Chapter 2ARDF Tasking As shown in figure 1, the requirements approved by the coordinating committee are sent in order of priority to the Air Force and Army ARDF agencies through an ARDF Coordination Center (ACC). This center, manned jointly by 6994th SS and 509th RRG representatives, standardizes, where possible, all ARDF activities, establishes specific times over the target, and designates priority targets among those to be covered by mission aircraft. The ACC, in effect, translates the general requirements approved by the coordination committee at MACV level into tasking for each service, based on a weekly capability report submitted by the services. The detailed tasking is passed, in the case of the USAF, through the Reconnaissance Division, 7AF (DOCR), to the TEWSm and directly to the 6994th SS units. In the case of the Army, such requirements are passed directly through the 509th RRG. Air Force and Army aircraft are tasked by ACC to operate in a total of 39 MACV ARDF areas. On the basis of experience as to target availability and priority, MACV has set up these areas, as shown in Figure 2. The boundaries of these are not fixed; they are adjusted to meet the current tactical situation. Areas 1 through 4 in Laos are known to the tactical fighter forces as the STEEL TIGER and TIGER HOUND areas. The area off the coast of North Vietnam (area 5) begins six miles off the coast at the DMZ and extends north to 20 miles south of Dong Hoi, NVN. Because of the greater endurance of the EC-47, only the Air Force operates in Areas 1 through 5. For the same reason, Air Force aircraft cover three areas in the western part of South Vietnam: 10, 14, and 16. Army, as well as Air Force, aircraft can be tasked to cover the remaining 31 MAACV areas.
|