This guide will cover basic combat brevity code-words and phrases used by

FK and many other online DCS servers and communities. Some of the
definitions may differ slightly from real-life usage.
1. INTRODUCTION TO BREVITY
The basic premise of brevity is to make yourself understood quickly and
clearly. This means that it is always better to say something in plain
English than to say nothing, if you are unfamiliar with the code words in
use. It also means that while specific orders and combinations of terms are
specified in this guide, you can use them in any way that gets the point
across. It doesn't matter if you call "SPIKE" with a bearing instead of
clock position, or call the type, then "spike", then the direction. It just
sounds cooler the "proper" way.
And most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask if someone says something you
don’t understand.
How to make a call
When talking on the radio, try to make it clear who you’re talking to,
especially if you’re calling out of the blue. This is the standard format
for radio communications:
1. <who you’re talking to>,
2. <who you are>,
3. <what you want>.
Example 1 - A pilot, callsign ENFIELD 1-1, asks the intercept controller,
callsign MAGIC, where the bad guy is:
“Magic, Enfield 1-1, Where’s the bandit?”
Example 2 - A wingman (nr 3 in the flight) tells their flight lead that
they forgot to retract their gear:
“Lead, 3, You forgot your landing gear.”
Another important note is what to call. If you're operating in close
proximity to friendlies in other flights, it might be worth announcing
missile launches on the common frequency that everyone can hear. On the
other hand, if you're engaging a group far away, it might be worth only
announcing your commitment to that group and it's destruction on the common
frequency, in order to avoid clogging up comms.
This applies to almost every piece of information you can transmit,
including your identity and who you're trying to talk to. If I'm talking to
you casually, I'm not going to say your name at the start of every
sentence, and the same applies here. It's important to find a balance
between making it clear who you are and who you're talking to, and keeping
transmissions from becoming unnecessarily long-winded. Additionally, if
something needs to be said fast, that might mean only including the most
important info in the call.

Directions
It is important to be able to effectively tell someone what direction
something is in, especially in the sky where there can sometimes be very
few points of reference. Here are the three primary ways in which direction
can be conveyed:
BEARING - generally used at longer ranges, or when it’s more important to
be precise about a direction.
CARDINAL DIRECTION - used as a quick and easy direction reference that is
the same for everyone, where a bearing would be unnecessarily precise.
CLOCK POSITION - used at close-medium range, typically inside a flight or
when the aircraft’s direction is the most practical reference point, such
as an intercept controller directing an aircraft in a dogfight.
At the end of the day the most important thing is that the message gets
across. Saying "He's over the big fuck-off mountain!" or "He's on our left,
close!" can often be more effective that calling a bearing, cardinal
direction or even clock position - which may require looking at a compass
or thinking for a second first, robbing the recipient of vital seconds to
react to a threat.
2. BASIC BREVITY DICTIONARY
A set of basic calls and terms that will let you communicate quickly and
efficiently as a flight lead, wingman or intercept controller (also
fallaciously known as an AWACS or GCI) in the majority of situations.
Terminology that is usually used as a phrase will have an explanation in
quotation marks from the perspective of the person making the call.
Codewords will just have an explanation. Organised by subject.

Weapons
Communications regarding weapon employment. Follow one of these with
information about your target if you haven't already specified it.
FOX [number]- "I have launched a missile of the following type:"
1.Semi-active radar (AIM-7, Super-530, R-27R/ER)
2.Passive IR (AIM-9, R-60, R-73, R-27T/ET)
3.Active radar (AIM-120, AIM-54, SD-10, R-77)
GUNS- “I’m firing my gun!”
PICKLE - “I’m dropping a bomb!”
(“PAVEWAY” can also be used for laser-guided bombs)
RIFLE - “I’m firing a guided air-to-ground missile!” used for Mavericks,
Vikhrs and more.
MAGNUM - “I’m firing a anti-radiation missile!” used for HARM, Kh-58, Kh-
25MPU, and more.

SPLASH - “Air target destroyed.” Can be followed by target information,

such as type and/or location so that others know exactly what has been
destroyed.
SHACK - “Ground target destroyed.” Just like SPLASH, can be followed by
target information.
Target Identification & Reporting
Terms and phrases for communicating information or questions about
contacts.
BOGEY - Contact whose identity is unknown.
BANDIT - Hostile contact.
FRIENDLY - Friendly contact.

HOT - Moving towards friendlies.

COLD - Moving away.
FLANKING - Moving perpendicular or slightly diagonally towards us. Usually
given with cardinal direction of target movement.
ANGELS - Altitude in thousands of feet, used primarily for friendly
aircraft.

BRAA – [Bearing] for [Range], at [Altitude], [Aspect]. Standard format for

calling a targets position relative to a friendly, usually the friendly
you’re telling about the target. Aspect can be HOT, COLD or FLANKING.
 Example - someone is telling a group, in this case Enfield-2, that
they have a bandit at 25000 feet coming towards them from bearing 250,
at a distance of 45 miles:
 "Enfield 2, bandit 250 for 45, at 25000 hot."
BULLS [BRAA] - Like BRAA, but relative to the Bullseye - a predetermined
reference point available on the map. Used when several friendly groups
need to know about something’s position.
Example - Intercept controller, callsign "Darkstar", tells friendly
group "Colt-2" about an unknown contact's location. Note the usage of
 a universal directional reference for the bogey's heading, as the
aspect won't be the same for everyone who hears the call:
"Colt-2, Darkstar. Bogey bulls 030 for 20, 37000, heading east.
POPUP [location] - “A radar contact that may become relevant to you has
appeared at the following location.” where location is typically given in
BRAA or BULLS.
BOGEY DOPE - “Give me information about bogeys and bandits relevant to me.”
Usually directed towards the intercept controller.
Example - friendly pilot "Uzi 1-3" asks for information on nearby
targets from the intercept controller, "Darkstar":
"Darkstar, Uzi 1-3, bogey dope!"
DECLARE [target information] - “AWACS, Inform me about this target.” When
making this call to your AWACS, briefly provide as much target information
as possible, especially in a busy airspace; altitude relative to you,
direction, range, etc.
Example - "Colt 2-1" asks an intercept controller for information on
a high, approaching object he's spotted to the left of his nose. If
time is critical, as in for example a busy engagement, you can skip
the intercept controller's callsign if you've already been talking to
them:
"Colt 2-1,declare 11-o'clock high, hot!"

MERGED - In a close-range engagement where other far-away radars may have

trouble distinguishing between the combatants.
COMMITTING - Moving to engage the group. Can be followed by BULLS call to
indicate target group position, or on its own in reference to a group
already being discussed.
BUGGING OUT - Leaving an engagement with no intent to come back.
FADED - Radar contact with target is lost, but the target is probably still
there.

VISUAL - “I see the a friendly”

BLIND - “I do not see the friendly”
TALLY - “I see the bandit”
NO JOY - “I do not see the bandit”