ATO

GENERAL.

The Joint Publication 1-02, Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, defines the Air Tasking Order as “a method used to task and disseminate to components, subordinate units, and command and control agencies projected sorties, capabilities, and/or forces to targets and specific missions. Also called ATO”. The air tasking order (ATO) articulates the tasking for joint air operations for a specific execution timeframe, normally 24 hours. The joint air tasking cycle is synchronized with the JFC’s battle rhythm. The JAOC normally establishes a 72- to 96-hour ATO planning cycle. The battle rhythm or daily operations cycle (schedule of events) articulates briefings, meetings, and report requirements. It provides suspense for targeting, air support requests, friendly order of battle updates, etc., to produce the air battle plan that includes the ATO message and other products. (Joint Publication 3-30, Joint Air Operations). The ATO is written in United States Message Text Format (USMTF).

ATO Header

OPER/505th TRS TRAINING//
MSGID/ATO/USCENTCOM/ATO A/OCT/CHG/1//
AKNLDG/NO//
TIMEFRAM/FROM:010600ZOCT1998/TO:020559ZOCT1998/ASOF:302100ZSEP1998//

The ATO header is the first portion of the ATO and includes information about the operation/exercise.

OPER/505th TRS TRAINING//

The first set OPER (or EXER) has one field only and it contains the name of the operation/exercise.

MSGID/ATO/USCENTCOM/ATO A/OCT/CHG/1//

The second set is MSGID (Message Identification) and contains:

Field 1 – Message text format identifier (set to ATO by default)
Field 2 – Originator
Field 3 – Message serial number
Field 4 – Month name
Field 5 – Qualifier. If the message is a change CHG referred to a previous message this field value must be CHG.
Field 6 – Qualifier Serial Number. If Qualifier is CHG, this field is the change serial number.

AKNLDG/NO//

The third set is AKNLDG (Acknowledgement requirement) and indicates if acknowledgement is required for the message. Accepted values are YES or NO.

TIMEFRAM/FROM:010600ZOCT1998/TO:020559ZOCT1998/ASOF:302100ZSEP1998//

The fourth set is Effective Day-Time frame and contains:

Field 1 – Beginning date-time (FROM:) 3
Field 2 – Ending date-time (TO:)
Field 3 – As Of Time (ASOF:)

The day-time format is:

2 digits for the day
4 digits for hours and minutes
1 digit for time zone
3 digits for month name
4 digits for the year

Task units and missions

These blocks contain all the information about units and related missions.

TASKUNIT/1FW/ICAO:LLKA//
AMSNDAT/N/0121C/-/AAF/-/BRCAP/-/
/DEPLOC:LBNA/010715ZOCT/ARRLOC:LLKA/010815ZOCT//
MSNACFT/4/ACTYP:F15C/EAGLE 21/2IR6RK/BEST/-/27/-/20001/30111//
AMSNLOC/011000ZOCT/011200ZOCT/SEIRAQ/260/1//

In this example the 1FW located in LLKA has been tasked with 4 F-15C for BARCAP mission. This block contains information about the mission, the employed aircraft and configuration and mission location. Different types of mission will have different sets of information.

TASKUNIT/1FW/ICAO:LLKA//

TASKUNIT set is used only once and is followed by missions information assigned to this unit. This set has 2 fields:

Field 1 – Unit name Field 2 – Unit location. Accepted values can be the ICAO code or the air base name.

All air mission must have at least these sets:

AMSNDAT MSNACFT One but only one between GTGTLOC, MTGTLOC, SHIPTGT, ESCDATA, RECCEDAT, AIRMOVE and AMSNLOC

AMSNDAT/0121C/-/AAF/MC/BARCAP/-/-/DEPLOC:LBNA/ARRLOC:LLKA//

AMSNDAT (Aircraft Mission Data) fields are:

Field 1 – Mission Number Field 2 – AMC Mission number or Event Number Field 3 – Package identification Field 4 – Mission commander (accepted value is MC if the mission is the mission/package commander, otherwise it’s left blank) Field 5 – Primary mission type Field 6 – Secondary mission type Field 7 – Air Alert Status Field 8 – Departure location (ICAO code, air base name or coordinates if different from TASKUNIT location) Field 9 – Recovery location (ICAO code, air base name or coordinates if different from TASKUNIT location)

