Understanding 9-Line Briefs: The CAS Pilot's Essential Skill

Short answer: A CAS 9-line is passed in a fixed order (JP 3-09.3, Close Air Support, 8 July 2009, Figure V-14): 1 IP/BP, 2 heading and offset, 3 distance, 4 target elevation, 5 target description, 6 target location, 7 type of mark and code, 8 location of friendlies, 9 egress, then remarks and restrictions. Read back lines 4, 6 and any restrictions.

You're inbound to the target area, fuel state comfortable, weapons armed. Then the radio crackles: "Hawg 1-1, Overlord, advise when ready for 9-line."

What follows is a rapid-fire stream of information that will define your attack. Miss something, and you might hit friendlies. Get confused, and you'll be circling while the JTAC repeats everything. Master it, and you become the kind of pilot ground forces want overhead.

The 9-line brief is the standardised format for passing target information from a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) to attack aircraft. It's called a "9-line" because it contains nine distinct lines of information, followed by remarks and restrictions—though lines that don't apply can be passed as "N/A".

Click to expand

Who Gives You a 9-Line?

In real-world operations, 9-lines come from JTACs—Joint Terminal Attack Controllers. These are specially trained personnel embedded with ground forces who coordinate air support. They see the battlefield, identify targets, and control aircraft to put ordnance where it's needed while keeping it away from friendlies.

In DCS World, you'll receive 9-lines from:

• Human JTACs in multiplayer servers (the gold standard for realistic CAS)
• AI JTACs—ground units or aircraft given the FAC task in the mission editor (no module needed), or scripted scenarios
• Mission briefings that pre-script target information
• Self-designation when you're operating autonomously (you effectively become your own JTAC)

The key point: treat whoever gives you a 9-line as the authority on what's happening on the ground. They can see things you can't.

Click to expand What a JTAC actually looks like—radio in hand, eyes on target, coordinating your attack while you're still ten miles out.

The Nine Lines Explained

Here's a quick reference, followed by detailed explanations:

Line	Name	What It Tells You	Example
1	IP/BP	Starting point for attack run	"IP Alpha"
2	Heading	Direction from IP to target (magnetic), plus any offset	"270, offset left"
3	Distance	IP to target (NM), or BP to target (metres)	"8.0"
4	Elevation	Target altitude (feet MSL)	"1,250 feet"
5	Description	What you're attacking	"T-72 platoon in treeline"
6	Location	Precise coordinates	"GB 123 456"
7	Mark	How target is marked	"Laser, code 1688"
8	Friendlies	Where friendly forces are	"South 400 metres"
9	Egress	Direction to fly after release	"Egress east"

Remarks and restrictions follow Line 9.

Now let's break down each line in detail:

Line 1: IP/BP (Initial Point or Battle Position)

The starting point for your attack run. This is a pre-briefed reference point that both you and the JTAC know. In DCS, this is often a named waypoint or geographic feature.

Example: "IP Alpha" or "IP Waypoint 3"

Line 2: Heading (Degrees Magnetic)

The heading from the IP to the target (or from the centre of the BP to the target), given in magnetic degrees. This tells you which direction to fly from the IP to reach the target. If there is a restriction, the JTAC adds an offset—left or right—which is the side of the IP-to-target line you may manoeuvre on for the attack.

Example: "270" means fly west from the IP; "270, offset left" keeps you south of that line

Line 3: Distance (Nautical Miles)

How far from the IP to the target. Combined with Line 2, you now have a vector from your reference point to the target. For fixed-wing aircraft it is given in nautical miles to a tenth; for attack helicopters working from a BP, it is metres from the centre of the BP, to the nearest 100.

Example: "8.0"

Line 4: Target Elevation (Feet MSL)

The target's elevation above mean sea level. Critical for weapons delivery calculations, especially for dumb bombs. Get this wrong and your bombs land long or short.

Example: "1,250 feet"

Line 5: Target Description

What you're attacking. This helps you confirm you've found the right target and aren't about to strike something else.

Example: "T-72 tank platoon in tree line" or "Enemy infantry in compound"

Line 6: Target Location (Coordinates)

The precise grid reference or coordinates for the target. This is your primary method of finding the target, usually given in MGRS (Military Grid Reference System) or lat/long.

