NORTHEAST AND SOUTHEAST ADR DEFENSE SECTORS/

FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/LANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/

FIRST FIGHTER WING AND 177 FIGHTER GROUP
LETTER OF AGREEMENT
EFFECTIVE: October 1. 1994
SUBJECT: Inter-facility Coordination Procedures for Air Defense Operations
1. PURPOSE: This agreement establishes responsibilities and describes procedures for the
movement of air defense aircraft assigned/deployed to Langley AFB, VA, and operating in the
National Air Traffic System, including special use airspace, ATCAAs and offshore areas.
2. CANCELLATION: This letter cancels the previous letter of agreement, same subject, dated
October 15, 1990.
.—:.-----•_-:. I ..->_J
3. SCOFE:rThe"alerrsit^at"'Eaffgley"AFB''iias'beende^ign^ted-ai.a "Flexible Air Sovereignty
Alert (ASA) Site". The Alert Facility will be maintained and procedures specified by this
agreement shall remain in force. Periodically, air defense units will deploy to Langley AFB
for the purpose of exercise, evaluation or providing active air defense capability with 48 hours
prior notice. The 177 Fighter Group, Atlantic City, NJ, is the designated parent unit and is
responsible for maintaining the site in a ready status. This agreement is applicable to the
Northeast Air Defense Sector (HEADS'- Huntress) and the Southeast Air Defense Sector
(SEADS - Oakgrove), the First Fighter Wing Command Post element, 177 Fighter Group,
FACSFAC VACAPES (Giant Killer), Norfolk and Langley Towers, and when appropriate,
Oceana RATCF.
r
4. RESPONSIBILITIES:
a. NEADS shall provide essential information to signatories to this letter regarding Air
Defense Exercises or Evaluations, including FLUSH, 14 days in advance. Short notice events
may be conducted with concurrence of all interested parties to this agreement.
b. ^NEADS shall provide notice to all signatories as soon as practicable following an alert
or execute order for aircraft deployment to the Langley ASA site.
c. Military Assumes Responsibility for Separation of Aircraft (MARSA) applies between
participating aircraft during FLUSH, Air Defense Exercise/Evaluation, or operations in all
warning areas in the VACAPES area of responsibility.
5. LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS:
a. Aircraft experiencing loss of communications and operating in special use or ATC
assigned airspace shall execute standard lost communications procedures and:
(1) When an altitude block is assigned, maintain the lowest Flight Level or highest
altitude of the block, and
(2) Proceed to the initial approach fix (IAF) of the destination airport and land.
b. Aircraft participating in an active air defense scramble, where radar vectors are the only
routing clearance issued, shall squawk the appropriate mode 3 code, maintain the last assigned
altitude, proceed to the IAF of die destination airport and land.
 NEADS/SEADS/FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/ PAGE 2
LANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/1 FW/1'77 FG LOA

6. PROCEDURES:
I a. Scramble - Active and Exercise. See Attachment 1.

b. FLUSH - Langley. See Attachments 2 and 3.

c. Expansion - Southeast Air Defense Sector. See Attachment 4.

'WEADS/SEADS/FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/ ATTACHMENT 1
LANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/1 FW/177 FG LOA PAGE 1
SCRAMBLE PROCEDURES

1. Huntress shall:

a. Issue active air defense scramble orders on the designated scramble circuit to Norfolk
and Langley Towers, Oceana RATCF, '1 FW Command Post and FACSFAC VACAPES.
Oceana may disregard the scramble order when the initial heading does not enter their airspace.
Exercise scramble or airborne orders shall not be issued over the scramble circuit. The
following information must'be relayed with the order:

(1) Aircraft call sign.

