As per FRAG

Thanks Chris, downloaded for kneeboard.
I'm looking forward to this one again.

Thanks Chris, great planning - as always.

I like the format of the briefing cards, and I think from the comments we all heard last night, that they are a success.

Hi Chris, is there any value in making this format part of the SOP for designing missions? It make make providing Briefings/FRAGs for everyone easier for mission planning? If all squadrons have something like this prior to flight it might make flights easier?

Father Cool wrote: ↑17 Nov 2021, 15:07 Hi Chris, is there any value in making this format part of the SOP for designing missions? It make make providing Briefings/FRAGs for everyone easier for mission planning? If all squadrons have something like this prior to flight it might make flights easier?

Personally I'd say no.
All squadrons do things there own way and that's as it should be. The frag specifies the targets and nothing else. The mission planning is handled by the squadrons and they brief as they wish.

I would agree, they are helpful and clearly involve a lot of work, but to my mind they obscure much of the critical info, among often unnecessary information. I usually work through them and extract about 5-10 lines of useful data which goes onto my knee-pad, together with other stuff. Background - yes;- pre-flt brief - no.

As a 'Squadron Joe', or even as a Flt Ldr, I don't give a monkeys about the political background.

Here is the kneepad data I used last night:

C/Base 13,000 ft + QNH 29.92 20C Surf 035/10 13k 090/30
R/T A/F 133.0/262.0 R/W 07 Tac 67X
AWACs 251.0 Kob 262 Common 130.0
Boar 1 Chihu Br TOT 0441 (by 0449) 31.0
Boar 2 Abashu Br TOT 0442 (by 0449) 32.0
Laser 1628
Convoy Start Time 0445
Tails 111-112 221 211
Wpns 2 x GBU-10 6 x GBU-12 42 x M282
T/O 0430 Ht 13K

I know it doesn't make sense to anyone else, but it uses my shorthand to give me info that I want in the order that I expect to want it.

I always like my WPs numbered - with critical ones given a very short title e.g TOC, TOD, F In, TurnOn, IP, Tgt 2, etc

Ok Alan, my post was nothing to do with political background, it was providing clear and concise briefing/tasking sheets so everyone knows what they are doing and has the info to hand on their kneeboards. I thought what Chris had done looked good.

However if we are talking political background I 100% disagree woth you regarding its relevance. Maybe you are from a background of 'do what your asked to do and don't ask questions' I don't know and its not for me to judge however I think having and knowing a background story to the sorties that you fly both adds to the immersion of the mission, and what difference in the big picture your part is to play, and also makes you feel that what you are doing makes a difference and for the right reasons.

I personally do not get invested if missions are just a case of, that building needs blowing up, those tanks sat there need killing, then back to base for tea and medals.

However a mission that says theres a troop of armed forces holed up in that building so we need it take it out or else they will move out and strike that villiage of civillians, and those tanks there are moving into a region where our boys in that town are going to be ambushed so we need to get there and take them out before they get there and do untold damage to our forces and the local town and population.

I feel like I want to make a difference in that case, otherwise its just clicking switches and wagling sticks about. Its the emotional investment that makes it worthwhile. Just hearing the voice over the radio last night telling us that the package had been neutralised and the mission was a success was enough to make me smile.

Sorry, I did not put my view very clearly. I have no problem with a full brief, including the background, but as a precursor to the mission. But these are published in advance, and then, too often read through immediately before flying, often taking Up to 20 minutes of the 30 minutes pre-flt time. At that point I want to hear info very specific to me and my task, not the detail of what everyone else is doing unless it impacts directly on my task.

I am all for briefings, in good time, and a final quick pre-flt brief before walking out to the aircraft.

Sorry, I should have made that clear.

Ah fair enough, I do agree there. The issue is that does everyone read the background brief before the night? Who knows.

But yes the briefs/kneeboards of Chris' don't have background info do they?

Maybe just stick to our own kneeboards etc though, it was just a thought.