"CCT, JTAC and TACP... what's the difference?" Topic

Hi there.
I have been reading as much as possible about Air Force combat controllers this week and i have become confused with all the acronyms. What is the essential difference between JTAC, CCT, TACP etc….are they all essentially the ame thing is one the generic term and others units etc….im a little confused…

T shirt I saw recently: "God created JTAC so pilots could have heroes".

CCT = Combat Control Teams or Combat Controller; specialize in all aspects of air-ground communication, including air traffic control, fire support (including fixed and rotary wing [[close air support[]]), and command, control, and communications in covert, forward, or austere environments.

JTAC = Joint Terminal Air Controller; direct the action of combat aircraft operating in CAS (Close Air Support) and other offensive operations, calling in airstrikes and gun runs like an FO or an ANGLICO Marine calls in artillery or naval gunfire.

TACP = Tactical Air Control Party. It is comprised of a JTAC () and a ROMAD (essentially a JTAC in training).

I'll probably screw this up, but from my dealings with them:

A JTAC is a guy authorized to call in air support. The US military went from having specialized controllers (WWII) controlling close air support, to training every knucklehead to do it (recruits being trained in Boot Camp to give a 9-line brief, follow up at Divisional schools), then back to specialized controllers, with the latest change being driven by blue on blue incidents and civilian casualties, and even then requiring higher-echelon release. I'm simplifying a bit, but I'm on my phone.

TACP are Air Force JTACs assigned to US Army and SOF units for the express purpose of calling in CAS.

CCTs are AIr Force guys that go in (method of insertion is dependent on the environment), survey, and prepare airfields for use by USAF, and they are air controllers (I.e., running the airfield, getting aircraft in and out, not running CAS).

Hope that helps.

Edit: beaten to the punch, but happy my descriptions match up.

V/R,
Jack

Thanks guys

So why do some where red berets and some black berest…just different units?

link

Great link thank you…..clears it up for me

link

What a warrior….kept going with a lung wound!

So CCTs act as JTACs as well as being trained for the other missions?

Basically yes they do, but they are specialists in all aspects of controlling the air space. A JTACs main role is purely CAS, but he will also be expected to control rotary for medical etc and DZ control for resupply drops. I can only really speak from a British perspective, I did two tours in Afghanistan as a JTAC, one as a standalone JTAC and the other as part of a TACP.

Combat Controllers are Air Traffic Controllers with guns. (OK, I'm being a bit flippant here, since they do have to sneak in and take over airfields on occasion) They really pissed off the rest of the world during the Haiti relief operations.

JTACs handle battlefield Air Support, not airfield operations.

Air Force Combat Controllers are non pilots USAF personnel, trained to direct traffic and call in aviation fires.

Joint Terminal Attack Controllers are Non-pilots (and Usually Soldiers or Marines) who are trained to control Close Air Support and indirect fires. In the USMC, at least, they are usually initially trained as Artillery Scouts, then get the additional training to bring them up to the JTAC standard. Each Maneuver company in USMC should have a JTAC.

The Tactical Air Control Party is a small team, in USMC usage consisting of Forward Air Controller (a pilot with additonal training to include JTAC qualifications), and assigned radio operators.

Joint Fires Observer (JFO) are non-pilots certified to engage targets with joint fires through the detailed integration
with Terminal Attack Controllers (TACs) and Fire Support Teams (FSTs). Students who graduate the course will be able to request, control, and adjust joint mortar, Field Artillery (FA), and Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) systems; provide targeting information for Type 2 or 3 Close Air Support (CAS), Terminal Guidance Operations (TGO), Initial Terminal Guidance (ITG) operations, SOF gunship call for fire, Close Combat Attack (CCA) and joint fire support planning at the company level. (taken from the EWTGLANT webpage). In USMC each manuever platoon should have one or more Marine trained to this standard, often the platoon sergeant.