(2) Number and type aircraft.
(3) Scramble vector and altitude. Exercise scrambles shall be assigned published
Langley stereo or pre-coordinated routing.
(4) Huntress radio frequency to bVused. p 1 ' "" • ~^-^ ..fi*~<,^....;^ \) Tar

range will be given from Langley (LFI) TACAN. EXAMPLE: This is Huntress with an active
air defense scramble. Scramble Echo Lima. 01, 2 F-16s, immediate departure heading 090,
FL230, contact Huntress on 251.0. Unknown target bearing 090, 180 miles, FL210.

b. Not change the route of flight, altitude or beacon code without prior approval of the
concerned ATC facility, when controlling aircraft on an ATC clearance.

c. Assist pilots, as required, in maintaining airspace integrity, when conducting exercise

operations within special use or ATC assigned airspace. -
d. Control aircraft outside the National Airspace System (NAS) with due regard for the
safety of civil aircraft operating in the immediate area.
e. Coordinate, as required, with the appropriate facility for ATC clearance to operate in
airspace areas outside the jurisdiction of those facilities that are a party to this agreement.
2. First Fighter Wing Command Post shall relay scramble order information received over the
scramble circuit using the most expeditious means of communication available.
3. Langley Tower shall:

a. Enter a flight plan in the NAS flight data computer, specifying pertinent information
provided in the scramble order. Routing shall be Yia the fix- radial and distance from LFI as
specified for the target data bearing and range and the destination shall be LFI unless otherwise
specified.

b. Issue the clearance to the scramble aircraft upon initial contact. The initial departure
instruction shall be specified as fly runway heading, climb and maintain 4,000, unless otherwise
coordinated and approved by Norfolk Departure Control.

c. Expedite the departure of an active air defense scramble aircraft consistent with air
safety. Exercise scrambles do not have priority over other traffic.
NFyADS/SEADS/FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/ ATTACHMENT 1
LANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/1 FW/177 EG LOA PAGE 2

4. Norfolk Tower shall:

a. Provide a release to Langley Tower for scramble aircraft upon request, traffic permitting.

b. After departure, establish the scrambled aircraft on the requested vector and authorize
climb to the highest altitude available (at or below the scramble altitude), as soon as traffic and
coordination permit. Exercise scrambles will be handled according to stereo routing or as pre-
coordinated with the facilities concerned.
c. Provide a radar hand-off to the appropriate facility. Transfer control and
communications as soon as practical.
5. Giant Killer shall provide a radar hand-off and transfer of control to Huntress as soon as
scrambled aircraft are clear of known traffic.
 'NEADS/SEADS/FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/ ATTACHMENT 2
LANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/1 FW/177 FG LOA PAGE 1
FTJUSH PROCEDURES
1. Huntress shall:
a. File flush orders with Langley Tower, Norfolk Tower, 1 FW Command Post, FACSFAC
VACAPES via the dedicated scramble circuit. Exercise Flush will be pre-coordinated and may
be initiated over the dedicated scramble circuit. EXAMPLE: This is Huntress with a flush
order. Flush Langley aircraft. Contact Huntress on 251.8.
b. When controlling aircraft on an ATC clearance, not change the route of flight, altitude
or beacon code without prior approval of the concerned ATC facility.
c. Provide radar hand-off to Giant Killer on recovering aircraft, as appropriate.
2. Langley Tower shall:
a . . Assign a JOYCE number to fl,ush .aircraft in the order of departure using the following,
-sequence:••-. • •—;,----^,r^-—~-~-^.;-^-& .-.-,, v] ,• ..-••-.. • ' . . - • • . I ~~—i..
JOYCE No. Flight Level
35 • 350
33 330
31 310 . '
29 290
28 280
27 270
EXAMPLE: FAKE 01, Cleared Langley Flush, JOYCE 35, Squawk XXXX.
NOTE: The JOYCE Flush procedure and pattern are depicted in paragraph 4 below.
b. Coordinate a departure release from Norfolk Departure Control for the first departure.
Successive flush departures are automatically released for a five-minute period beginning with
the departure of the first aircraft.
3. Norfolk Tower shall:
a. Provide departure release for the first flush aircraft and agree to the automatic release
of subsequent flush departures for a period of five-minutes after the first flush aircraft is
airborne.
b. Provide a radar hand-off to the appropriate facility and transfer communications to
Huntress.
4. Pilots shall fly the departure procedures specified below, climb to the appropriate Flight
Level corresponding to the JOYCE number assigned by Langley Tower, upon initial radio
contact with Huntress, specify the JOYCE number assigned and, unless otherwise directed,
enter the JOYCE FLUSH holding pattern listed.
' 'NEADS/SEADS/FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/ ATTACHMENT 2
LANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/1 FW/177 FG LOA PAGE 2

