Tactical Air Control Party
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The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United States and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. |
| USAF Tactical Air Control Party | |
|---|---|
 United States Air Force TACP shield |
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| Active | |
| Country | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Size | approx. 1100 |
| Part of | USAF Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Forces Pacific, United States Air Forces in Europe |
| Motto | "Death on Call"
"Advise, Assist, Control" |
| Colors | Red, Green, and Blue |
Contents |
[edit] United States
A Tactical Air Control Party, commonly abbreviated TACP (pronounced Tack-P), is usually a team of two or more United States Air Force Tactical Air Command and Control Specialists (AFSC 1C4X1) aligned with a United States Army combat maneuver unit, either conventional or special operational, to advise ground commanders on the best use of air power, establish and maintain command and control communications, and provide precision terminal attack guidance of U.S. and coalition close air support and other air-to-ground aircraft. A TACP always includes at least one Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) qualified to control attack aircraft; it sometimes includes an Air Liaison Officer (a qualified aviator), primarily in an advisory capacity. TACPs often act as an inter-service liaison, and on occassion work with naval gunfire assets off-shore.
Along with being assigned to all conventional Army combat units, TACP airmen are also attached to Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and Army Rangers, as well as Joint Special Operations Command units and multi-national Special Operations task forces, primarily as communications experts and precision airstrike controllers.
In addition, TACP members can be assigned to AFSOC Special Tactics Squadrons either to perform their traditional duties or to train Air Force Combat Controllers responsible for austere airfield air traffic control, in the tactics, techniques, and procedures of close air support control.
Enlisted members are either known as JTACs or ROMADs. JTACs provide terminal attack control for attack aircraft and act in an advisory capacity for their aligned army unit. ROMADs (an acronym for "Radio Operator, Maintainer & Driver"*, stemming from Vietnam-era TACPs who served primarily as assistants to officer-only Forward Air Controllers) assist JTACs in the performance of their duties while working to attain JTAC status for themselves.
- (The ROMAD acronym is now widely accepted as standing for "Recon, Observe, Mark & Destroy" in reflection of the modern role of the TACCS).
TACP members wear black berets with a distinctive red, blue, and green cloth flash and silver crest. Air Liaison Officers are authorized to wear the black beret, flash, and rank while assigned to a TACP unit, but not at any other point in their career. Air Liaison Officers can achieve JTAC status but are not required to do so. This is a reverse from earlier USAF policy, and unlike many other nations' TACPs, which look to the officer to be the primary (if not sole) holder of such a specialty.
[edit] Training
TACP students undergo a 75 days training course in Hurlburt Field, Florida
[edit] Initial Training
- Block I Basic Career Knowledge (5 Days)
The first block covers basic career knowledge and associated publications.[1]
- Block II Portable Communications Equipment (11 Days)
The second block covers several different procedures and radio language skills.
- Block III Tactical Communications (8 Days)
The third block involves day and night foot navigation, vehicle navigation, convoy training and small unit tactics.
- Block IV Ground Environment Training (18 Days)
Students learn bivouac setup, site selection, patrolling methods, day and night navigation on foot and in a vehicle.
- Block V Air Support Coordination/Weapons Systems (6 Days)
This section deals with the methods and means of requesting close air support, weapons effects and utilization and other coordination procedures.