Example: "Golf Bravo 123 456" (MGRS) or coordinates in degrees/minutes/seconds

Line 7: Type of Mark

How the JTAC is marking the target for you. Common marks include:

• Smoke: Coloured smoke grenade near the target
• IR Pointer: Infrared laser visible through NVGs or targeting pods
• Laser: Laser designation for guided munitions (includes the laser code)
• WP: White phosphorus marking round
• None: No mark—you find it yourself from the coordinates

Example: "Laser, code 1688" or "Red smoke"

Line 8: Location of Friendlies

Where friendly forces are relative to the target. This is life-or-death information. The JTAC gives a cardinal direction and distance.

Example: "South 400 metres" means friendlies are 400m south of the target

Line 9: Egress Direction

Which way to fly after weapon release, as a cardinal direction and/or a control point. This keeps you clear of friendly positions, known threats, and other aircraft.

Example: "Egress east" or "Egress east to DODGE"

Remarks and Restrictions

After Line 9 the JTAC passes remarks—laser-to-target line, desired ordnance and effects, threats and suppression, hazards, weather and the like—and restrictions. Doctrine lists four things that are always restrictions when they apply: the final attack heading, airspace coordination areas, danger close (with the ground commander's initials), and the time on target or time to target. Every restriction passed must be read back.

Grouping the Lines for Memory

Trying to memorise nine separate items in sequence while flying is hard. Instead, group them by purpose:

The Navigation Block (Lines 1-3)

"Where do I start and how do I get there?"

• IP → Heading → Distance
• These three lines form a vector from a known point to the target

The Target Block (Lines 4-6)

"What am I hitting and where exactly is it?"

• Elevation → Description → Coordinates
• Everything you need to identify and locate the target

The Attack Block (Lines 7-9)

"How do I find it, avoid friendlies, and get out?"

• Mark type → Friendlies → Egress
• The execution details for your attack run

Think of it as: Get There → Find It → Execute

Mnemonics That Actually Work

Several mnemonics exist for the 9-line. Here's one that sticks:

"I Hate Dogs That Dig Deep Holes For Escaping"

• IP
• Heading
• Distance
• Target elevation
• Description
• Designation (coordinates)
• How marked
• Friendlies
• Egress

Another approach is the 3-3-3 method: just remember three groups of three.

Navigation (1-2-3): IP, Heading, Distance Target (4-5-6): Elevation, Description, Coordinates Execution (7-8-9): Mark, Friendlies, Egress

Pick whatever works for your brain—the goal is instant recall under pressure.

Recording 9-Lines While Flying

Here's the challenge: you're flying an aircraft, managing systems, watching for threats, and someone is reading you nine pieces of critical information at conversational speed. How do you capture it all?

Option 1: The Kneeboard

DCS has a built-in kneeboard (default: RShift+K to show or hide it, [ and ] to turn pages). Many aircraft have blank pages for notes. Before the mission, have a blank 9-line template ready.

Create a simple grid:

1. IP: _______      4. Elev: _______    7. Mark: _______
2. Hdg: _______     5. Desc: _______    8. Frnds: _______
3. Dist: _______    6. Coords: _______  9. Egrs: _______

Write shorthand. "T-72 plt NW tree line" is faster than the full description.

Option 2: Paper and Pen

Old school, but effective. Many real-world pilots still use paper on their actual kneeboard. Keep a notepad next to your keyboard with a pre-drawn 9-line template.

Option 3: The UFC/CDU

In aircraft like the A-10C II, you can enter coordinates directly into the CDU during the brief. This saves transcription time—the coordinates go straight into the system as a waypoint.

Option 4: Repeat-Back

If you miss something, ask. "Overlord, Hawg 1-1, say again Line 6" is always acceptable. And readbacks aren't optional: Line 4, Line 6 and any restrictions are mandatory readback items, and the JTAC may ask you to read back anything else they want confirmed.

Recording Tips

• Pre-brief your IP: Know where IP Alpha is before the mission. That's one line you don't need to write.
• Abbreviate everything: 270/8/1250/T72x3/GB123456/LSR1688/S400/E-EAST
• Elevation and coordinates are critical: Lines 4 and 6 are the mandatory readback items for a reason. Get them right.
• Friendlies are sacred: Line 8 is why CAS pilots have nightmares. Never lose track of this.

