Brevities
Standard terms and phrases used in air combat communications to keep every transmission clear and efficient.
Search for a term and open its accordion to view a sample transmission.
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| AIRBORNE | Aircraft is airborne and runway is clear |
| AJAX | Landing/extraction zone clear of threats |
| ALPHA CHECK | Check heading, speed, pitch and distance to a point |
| ANCHOR | Orbit at a specific point |
| ANGELS | Altitude in thousands of feet |
| ARIZONA | No HARM missiles remaining |
| AS FRAGGED | Unit will operate as fragged |
| BANDIT | Aircraft identified as hostile |
| BENT | Indicated system is inoperative |
| BINGO | Minimum fuel to return to base |
| BIRDDOG | Maintain contact on maritime contact |
| BLANK | SEAD aircraft detects no emitters |
| BLIND | No visual contact with friendly (opposite of VISUAL) |
| BLUE ON BLUE | Friendly fire; inadvertent combat between friendlies |
| BOGEY | Airborne contact with unknown identity |
| BOGEY DOPE | Request for information on enemy contact |
| BRA | Tactical control format: bearing, range, altitude, relative to friendly aircraft |
| BRAA | Bearing, Range, Altitude, Aspect. |
| BREAK | Immediate defensive turn at maximum performance in direction indicated |
| BRUISER | Anti-ship missile launch |
| BUDDY LOCK | You have locked a friendly (bullseye, altitude and heading indicated) |
| BUDDY SPIKE | Friendly radar alert on RWR |
| BUGOUT | Separation with no intent to re-engage |
| BULLSEYE | Reference point to indicate positions by bearing and distance |
| BUSTER | Fly at maximum continuous speed |
| CLEAN | No radar contacts, no visible damage, no external stores |
| CLEAR HOT | Weapons authorized |
| CLEARED HOT | Authorization to release ordnance |
| COLD | Contact moving away |
| COMMIT | Intercept group of interest |
| COMMIT/COMMITTED | Intent to intercept/engage; controller continues to inform |
| CONTINUE | Continue maneuver; does not imply authorization to engage |
| CONTINUE DRY | Authorization not given to release ordnance |
| CRANK | Maneuver to keep target at radar limit |
| CYCLOPS | Any unmanned aerial vehicle |
| DEFENDING | Defensive maneuver against missile threat |
| DEFENSIVE | Defending against indicated threat |
| DIRTY | Anti-aircraft threat detected on RWR |
| DISREGARD | Disregard last transmission |
| DUCK | Tactical air-launched decoy (TALD) |
| ENGAGE | Authorization to employ weapons |
| FEET WET/DRY | Flying over water/land |
| FENCE IN | Enter combat mode (Master Arm ON, lights OFF) |
| FENCE OUT | Exit combat mode (Master Arm OFF, lights ON) |
| FINAL | Aircraft about to land |
| FOX (1/2/3) | Missile launch: Fox 1 → AIM-7, Fox 2 → AIM-9, Fox 3 → AIM-120 |
| FOX 1 | Semi-active missile launch (AIM-7) |
| FOX 2 | Infrared missile launch (AIM-9) |
| FOX 3 | Active missile launch (AIM-120) |
| FURBALL | Air combat with multiple mixed aircraft |
| GATE | Activate afterburner |
| GORILLA | Large number of unknown/enemy aircraft |
| GREYHOUND | Air-launched cruise missile |
| HOLDING HANDS | Aircraft in visual formation |
| HOME PLATE | Home base / home airfield |
| HOOK | 180-degree turn in place |
| HOT | Contact approaching |
| HOTEL FOX | High frequency (HF) |
| HUSKY | AIM-120 in HPRF |
| IDLE | Select idle |
| JOKER | Fuel to finish activity (greater than BINGO) |
| LASER ON | Order to fire laser |
| LASING | Laser active |
| MADDOG | AIM-120 launch without initial radar guidance |
| MAGNUM | Anti-radiation missile launch (HARM) |
| MARKING | Friendly leaving contrails |
| MERGE | Friends and foes in the same visual area |
| MOTHER | Mother ship |
| MUD | Anti-aircraft threat on RWR that has locked (no launch) |
| MUD SPIKE | Anti-aircraft threat detected on RWR |
| MUSIC ON/OFF | Electronic countermeasures activated/deactivated |
| NAILS | Airborne radar reading on RWR |
| NAKED | No signals on RWR |
| NO JOY | No visual contact |
| ON STATION | Unit has reached assigned point |
| PADLOCKED | Crew unable to shift visual attention away from an aircraft or position |
| PAVEWAY | Laser-guided bomb release |
| PICKLE | Unguided bomb release |
| PICTURE | Request for complete air picture to AWACS/GCI |
| PIGS AWAY | GPS-guided bomb/JDAM release |
| PITBULL | Active missile in range, self-guided |
| POP | Initiate climb for ground attack |
| POPEYE | Flying in clouds or low visibility |
| PUSH | Change to designated frequency |
| RAYGUN | Radar lock on unknown aircraft; request confirmation |
| REMINGTON | No ordnance except self-defense |
| RETROGRADE | Withdraw from current position in response to threat |
| RIFLE | Air-to-ground missile launch |
| RIPPLE | Two or more munitions in rapid succession |
| ROGER | Understood (does not imply action) |
| ROLLING | Takeoff roll initiated |
| SAUNTER | Fly for best endurance; conserve fuel |
| SCRAM | Emergency egress directive for defensive or survival reasons |
| SCRAMBLE | Take off as fast as possible |
| SEAD | Suppression of enemy air defenses |
| SEPARATE | Disengage from a specific engagement |
| SIERRA HOTEL | Excellent, very good |
| SKUNK | Surface maritime contact with unknown identity |
| SPIKE | Being locked by enemy radar |
| SPLASH | Target destroyed by ordnance |
| TALLY | Visual contact with enemy |
| TIGER | Sufficient fuel and ordnance to engage |
| TRASHED | Missile defeated by countermeasures |
| UNIFORM | UHF/AM radio |
| VAMPIRE | Hostile anti-ship missile |
| VICTOR | VHF/AM radio |
| VISUAL | Visual contact with friendly (opposite of BLIND) |
| WEAPONS FREE | Weapons employment authorized |
| WEEDS | Operating below 2,000 feet AGL |
| WHAT LUCK | Request for mission results (BDA) |
| WILCO | Understood and will comply |
| WINCHESTER | No ordnance, including self-defense |
| YARDSTICK | Use of TACAN AA to measure distance between aircraft |