TABLE CONTENTS

File: 970930_sep96_sagwi1_0021.txt
Page: 0021
Total Pages: 29
Subject = TABLE CONTENTS                                                  

Parent Organization = XVIII CORPS 

Unit = 3D ACR      

Folder Title = INFORMATION PAPERS                                                                              

Document Number =          8

Box ID = BX001802





                                 i  . .,




                                 INFORMATION PAPER


              WARNING PROCEDURES AND ALERT STATUSES FOR AIR DEFENSE


           1. RECENT SCUD ALERTS, WITH THEIR ACCOMPANYING JARGON, HAVE
           BROUGHT ABOUT MANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING AIR DEFENSE WARNINGS
           AND WEAPONS CONTROL STATUSES FOR AIR DEFENSE. THIS PAPER
           WILL DEFINE SOME TERMS AND EXPLAIN THEIR USES.


           2. AIR DEFENSE WARNINGS.
                AIR DEFENSE WARNINGS (ADW) REPRESENT THE COMMANDER'S
           EVALUATION OF THE PROBABILITY OF AIR ATTACK WITHIN HIS AREA
           OF OPERATIONS. ADW ARE ROUTINELY ISSUED BY REGION AD
           COMMANDERS. THEY CAN ALSO BE ISSUED BY ANY COMMANDER FOR HIS
           COMMAND. IN NO CASE, HOWEVER, CAN THE LOCAL ADW BE LOWER
           THAN THE OVERALL ADW ISSUED BY THE AD REGION COMMANDER. THE
           ISSUANCE OF AN ADW IS NOT TIED TO ANY OTHER WARNING PROCEDURE
           OR ALERT STATUS. THEREFORE, A COMMANDER MAY ISSUE AN ADW FOR
           HIS COMMAND IRRESPECTIVE OF THE DEFCON OR WAD. SIMILARLY,
           ADW CAN BE USED BY A COMMANDER TO DICTATE THE READINESS
           POSTURE OF THE ADA UNITS UNDER HIS COMMAND. AS AN EXAMPLE, A
           SITUATION MIGHT OCCUR WHERE AN AIR ATTACK HAD NOT BEEN
           EXPECTED FOR A UNIT (LOW DEFCON, WAD AND ADW) BUT WHERE A
           FORWARD ELEMENT OF THAT UNIT WAS SUBJECTED TO AIR ATTACK.
           THE DIVISION COMMANDER COULD DECLARE ADW RED, FORCING THE ADA
           UNITS IN HIS COMMAND TO ASSUME THE HIGHEST READINESS POSTURE
           REGARDLESS OF THE DECLARED DEFCON.
                A. ADW RED--ATTACK BY HOSTILE AIRCRAFT OR MISSILES IS
           IMMINENT OR IN PROGRESS.
                B. ADW YELL.OW--ATTACK BY HOSTILE AIRCRAFT OR MISSILES
           IS PROBABLE.
                C. ADW WHITE--ATTACK BY HOSTILE AIRCRAFT OR MISSILES IS
           IMPROBABLE.


           3. WEAPONS CONTROL STATUSES.
                WEAPON CONTROL STATUSES (WCS) DESCRIBE THE RELATIVE
           DEGREE WITH WHICH THE FIRES OF AD SYSTEMS ARE MANAGED. THEY
           CAN BE APPLIED TO WEAPON SYSTEMS, VOLUMES OF AIRSPACE, OR
           TYPES OF AIRCRAFT. THIS DEGREE, OR EXTENT, OF CONTROL WILL
           VARY DEPENDING ON THE RELATIVE PRIORITIES OF TWO NEEDS: THE
           NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROTECTION OF FRIENDLY AIRCRAFT, AND
           THE NEED TO MAINTAIN A HIGH T.EVEL OF AIR DEFENSE FOR A
           SPECIFIC TACTICAL SITUATION. THE WCS ARE IMPOSED BY THE AREA
           OR REGION AD COMMANDER. HOWEVER, OTHER MANEUVER COMMANDERS
           HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO IMPOSE A MORE RESTRICTIVE WCS WITHIN
           THEIR AREAS OF OPERATION FOR ASSIGNED, ATTACHED, OR ORGANIC
           ADA WEAPONS IF THE LOCAL SITUATION SO DEMANDS.
                A. WEAPONS FREE. WEAPONS CAN FIRE AT ANY AIRCRAFT NOT
           POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED AS FRIENDLY.
                B. WEAPONS TIGHT. FIRE ONLY AT AIRCRAFT POSITIVELY
           IDENTIFIED AS HOSTILE ACCORDING TO THE PREVAILING CRITERIA.
                C. WEAPONS HOLD. DO NOT FIRE EXCEPT IN SELF-DEFENSE OR
           IN RESPONSE TO A FORMAL ORDER.