MSNACFT/4/ACTYP:F15C/EAGLE 21/2IR6RK/BEST/-/27/-/20001/30111//

MSNACFT (Individual Aircraft Mission Data) set contains the information about the mission aircraft. It has the following fields:

Field 1 – Number of aircraft Field 2 – Type and model of aircraft Field 3 – Call sign (abbreviated) Field 4 – Primary configuration code Field 5 – Secondary configuration code Field 6 – Datalink code Field 7 and following – IFF/SIF mode and code (i.e. 20001 = mode 2 and code 0001)

Configuration codes in fields 4 and 5 will be discussed later.

AMSNLOC/011000ZOCT/011200ZOCT/SEIRAQ/260/1//

AMSNLOC (Aircraft Mission Location) set contains information about mission location for missions that have no specific target location:

Field 1 – Day-time and month of start Field 2 – Day-time and month of stop Field 3 – Mission location name Field 4 – Altitude in hundreds of feet above mean sea level Field 5 – Mission priority Field 6 – Location

GTGTLOC/P/TOT:011000ZOCT/NET:010955ZOCT/NLT:011005Z/MAIN COMMAND
CENTER/ID:N1234F12345AA001/CP/NORTH
COMPLEX/DMPIS:354738N0473815E/WE/257FT/A1497/1/DESTROY/AA137//

GTGTLOC (Ground Target Location) is the set used for missions that have a specific ground target.
GTGTLOC fields are:

Field 1 – Primary/Alternate designator (values are P or A) Field 2 – Day-time and month tasked on target Field 3 – Not Earlier Than (NET) day-time and month Field 4 – Not Later Than (NLT) day-time Field 5 – Target/facility name Field 6 – Target identifier Field 7 – Target type Field 8 – Desired Mean Point of Impact (DMPI) description Field 9 – Desired Mean Point of Impact (DMPI) coordinates Field 10 – Geodetic datum Field 11 – Desired Mean Point of Impact (DMPI) elevation in feet or meters Field 12 – Component target identifier Field 13 – Target priority Field 14 – Additional target identification

MTGTLOC/P/0301/TOT:060500Z/NET:060800Z/NLT:061000Z/ID:0992-00101DD001/
/T/4/-/E00475/DMPID:400948.0N1221354.0W/-//

MTGTLOC (Missile Target Location) is used for attacks with standoff ordnances and can be assigned to air assets like B-52 and B-2 but also land and sea unit able to attack target with medium-long range missiles. Fields are:

Field 1 – Primary/alternate designator (values are P or A) Field 2 – Mission number Field 3 – Day-time and month tasked on target Field 4 – Not Earlier Than (NET) day-time Field 4 – Not Later Than (NLT) daytime Field 5 – Target identifier Field 6 – Target type Field 7 – Type of missile Field 8 – Number of missiles Field 9 – Target priority Field 10 – Component target identifier Field 11 – Desired Mean Point of Impact (DMPI) Field 12 – Geodetic Datum

SHIPTGT/TOT:011030ZOCT/NET:-/NLT:-/HOS/DD/-/-/P/
/292330Z/LATM:0123N04525E/-/260/10//

SHIPTGT (Ship Target Data) is used for missions against maritime targets. SHIPTGT fields are:

Field 1 – Time on Target Field 2 – Not Earlier Than (NET) day-time and month Field 3 – Not Later Than (NLT) day-time Field 4 – Ship target identity, possible values are:

HOS: Hostile Ship Field 5 – Ship type category (values IAW https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hull_classifications, i.e. DD for Destroyer, SSG for Guided Missile Submarine ) Field 6 – Special Hull Number
Field 7 – Ship name Field 8 – Target priority identifier Field 9 – Target priority Field 10 – Day-Time of Position Field 11 – Ship Location Field 12 – Component Target Identifier Field 13 – Course in Degrees (true heading) Field 14 – Speed in Knots

