completed the attack	{Controller-CS} {CS} MILLER TIME
BUGOUT	Aircraft has completed its attack and has no intention to return	{Controller-CS} {CS} BUGOUT {Direction}
OFF	Aircraft has completed its attack and is repositioning or egressing within the area	{Controller-CS} {CS} OFF {Direction}

Full Strike Example

 (intraflight) SHADOW FLIGHT STANDBY GAME PLAN
 (intraflight) #2 · #3 · #4
 (intraflight) SHADOW FLIGHT, #1 AND #2 TARGET CONVOY BULLSEYE 0-3-0/15 · #3 AND #4 COVER
 (intraflight) #2 · #3 · #4

 SHADOW11 CAPTURED BULLSEYE 0-3-0/15 PUSHING TOT 21:21:15
 (intraflight) SHADOW13 HOUNDDOG

 SHADOW12 ONE WEAPON AWAY CONVOY BULLSEYE 0-3-0/15 THIRTY SECONDS LASING

 SHADOW11 SPLASH CONVOY BULLSEYE 0-3-0/15 FUMBLE HIT
 (intraflight) SHADOW11 COVER BULLSEYE 0-3-0/15 · SHADOW13 PUSH

 SHADOW13 PUSHING TOT 21:23:50
 SHADOW13 ONE WEAPON AWAY FORTY SECONDS

 SHADOW13 SPLASH CONVOY BULLSEYE 0-3-0/15 SUCCESSFUL
 SHADOW11 MILLER TIME

CAS

Content to be added.

SEAD

Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) is the action taken to neutralize, destroy, or temporarily degrade surface-to-air missile systems and associated radar emitters. Its purpose is to allow other aircraft to operate within a threat environment that would otherwise deny or restrict their access.

The SEAD Game Plan

SEAD is not a reactive afterthought — it is a pre-planned, coordinated element of every strike package that operates in a contested environment. Before the mission, the SEAD lead establishes contracts with the rest of the package: who responds to which threat, in what priority order, with which weapon, and under what conditions.

The underlying logic of SEAD is straightforward. A SAM battery that is actively radiating is vulnerable to antiradiation missiles. A SAM battery that goes silent to avoid being targeted is temporarily suppressed and cannot engage aircraft. Either outcome — destruction or suppression — achieves the mission objective of protecting the strike package.

SEAD aircraft therefore have two primary tools:

Hard kill — employment of an antiradiation missile (ARM) against a radiating threat. The ARM homes on the radar emission. If the radar goes silent the missile loses guidance, so the threat must be forced to stay radiating or be caught radiating.
Soft kill — electromagnetic jamming (CANYON) that degrades the threat radar's ability to track or guide a missile without destroying the system.

The decision between hard and soft kill, and between SNIPER (range-known) and SLAPSHOT (range-unknown, immediate), is made based on the quality of targeting data available and the urgency of the situation.

Threat Reaction and SEAD Response Contracts

When a friendly aircraft calls DEFENDING, SEAD aircraft respond with one of the following:

Response	Definition (ATP 1-02.1)	Meaning
HARM INBOUND	[A/S] [EW] High-speed antiradiation missile already employed	ARM is already in the air — the threat is being engaged
MAGNUM	[A/S] [EW] Launch of FRIENDLY antiradiation missile	ARM is being launched now in response to this call
ARIZONA	[A/S] [EW] No antiradiation missile ordnance remaining	SEAD aircraft is Winchester on ARMs

These responses must be pre-briefed as contracts. Every aircraft in the package needs to know which SEAD asset covers which threat axis, what the response will be, and what to do if the SEAD asset is ARIZONA or unable to respond.

SNIPER and SLAPSHOT

Two directive calls are used to order ARM employment:

SNIPER — directive call to employ an antiradiation missile against a range-known threat. Used when targeting data is of sufficient quality to give a precise location.

Station	Phrase
SEAD Lead	{CS} SNIPER {Threat Type} BULLSEYE {Bearing/Range}
SEAD Aircraft	{CS} MAGNUM {Threat Type} BULLSEYE {Bearing/Range}

SLAPSHOT — directive call to immediately employ the best available antiradiation missile against a specified threat at the specified bearing. Range is unknown. Used when a threat is actively engaging friendly aircraft and there is no time to refine targeting data.

Station	Phrase
SEAD Lead	{CS} SLAPSHOT {Threat Type} BEARING {Bearing}
SEAD Aircraft	{CS} HARM INBOUND

The distinction matters: SNIPER is deliberate and precise, SLAPSHOT is immediate and azimuth-only. A SLAPSHOT ARM may not hit the radar if it goes silent, but it forces the threat to shut down or risk destruction — either outcome protects the package.