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

Counterair Planning
Formation Assessment Spatial Relationship
3 nautical miles
Hostile
Identification
10,000 feet
Velocity
Vector
Not Assessed Hostile
Assessed Hostile
Figure III-2. Formation Assessment Spatial Relationship
friendly weapons platforms. The risk of friendly engagements and friendly protection to
hostile aircraft is greater with formation assessment in effect, but to help mitigate this risk,
care should be taken in the development of the spatial criteria used for the formation
assessment.
f. Formation Tracking. Formation tracking is the use of a single data link air track
(with a strength field indicating the number or estimated number of aerial vehicles
comprising the formation) to represent a formation of two or more aerial vehicles. To
qualify for formation tracking, the aircraft in the formation must maintain a consistent
relationship with each other (horizontal and vertical separation, speed, and course). Air
surveillance systems selectively employ formation tracking when displaying air tracks.
Formation tracks are displayed to the operators and transmitted to other air surveillance and
AD systems via joint TDL. Formation tracking reduces operator workload, allows older C2
systems to handle larger surveillance responsibilities, and reduces the number of transmitted
tracks required to represent the entire air picture.
III-15