RECCEDAT/P/PRI:2/010700ZOCT/NET:010645ZOCT/NLT:010715Z/LTIOV:011345ZOCT19
98/FLR/PINPT/FL/IMQ:V/CM:C/C/ANA/-/12/12-1//

RECCEDAT (Reconnaissance Mission Data) set is assigned to reconnaissance missions. Fields are:

Field 1 – Primary/Alternate designator (values are P or A) Field 2 – Mission priority (numeric value) Field 3 – Day-time and month over target Field 4 – Not Earlier Than (NET) day-time and month Field 5 – Not Later Than (NLT) day-time Field 6 – Latest Time of Value (LTIOV) Field 7 – Reconnaissance mission type

PHOTO FLR Field 8 – Type of reconnaissance/surveillance coverage

AREACOV for Area Cover PINPT Field 9 – Imagery type

BP for Best Possible FL Field 10 – Image qualifier

IMQ:B for Black and White IMQ:V Field 11 – Coverage extent and mode

CM:A for Complete coverage/stereo mode CM:C Field 12 – Reconnaissance purpose

A for New Target C Field 13 – Intelligence Task Code

ANA for Analysis Field 14 – Component Target Identifier Field 15 – Target Category Code Field 16 – Target Category EEI Code

RECCEDAT set is usually followed by PTRCPLOT (Position Trace Plot) set that provides more data
regarding target.

PTRCPLOT/LATS:300105N0803428W/NAME:BLUE RIVER BRIDGE/RAD:1NM/150FT/WE//

PTRCPLOT (Position Trace Plot) fields are:

Field 1 – Location coordinates Field 2 – Target position name Field 3 – Radius in nautical miles Field 4 – Elevation in feet or meters Field 5 – Geodetic Datum

ASUPTFOR/STRIKE/1FW/0121C/VR01/04/ACTYP:F-16/PFREQ:156.5/SFREQ:121.5//

ASUPTFOR is the set that provides support missions the supported mission information. Its fields are:

Field 1 – Mission Type Field 2 – Tasked unit designator Field 3 – Mission number Field 4 –Call sign, abbreviated Field 5 – Number of aircraft Field 6 – Type of aircraft Field 7 – Primary frequency (PFREQ) or designator (PDESIG) Field 8 – Secondary frequency (SFREQ) or designator (SDESIG)

ASUPTBY/ESCORT/1FW/0122C/VR02/04/ACTYP:F-16/PFREQ:155.5/SFREQ:122.5//

ASUPTBY is the set that provides supported missions the support mission information. Its fields are:

AIRMOVE/1/AMC0994XA285/KNFA/B/-/-/ONN/011130Z/R35667/1B2//

AIRMOVE (Air Movement) set provides airdrop missions details:

Field 1 – Leg identification number Field 2 – Mission number Field 3 – ICAO base code Field 4 – Crew type Field 5 – Scheduled arrival day-time and month Field 6 – Unknown Field 7 – AMC purpose code Field 8 – Departure day-time Field 9 – Requirement number Field 10 – Mission priority identifier

AIRMOVE can be integrated with other sets that will be discussed later: AIRDROP (Drop Zone),
TRANSREQ (Allocated Transportation Requirements), LANDSTS (Landing Site Information).

Other optional sets can provide very important information. Most important sets will be discussed here.

PKGCMD/AN/CVN68 VA-165/0111I/TALON 11//

PKGCMD (Package Commander) defines who is the package commander and is used when the mission is
part of a package. Fields are:

Field 1 – Package identification Field 2 – Package commander tasked unit Field 3 – Package commander mission number Field 4 – Package commander aircraft call sign

CONTROLA/AWAC/DARKSTAR/PDESIG:GREEN/SDESIG:WHITE/DR01/NAME:JIM//

CONTROLA (Control of Air Assets) provides information about the control authority for the mission. Its
fields are the following:

Field 1 – Type of aircraft control agency. Example of values are:

