JP 3-01 Countering Air and Missile Threats - Defense Innovation ...

Executive Summary
weapons resources and other military options. For
counterair, CID should be accomplished with near real time
(NRT) or better exchange of information between airspace
control/air defense units and airspace users to meet the time
and accuracy demands of combat operations.
Methods of ID
ID, Commitment, and
Engagement Authorities
The authorities of ID,
commitment, and
engagement are required
for decisions based on
established criteria that
may be tied to operational
capability and are rooted
in the ROE.
Multinational
Considerations
For the purposes of counterair, the intent of an ID process
is to either facilitate airspace control or to support an
engagement decision through CID. The objective of CID is
to obtain the highest confidence, positive ID possible.
Lacking positive ID, the objective is to reach the level of
confidence in an ID that can be supported by the ROE for
an engagement authority to make a decision. ID can be
accomplished through several recognized methods (e.g.,
positive ID, procedural ID, auto-ID, formation
assessment, or formation tracking). The JFC approves
the procedures used for ID and designates who may be
delegated that authority in the AADP and ACP.
The AADC will establish the policy for ID authority, with
JFC approval, and will promulgate it via the AADP, special
instructions, and/or an operations task link supplement.
Commit authority may be used (and delegated) by the
AADC as a battle management tool. The air defense
echelon with commit authority is permitted to authorize
assets to prepare to engage an entity (e.g., position a DCA
fighter to intercept or direct an air defense artillery unit to
track and target). Commit authority does not imply
engagement authority. The JFC is vested with authority
to prosecute engagements within the theater/JOA consistent
with ROE currently in effect. The air defense authority
with engagement authority is permitted to authorize
engagement of an air or missile threat. For air defense
engagements within the integrated air defense system
(IADS), the authority normally is delegated to the AADC
who may further delegate the engagement authority to
tactical levels (e.g., RADC/SADC).
Special attention must be paid to establishing a workable
CID system during MNF operations. A mix of units with
dissimilar capabilities and differing electronic systems, fire
control doctrine, and training can present the AADC with
an extremely difficult air defense situation. Advanced
planning may be required to compensate for a “patchwork”
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