Close Air Support III: The Keyhole

Close Air Support: Table of Contents

The keyhole CAS template allows for flexibility while providing de-confliction between multiple aircraft and ground fire support elements. It is no longer necessary to lay down pre-determined IPs for different target areas in the AO. IPs can now be referenced from the target itself. The primary benefit of the keyhole CAS template is that it provides FACs and JTACs with maximum flexibility when selecting the FAH.

Maj Frey, James W. USMC, “Keyhole CAS for Modern Warriors.” Marine Corps Gazzette, May 2008.
Via Captain BT Taggart “An Argument for the Keyhole Template for Close Air Support on the Urban Battlefield”.

The distance from the Echo point to the designated position is expressed in nautical miles for fixed-wing CAS assets, and in kilometres for rotary-wing CAS assets.
Note that FW aircraft should hold outside the designated point, unless otherwise specified. By means of the Keyhole, the Controller can assign an orbit or holding point by simply specifying the letter representing the cardinal and a number for the range. However, the radial from the Echo point can be used as well.

Examples

JTAC: “Stang 11, proceed to Alpha 8, Flight Level 150, report established.”
CAS Player: “Stang 11, established Alpha 8, FL 150.

or

JTAC: “Stang 11, proceed to the 240 at 8, Flight Level 150, report established.”
CAS A/C: “Stang 11, established 240 at 8, Flight Level 150.