AWAC (Airborne Warning And Control) CRC (Control Reporting Center) OTR (Other) Field 2 – Call sign Field 3 – Primary frequency (PFREQ) or designator (PDESIG) Field 4 – Secondary frequency (SFREQ) or designator (SDESIG) Field 5 – Report-In point

FACINFOR/SABER 11/PFREQ:227.5/SFREQ:311.3/-/NAME:CHEVY/1BN8MA//

FACINFOR (FAC Information) contains information about FAC or FAC(A). Fields provide the following
information:

Field 1 – FAC call sign Field 2 – FAC primary frequency (PFREQ) or designator (PDESIG) Field 3 – FAC secondary frequency (SFREQ) or designator (SDESIG) Field 4 – Unknown Field 5 – Report-In Point Field 6 – Unknown

ARINFO/APPLE 20/4010A/B:34010/NAME:BLUE
TRACK/200/ARCT:011000Z/NDAR:011015ZOCT/KLBS:30.0/PFREQ:343.3/SFREQ:277.8/
AE20/ACTYP:KC10/BOM/2/TNKR:2/18-81/2-2-4//

ARINFO (Aerial Refueling Information) provides information about the planned aerial refueling. Provided
information include:

Field 1 – Tanker call sign Field 2 – Tanker mission number Field 3 – Tanker IFF/SIF mode and code Field 4 – Air Refueling Control Point Name Field 5 – Altitude in hundreds of feet Field 6 – Air refueling control day-time (ARCT) Field 7 – Day-time and month of end air refueling (NDAR) Field 8 – Offload fuel in thousands of pounds (KLBS) Field 9 – Primary frequency (PFREQ) or designator (PDESIG) Field 10 – Secondary frequency (SFREQ) or designator (SDESIG) Field 11 – Refueling aircraft type Field 12 – Aerial refueling system. Accepted values are:

BOM (boom) CDT Field 13 – Unknown Field 14 – Unknown Field 15 – Tacan channel Field 16 – Unknown

REFTSK/CDT/KLBS:50.0/KLBS:20.0/PFREQ:323.3/SFREQ:242.8/29-92/3-3-4//

REFTSK is assigned to tanker aircraft to provide more details about the mission. Fields are:

Field 1 – Air refueling system (for values see ARINFO) Field 2 – Total offload fuel in KLBS Field 3 – Alert/Contingency offload fuel in KLBS Field 4 – Primary frequency (PFREQ) or designator (PDESIG) Field 5 – Secondary frequency (SFREQ) or designator (SDESIG) Field 6 – Tacan channel Field 7 – Unknown

There are many sets that are composed of a title, a header and several lines containing information defined
by the header. The most important sets are discussed here.

5REFUEL
/MSNNO /RECCS /NO/ACTYPE /OFLD /ARCT /SEQ /TYP /ARS
/0131D /BEAK 31 /2/AC:F14A /KLB:20.0/010815Z /A:1 /A:JP8 /CDT
/0131D /BEAK 33 /2/AC:F14A /KLB:20.0/010815Z /A:1 /A:JP8 /CDT
/0151H /HAMMER 51 /2/AC:FA18 /KLB:30.0/010815Z /A:3 /A:JP8 /CDT
/0211D /SABER 11 /1/AC:FA18C /KLB:16.0/010915Z /A:1 /A:JP8 /CDT
/0271A /LUSTY 71 /2/AC:AV8B /KLB:10.0/010900Z /A:1 /A:JP8 /CDT//

5REFUEL is the set that provides tanker aircraft information about planned air refueling. Each line contains information about a single mission. Columns are:

Column 1 – Receiver call sign Column 2 – Receiver number of aircraft Column 3 – Receiver aircraft type and model Column 4 – Offload fuel Column 5 – Air refueling control time Column 6 – Unknown Column 7 – Fuel type Column 8 – Air refueling system

7CONTROL
/MSNNO /ACSIGN /NO/ACTYPE /MSNTY /TOSTA /RIP
/0111I /TALON 11 /3/AC:A6E /INT /010930Z /2840N08040W
/0171S /CLAW 71 /1/AC:EA6B /EW /010945Z /2840N08040W
/0131D /BEAK 31 /4/AC:F14A /ESC /010940Z /2840N08040W//