5. Departure Procedures:
a Runway 08 - Upon departure, intercept and proceed by the LFI 083 radial, cross 20
DME at 4,000, cross 38 DME at 10,000, cross 44 DME at or below FL230, then climb and
maintain assigned flight level. Proceed to and enter flush pattern JOYCE.
b Runway 26 - Upon departure, fly runway heading until 4 DME, arc north to intercept
7 DME arc intercept and proceed by the LFI 083 radial. Cross LFI 270 radial at or above
3 000 cross 20 DME at 4,000, cross 38 DME at 10,000, cross 44 DME at or below FL230,
then climb and maintain assigned flight level. Proceed to and enter flush pattern JOYCE.
6. JOYCE intersection and Flush Holding Pattern (see Attachment 3):
LFI 083/90. Hold south, right turns, 15 NM legs.

7.. JLxist. Communications^ _^.. VVT _. j >>-L .-,-.- j , , ..-..,.•-•,,,;•.... \ Prior to LFI 083

arc 'arc south to intercept 110R, direct TURET. Make one turn in holding and execute
HI-TACAN Rwy 26/HI - ILS Rwy 08 approach.
b. After the LFI 083R - 38 DME fix. Continue on flush profile and enter holding at
JOYCE Intersection. Thirty (30) minutes after takeoff, proceed direct to LFI to intercept the
38 DME arc arc south to intercept 110R, direct TURET. Cross 44 DME inbound at and
maintain FL230. At TURET descend in the holding pattern and execute the HI-TACAN Rwy
26/HI-ILS Rwy 08 approach.
NEADS/SEADS/FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/ ATTACHMENT 3
LANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/1 FW/177 FG LOA
FLUSH HOLDING AREA

W-IOBB
 • 'NEADS/SEADS/FACSFAC VACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER/ ATTACHMENT 4
' ' 1ANGLEY TOWER/OCEANA RATCF/1 FW/177 FG LOA

SOUTHEAST AIR DEFENSE SECTOR EXPANSION PROCEDURES '

1. This attachment establishes procedures for SEADS to expand radar/communications and

assume air sovereignty in NEADS area of responsibility. Expansion is for the purpose of air
sovereignty and applies to the control of active air defense missions only.
2. PROCEDURES:
a. Oakgrove shall:
(1) C.omply with scramble procedures contained in the basic letter of agreement and this
attachment.
(2) Notify Giant Killer when expansion is implemented and terminated.
•\___i . . X [
• .- : (3)*" ? Effect ;j ccrorcflnfiti6n,with Giant Killer for interceptors to traAsit^farning Area
airspace. ' • • "
b. Huntress shall file scramble orders for Langley as per Attachment 1.
c. Radar Hand-offs:
(1) Departure: Norfolk Tower shall hand-off to appropriate"faeility. Giant Killer shall
hand-off and transfer control to Oakgrove as soon as scrambled aircraft are clear of known
traffic.
(2) Recoveries: Oakgrove shall hand-off to Giant Killer and Giant Killer to Norfolk
Tower.
r ,
NEADS/SEADS/FACSFAC YACAPES/NORFOLK TOWER ATTACHMENT 5
LANGLET TOWER/OCEANA EATCF/1 TV/177 FG LOA

DEPICTION OF SOUTHERN BOUNDARY

OF NEADS 'AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY