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| CAS and Forward Air Controller; ... Cobras arent enough | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 18 2008, 04:16 PM (1,675 Views) | |
| flipzi | Jul 18 2008, 04:16 PM Post #1 |
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R-A-T-S
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Forward air control From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A forward air controller (FAC) is a qualified individual who, from a forward position on the ground or in the air, directs the action of military aircraft engaged in close air support of land forces. Forward Air Controller as an official acronym that came from World War 2 when the Allies were rapidly advancing across France and the Low Countries towards Germany. British and American fighter planes were making Fighter Ground Attack (FGA) missions through low level bombing and strafing German military targets and logistic targets. Enemy targets in the Forward Edge of the Battle Area (FEBA) are de facto close to friendly forces and therefore friendly forces are at risk of friendly fire through proximity during an FGA attack. The danger is twofold: the pilot cannot identify the target clearly, and is not aware of the locations of friendly forces. Camouflage, constantly changing situation and the fog of war all increase the risk. The FAC is intended to prevent such incidents. Air attacks behind enemy lines on camps, storage areas and lines of communication is known as air interdiction and does not require an FAC. The Vietnam War brought special challenges to the task of the FAC. Much of Vietnam and most of Laos were inadequately mapped. The civilian population was intermixed with the Viet Cong and People's Army of Vietnam. Single, double, and triple canopy jungle made observation difficult. As a result, FACs often flew low altitude sorties in low performance aircraft such as the O-1 Bird Dog. These FACS, usually U. S. Air Force fighter pilots from Air Commando Squadrons, operated under stringent rules of engagement. Quite often, they spotted their enemy only by the muzzle flashes of ground fire aimed at them. Forward Air Controllers would then call for fighter-bomber support and fire a white phosphorus smoke rocket to mark enemy forces. The fighter-bombers would then be "cleared in hot" to "hit my smoke." Because of their effectiveness as a force multiplier, FACs were sometimes assigned to covert operations, and upon occasion worked with the Central Intelligence Agency. The USAF also operated a specialist dedicated airborne "fast mover" FAC team, known as Misty in Vietnam. These teams piloted F-100Fs, and were founded by Colonel Bud Day. It was recognised that co-ordination between ground and air forces would improve target acquisition and provide added security for friendly forces so the concept of the Forward Air Controller came into being. From the beginning the FAC was working into the [Joint Force] environment and since 2004 the term FAC has been superseded by "Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC)" in the USAF and US Navy, which puts a percentage of SEALs through JTAC training. FAC's and TACP's in Great Britain are trained at the Joint Forward Air Controller Training Standards Unit (JFACTSU) [1] The United States Marine Corps has the capability to provide ground and air forces from within its own resources and when doing so are not operating in a Joint Force environment and they retain the term FAC. The primary function of an FAC is the safety of their own troops but is trained to identify and designate targets using a data transmission, laser or direct positive voice radio control. Military forces only had a radio in World War 2 so the FAC used his eyes and voice to direct the pilot and the pilot used his ears and eyes to accurately attack the target. FACs were initially ground personnel but later FACs operated both on the ground and from within aircraft operating in the FEBA. FACs were designated as Primary or Secondary depending upon their appointment. A Primary FAC is a designated FAC unit titled Primary Forward Air Controller (PFAC) operating a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP). Secondary FACs have another primary appointment but could use their FAC training and qualification when appropriate and includes company level commanders and helicopter pilots. TACPs were appointed to forward units and as Air Liaison to tactical ground unit headquarters. Major improvements in technology in the 1980s/1990s brought the laser, GPS and battlefield data transfer into service, which enables FGA to be constantly updated by the FAC/JTAC throughout the attack, which reduces the danger to friendly forces and increase the accuracy of the weapons being delivered. The United States armed services signed the JTAC Memorandum of Agreement in late 2004 when Joint Fighter Ground Attack (FGA) Close Air Support (CAS) operations have to be controlled by someone who has been trained to the minimum "joint" standard and be qualified by their service to (for all intents and purposes) legally control Close Air Support. The British standardise FAC (JTAC) operations at the Joint Forward Air Control Training Standards Unit (JFACTSU)[2]. The USA and Great Britain are members of NATO and the standards referred to are ratified across NATO enabling qualified and appointed FACs to control FGA of any NATO country when authorised to do so. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_air_controller |
![]() " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them! - Art. II Sec 1, Philippine Constitution " " People don't care what we know until they know we care. " getflipzi@yahoo.com | |
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| flipzi | Jul 18 2008, 04:19 PM Post #2 |
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MORE READ: Joint Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for CAS http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/new_pubs/jp3_09_3.pdf Beyond Close Air Support: Forging a New Air-Ground Partnership http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG301.pdf |
![]() " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them! - Art. II Sec 1, Philippine Constitution " " People don't care what we know until they know we care. " getflipzi@yahoo.com | |
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| flipzi | Jul 18 2008, 04:25 PM Post #3 |
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Remember the Tipo-Tipo encounter wherein there was no clear coordination between the ground commanders and the pilots? The Marines are now considering FAC in their units or how they can emulate that function. As for this;
2 MG520 and 2 UH-1H with manned 30cal guns. But the rebels escaped and casualty count on rebels was not as good as expected with that setup. More like, the ground troops need more training on FAC. Assigning one or 2 FAC on the combat platoons may not be feasible. One solution is to train the team leader and the radioman on FAC. By the way, the FAC is not enough. We need the suitable bird as well. Actually, even without the FAC the choppers can unleash their load as long as the enemy position is far enough to throw anything you got like crazy. But in really "close" air support or when distance is critical, the FAC is needed and a the chopper must HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO UNLEASH ITS FURY WITHOUT ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF THE FRIENDLY FORCES. This is not possible or is very hard with MD520. What's needed is the targetting system of the Cobra or Apache. With a safe bursts of 20-mm or 30-mm fire, the team can suppress enemy fire thereby giving them the opportunity to manuever and take vantage positions. |