7CONTROL (Control Information) set is assigned to control authority missions and provide information about controlled aircraft. Columns are:

Column 1 – Mission number Column 2 – Aircraft call sign
Column 3 – Number of aircraft Column 4 – Aircraft type and model Column 5 – Mission type Column 6 – On station day-time Column 7 – Report-In Point (name, designator or coordinates)

9PKGDAT
/PKGID /UNIT /MSNNO /PMSN /NO/ACTYPE /ACSIGN
/AAF /4FW /0101E /INT /4/AC:F15E /LIGHTNING 01
/AAF /1FW /0121C /FCAP /4/AC:F15C /EAGLE 21//

9PKGDAT (Package Data) provides the package commander information about missions in the package. Columns are the following:

Column 1 – Package identification Column 2 – Tasked unit
Column 3 – Mission number Column 4 – Primary mission type Column 5 – Number of aircraft Column 6 – Aircraft type and model
Column 7 – Aircraft call sign

URMKREF/A C D//

URMKREF (Unit Remarks Reference) contains the remarks assigned to the mission. Unit remarks text is usually placed in a GENTEXT set at the and of TASKUNIT blocks.

AMPN/MISSION IS TO DESTROY TWO ENEMY SHIPS ESCAPING FROM HARBOR//
GENTEXT/UNIT REMARKS/A:BARCAP FOR PACKAGE AAF//.

Amplification (AMPN) and GENTEXT (General Text) are the free text sets used to provide more information to missions and tasked units.

Configuration codes and Standard Conventional Loads (SCL)

The STANDARD CONVENTIONAL LOAD (SCL) in the ATO are recommended loads based on desired effect, weather, guidance and tactics based on the weapons system expert, (i.e., unit representative to the AOC).

STANDARD CONVENTIONAL LOADS. The following is the standard for identifying conventional loads. It is meant to be as simple as possible, however, since it is a 5 character code it has its limitations. Consequently, the code is broken up for 3 types of aircraft/missions. The first section (A) is Air to Air, second section (B) is Air to Ground (except B-52s and B-1s) and section (C) is B-52s and B-1s.

Air-to-Air SCL ID.

1ST CHARACTER – X indicates air to air weapons load
2ND-4TH CHARACTERS – number of missiles from long range to short respectively

2ND CHARACTER – AIM-120 for Air Force, AIM-54 for Navy 3RD CHARACTER – AIM-7s 4TH CHARACTER – AIM-9s 5TH CHARACTER – number of external fuel tanks

Examples of air-to-air SCLs:

X8000 – AIR-AIR, 8 X AIM-120, 0 X AIM-7, 0 X AIM-9, 0 TANKS X6201 – AI -AIR, 6 X AIM-120, 2 X AIM-7, 0 X AIM-9, 1 TANK X4222 – AI-AIR, 4 X AIM-120, 2 X AIM-7, 2 X AIM-9, 2 TANKS X0263 – AI-AIR, 0 X AIM-120, 2 X AIM-7, 6 X AIM-9, 3 TANKS

Air-to-Ground SCL ID (except B-52s/B-1s larger weapons loads).
1ST CHARACTER - number of weapons (amounts greater than 9 start with alphabet - see below)

2ND – 4TH CHARACTERS – consists of 3 alpha-numeric characters. Use the following steps to describe the
weapon:
• Determine if it is a high/low drag optional weapon, use:
o H – high drag
o L – low drag
• Determine how many numbers are used to normally describe the weapon (I.E., MK82 vs MK117 or
AGM65 vs AGM142). If it has 3 numbers (117 and 142) drop the hundreds (17 and 42).
• If it is a high/low drag weapon place the H or L after the number without any prefix (82H or 82L).
WAALAA - you now have a three character code.
• If it is any other type of air to ground weapon, use the following guide and put the alpha character as
a prefix to the numbers (I.E., A65 or C89 for AGM65 and CBU89)
2ND CHARACTER - WEAPONS TYPE