- Block VI Communications Pallet (13 Days)
- Block VII Close Air Support Procedures (12 Days)
The students go on a three-day "real-world" scenario. They plot targets on maps, request aircraft for close air support using assigned call signs and work convoy procedures. [2][3] The students take part in a 73-day technical training course broken down into six blocks of instruction. [4]
[edit] Advanced Training
SERE School -- Combat Survival Course -- 3 weeks, Fairchild AFB, Washington
United States Army Airborne School** -- Basic Parachutist Course -- 3 weeks, Fort Benning, Georgia
Special Tactics Advanced Skills Course** -- 12 weeks, Hurlburt Field, Florida
[edit] Optional Advanced Training
US Army JumpMaster Course -- Fort Benning, Georgia
US Army Air Assault Course -- Fort Campbell, Kentucky
US Army Ranger School -- Fort Benning, Georgia
US Army Special Forces Q- Course -- Fort Benning, Georgia
US Army Pathfinder School -- Fort Benning, Georgia
[edit] United States
In the United States Air Force, ROMADs who have achieved a Combat Mission Ready status and completed associated Initial Qualification Training are sent to the Joint Terminal Attack Controller Qualification Courses held at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and Kaiserslautern, Germany. Upon graduation and completion of subsequent Mission Qualification Training, they are evaluated to determine if they will receive JTAC status.
Throughout their tenure, ROMADs and JTACs alike are afforded opportunities to pursue advanced training to include the U.S. Army's Parachutist, Pathfinder, Air Assault, and Ranger schools. Such training is afforded both as an incentive to the Airmen in question and to afford them the opportunity to work with a greater range of aligned Army units.
[edit] United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom Armed Forces TACP personnel may come from the Royal Marines[5], Army or RAF Regiment[6] Every TACP has four members, including one officer Forward Air Controller. The FAC's role is to guide attack aircraft and fast jets to the correct target by providing descriptions and locations to the pilots via a range of telecommunications equipment.
Prince Harry, the third in line to the British throne served as a TACP commander in Afghanistan [7][8]
FACs and TACPs in the United Kingdom are trained at the Joint Forward Air Controller Training Standards Unit (JFACTSU) [9]
[edit] External links
- The ROMAD Locator
- Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team also works with TACP
- Special Operations (USAF TACP)
- Air Force Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) in Afghanistan
[edit] References
- ^ http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123029059
- ^ http://www.romad.com/main.htm
- ^ http://www2.hurlburt.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123029059
- ^ http://www.romad.com/main.htm
- ^ "Royal Marines Reserve Specialist Qualifications". http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server?show=nav.2984&outputFormat=print. "608 Tactical Air Control Party, or 608 TACP as it is known in the Corps, is part of RMR Merseyside. Every TACP has four members, including one officer, whose role is described in the Forward Air Controller section. RMR Merseyside trains personnel at both the Manchester and Liverpool Detachments to be part of the TACP. The role of this very professional small team is to provide accurate descriptions and locations of targets, and indicate those targets using sophisticated LASER technology, to fast jets and other attack aircraft carrying a wide variety of weaponry."
- ^ "RAF Regiment Roles". http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafregiment/roles/. "The RAF Regiment provides both a Flight and a TACP to the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG). Specially selected Officers and Gunners operate at a high operational tempo in direct support of UK Special Forces operations worldwide."
- ^ "Timeline: A terrorist-fighting prince". http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23295679-5016558,00.html. "After brief in-theatre training he catches a flight directly to Fob Dwyer. He takes up his place in the TACP working under the direct command of battlegroup Battery Commander Major Andrew Dimmock of the Royal Artillery."
- ^ "Ministers and Chiefs make statements on Prince Harry's Afghan deployment". MODUK. http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/MinistersAndChiefsMakeStatementsOnPrinceHarrysAfghanDeployment.htm. "This 3 month deployment has shown that it is perfectly possible for Prince Harry to be employed just the same as other Army officers of his rank and experience. His role as the commander of the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) in charge of the Household Cavalry Regiment Battlegroup Forward Air Controllers (FAC) is one that he had trained for last year. As such, he was responsible for the logistical resupply of the Battlegroup by air, surveillance of the area by both manned and unmanned aircraft and protection tasks which includes controlling aircraft onto their targets."
- ^ "Training the RAF's eyes and ears". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7887892.stm. "In the bitter cold and wind of the North Yorkshire Moors, a group of soldiers, Royal Marines and others are learning how to call in air-strikes and become 'forward air controllers' on the front lines in Afghanistan."
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