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Processing the Brief: A Mental Workflow

When you receive a 9-line, here's a mental process that keeps you ahead:

1. Acknowledge and Write

As the JTAC talks, write. Don't try to visualise yet—just capture the data.

2. Confirm the Critical Items

After the brief, read back the mandatory items:

• Elevation (Line 4)
• Coordinates (Line 6)
• Restrictions: final attack headings, airspace limits, danger close, timing

Friendlies (Line 8) is not a mandatory readback item unless the JTAC asks for it, but make sure you have it before you go any further.

3. Build the Picture

Now visualise:

• Where is the IP? (You should already know this)
• What heading takes me to the target?
• What will I see when I get there?
• Where are the friendlies relative to my attack axis?

4. Plan the Attack

• What weapon am I using?
• What altitude and airspeed do I need?
• Can I see/designate the target from my approach heading?
• Does my egress keep me clear of friendlies and threats?

5. Call In and Execute

"Overlord, Hawg 1-1 is IP inbound" — you're on your way.

Abbreviated 9-Lines

The nine lines always come in order—doctrine says they are not passed piecemeal or out of sequence—and line numbers are not transmitted. What changes is how much each line carries:

• "N/A" lines: Lines that don't apply are passed as N/A. If you're already overhead with no IP run-in, you may hear "one through three N/A" and the brief starts at the elevation.
• "Talk-on": Line 6 can be a visual description rather than coordinates, and the JTAC then talks your eyes onto the target from features you can both see.

Before the 9-line the JTAC also tells you the type of control, and the 9-line is used for all three:

• Type 1: the JTAC must see both the attacking aircraft and the target for each attack.
• Type 2: the JTAC controls each individual attack, but can't see your aircraft at release or can't see the target, or you can't acquire the mark or target before release.
• Type 3: the JTAC clears multiple attacks within a single engagement, subject to specific restrictions.

The type isn't a risk level, and it isn't tied to danger close—doctrine says specific levels of risk should not be associated with each type.

Danger Close

An attack is danger close when ordnance will be delivered inside the 0.1% probability-of-incapacitation (Pi) distance from friendly troops. That distance depends on the weapon and the delivery, and the risk-estimate tables live in the multi-service JFIRE publication rather than anywhere public, so don't trust a single number for "bombs" or "guns".

Danger close is passed as a restriction, with the ground commander's initials: it is the supported commander, not the JTAC, who accepts the risk to friendly forces, and the initials are how that acceptance reaches you. You read it back like any other restriction. Expect a final attack heading parallel to the friendly lines, so a long or short hit doesn't land on them.

Danger close doesn't mean don't attack—it means be precise.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Entering coordinates wrong Transpose two digits and your bomb lands a kilometre away. Read back coordinates and double-check your CDU entry.

2. Forgetting friendlies Line 8 exists because people have died. Always know where friendlies are before you pickle.

3. Fixating on the target Tunnel vision on the target makes you predictable. Threats don't pause while you're setting up your attack.

4. Not asking for clarification If something doesn't make sense, ask. "Overlord, confirm friendlies south, 400 metres?" beats guessing.

5. Rushing The JTAC gave you a brief, not a countdown. Take the time to set up properly. A good attack beats a fast miss.

Practicing 9-Lines in DCS

Several ways to build this skill:

1. Human JTAC Servers Multiplayer servers with dedicated JTAC players offer the most realistic practice. Check out servers like Hoggit, 476th vFG, or through groups.

2. Combined Arms The DCS Combined Arms module lets another player act as JTAC with a proper interface. Great for coordinated practice.

3. Single-Player Missions Many community missions include scripted JTAC interactions. Search for "CAS training" missions on the User Files section.

4. Practice with Templates Even without a mission, practice writing 9-lines from dictation. Have a friend read them to you while you write. Speed and accuracy come with repetition.

The Bottom Line

The 9-line brief is a contract between the JTAC and the pilot. They provide the information; you deliver the ordnance. When it works well, it's one of the most satisfying experiences in DCS—hearing "Good hits, good hits" after putting a bomb exactly where it needed to go.

Master the 9-line and you become the pilot JTACs request by name. Struggle with it, and you'll be circling overhead asking for repeats while the situation on the ground changes.

It's worth the practice.