![]() " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them! - Art. II Sec 1, Philippine Constitution " " People don't care what we know until they know we care. " getflipzi@yahoo.com | |
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| saver111 | Jul 18 2008, 09:08 PM Post #4 |
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PDFF Moderator
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Actually all soldiers and any member of a team should have been taught that skill. When they studied land navigation and map reading they already achieved part of it. That is knowing your exact location and that of the enemy. So when they ask for fire support or CAS, they should know which is which, or else, Boom Kanana! |
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Justice for Daniel Lorenz Jacinto HELP END PIRACY NOW!: http://www.itfseafarers.org/petition.cfm | |
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| systema | Jul 18 2008, 10:15 PM Post #5 |
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Isnt FAC used for conventional warfare, If something happens to the FAC or his radio then air support would be useless. Its only good for MILF sized warfare. If that so, with FAC an MG 520, OV-10 is enough use. But no good for small skirmishes with NPAs and ABus which the cobra will be used and most useful. |
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| Vermonter | Jul 19 2008, 04:33 AM Post #6 |
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Truthfully Flip recon/scouts have been groundbreaking with COMSEC in utilizing their cell phones for text messaging to PhilAF aircraft and field artillery on missions against MILF and NPA in the late 90s. Think about it, they cannot intercept voice messages with the scanners their foreign friends gave them. US Army Forward observers have something called a PFED which does the same thing that has just been issued in the mid 2000s. It just occurred to me, that how American advisers in the jungle would be amazed of how a poor Filipino soldier would have a cool cellphone in the middle of nowhere. They would often ask their Phil counterparts if they could call home with their phone cards. By the way, the format to call an air-strike is called a "9-Line." To find out what a US aircraft's true performance is, aircrew and planners simply use the DOD Dash-1 (-1) or Dash 10 (-10) operators supplement. |
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| flipzi | Jul 19 2008, 05:03 PM Post #7 |
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I was thinking the same thing. If the current skill allows ground units to provide coordinates to the artillery base, then why cant they do the same on the CAS tasks? In the recent Tipo-Tipo it was more on the 2 parties having problems on communication. A FAC embedded into a spec ops team like the Army SFs or SRs, not engaged with the enemy but simply observing them, using laser guidance or the old "compass and map" technique would be sufficient. In all, the team leader and radioman should be provided with the RELIABLE communication equipment. Proper training on how they can maximize the use of CAS may be necessary. There should be a specialization course on FAC and on how the team leaders can utilize the CAS to its fullest. This points to CAS-Ground Troop coordination. It a separate tactic or science that me be studied further. The CAS or attack choppers are useless if the ground troops dont know how to utilize them properly. |
![]() " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them! - Art. II Sec 1, Philippine Constitution " " People don't care what we know until they know we care. " getflipzi@yahoo.com | |
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| jedi knight | Jul 19 2008, 08:02 PM Post #8 |
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Nakakainggit talaga if we see how technological advancement benefit other country's armed forces. But on the other hand, we could still be thankful that we have resourceful soldiers who doesn't allow the shortcomings to be an excuse in not doing their jobs. I once had a conversation with an army major who participated in Balikatan exercises, and he told me that it may be true na naiiwan tayo in terms of equipment, pero in terms of war fighting skills, we are at par with them. I'm not sure if it was then Maj. Ramon Yogyog, who made that email back in 2004. We still have a contingent in Iraq, the Philippine contingent's column was ambushed by insurgents, the Filipino tropps suddenly changed their formation and chased the ambushers, while the Americans were frozen inside their Humvees, it was not stated though if those left in the Humvees were infantry-types. Some of the strategies being done by the US in Iraq originated here in the Philippines, particularly the SOT concept. Then Col. Jovito Palparan introduced the concept to then Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the US Commander in Iraq. Sana magkaron naman tayo ng appreciation sa sarili nating mga sundalo! Hindi yung puro short comings and kapalpakan lang nakikita natin. Sabi nga nung isang napatay na Marine, "You may pay your taxes, but they repay it with their Lives." which i believe is true. One more thing, if we love getting after action reports from newspapers or any media sources, then I would say not all exploits of our troops are reported in media. Those that made it to the headlines or in the evening news are not entirely correct. |
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| flipzi | Jul 20 2008, 02:28 PM Post #9 |
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The battleground in Iraq is very different compared to the Philippines. It's flat and there's not much cover. So, whoever has the better tactic and firepower will win. In our case, the jungle is a different set of complexities that a soldier must analyze and understand. That's my point. You see. If you can do a similar magic in Iraq like in that story then how come in most fights here, the score is not pretty and the rebels simply escape. They are still there after 40 years. Something is wrong. It's time we check on that. Siguro, kung PAGSAMANAHIN NATIN YUNG TACTIC, TAPANG AT ..... MAKABANGONG KAGAMITAN AY MAAAYOS NATIN PROBLEMA SA ARMADONG REBELYON. Tactics and bravery may not be enough. Yun lang naman punto ko mga kapatid. |
![]() " Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them! - Art. II Sec 1, Philippine Constitution " " People don't care what we know until they know we care. " getflipzi@yahoo.com | |
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| jedi knight | Jul 21 2008, 02:52 PM Post #10 |
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Do you know what SOT concept means? What they do? and How are they significant? |
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