Mission types, CAS, Strike etc, descriptions?

[Snake Man]

Here will be a comprehensive list with descriptions to all of the available Falcon 4 mission types. Many times I'm wondering what this mission type is for or how does it work for my target type. This list will be updated as I gather information around the net.

The original F4 manual might be of use here, however I don't have it anymore (at my place of living), so if anyone have the F4 manual at hand, can you please post any official remarks from there.

Here is the list in this following format.

Mission name - Description

Airlift - Airlifts supplies to selected airbase. Effects on campaign are unknown (to me).

Airmobile - Airlifts unit to a different location, also known as air-drop. Can Black hawks airlift tank battalions, no in my opinion, but how does it work in F4 campaign I don't know. Also can C-130 air mobile lift a battalion from location without even an airstrip, no in my opinion but F4 campaign might be different?

AmbushCAP - Ambush Combat Air Patrol (CAP).. It's a tactic used where a flight of planes operates in one area, usually out of radar coverage (i.e., hidden) from the enemy, while another flight of planes will try to lure the enemy planes into the waiting trap laid by the AmbushCAP flight.

BAI - Battlefield Air Interdiction. This is pretty much the same thing as Interdiction. Also this doesn't seem to be selectable in the AF missions list, but ATO will task them.

BARCAP - Barrier Cap? Prevent enemy aircrafts for entering the whole area you are tasked.

BDA - Battle Damage Assessment. How this actually effects the campaign is unknown, my uneducated guess would be... it doesn't.

CAS - Close Air Support. How does this differentiate from the other CAS missions?

DCA - Defensive Counter Air, air to air mission to defend only a specified object (airfield, bridge, etc). Some kind of air to ground "HAVCAP".

DEAD - Denial of Enemy Air Defenses. It basically means "kill 'em all", i.e., blow up as much of the enemy air defenses as possible.

Escort - Escort friendly flight(s), needs more time to take off and get into join-up position.

FAC - Forward Air Controller, guide friendly aircraft's to attack enemy ground units.

HAVCAP - High Asset Value Combat Air Patrol. Flown to protect AWACS and JSTARS type aircraft.

Interdiction - Interdiction missions are flown to disrupt reinforcements to enemy ground forces near the front lines. Hitting the ground units hard everywhere they can be found.

OCA Strike - Offensive Counter Air Strike, usually to destroy airbase runways.

On Call CAS - Close Air Support, logically would mean that package is loitering in the way point waiting for CAS call. RTB when out of weapons?

Pre-plan CAS - Close Air Support, preplanned. My completely own guess, no facts what so ever would be... they get into the way point and try to hit any ground units they find, then they RTB?

Recon - Reconnaissance, does it just reveal the units for few moments or does it have more deeper impact on the campaign?

SEAD Escort - SEAD Escort for friendly flight(s). Escort for strike (or other) packages, escort role concentrating on SEAD.

SEAD Strike - Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses. This is different from DEAD because the objective is not so much to kill the enemy air defenses but to put them offline enough so that the ingressing strike flight is not threatened by the enemy air defenses. Kinda like making the enemy duck their heads long enough for the friendly strike flight to do their thing and get out.

Stealth - Stealth, seems to be only available for F-117's. No idea what this does?

Strike - Strike, bomb, hit a target objective.

TARCAP - Target Combat Air Patrol. An air-to-air mission that covers the attacking aircraft over the target area. As opposed to an escort flight, which flies over the target area, then returns to base, this flight arrives before the attacking aircraft and patrols the area while strike is conducted, then leaves. Patrol times should be adjusted so that the flight arrives approx 2 minutes prior the arrival of the strike mission and stay for however long it is necessary to complete the strike. Default time is 10 mins.

[Sherlock]

AmbushCAP = Ambush Combat Air Patrol (CAP). It's a tactic used where a flight of planes operates in one area, usually out of radar coverage (i.e., hidden) from the enemy, while another flight of planes will try to lure the enemy planes into the waiting trap laid by the AmbushCAP flight.

DEAD = Denial of Enemy Air Defenses. It basically means "kill 'em all", i.e., blow up as much of the enemy air defenses as possible.

SEAD = Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses. This is different from DEAD because the objective is not so much to kill the enemy air defenses but to put them offline enough so that the ingressing strike flight is not threatened by the enemy air defenses. Kinda like making the enemy duck their heads long enough for the friendly strike flight to do their thing and get out.

[Snake Man]

Thanks Sherlock, new data added to the first post.

[molnibalage]

HAVCAP - High Asset Value Combat Air Patrol (flown to protect AWACS and JSTARS type aircraft)

Some types of mission are never assigned by ATO. I saw AmbushCAP only one. This was the result one of my tweaks...

[Snake Man]

Thanks Molnibalage, first post updated with the latest data.

[Dagman AW]

TARCAP - Target Combat Air Patrol - An air-to-air mission that covers the attacking aircraft over the target area. As opposed to an escort flight, which flies over the target area, then returns to base, this flight arrives before the attacking aircraft and patrols the area while strike is conducted, then leaves. Patrol times should be adjusted so that the flight arrives approx 2 minutes prior the arrival of the strike mission and stay for however long it is necessary to complete the strike. Default time is 10 mins.

[Snake Man]

Thanks Dagman AW, first post updated.

[molnibalage]

BARCAP - Barrier Cap? Prevent enemy aircrafts for entering the area?

Ye,s you defend a whole area.

DCA - Defensive Counter Air, air to air mission blocking enemy aircraft's entering into this area?

You defend only a specified object (airfield, bridge, ect). Some kind of AG "HAVCAP".


I don't know how can separate them...

[Snake Man]

Thanks molnibalage, first post updated.