What does the JUDY button do, and when should I use it?

Most of the time, follow the exchange

The intercept can produce the JUDY exchange automatically. You do not have to press the button after every report. Listen on the flight’s active channel, read its messages and follow the current lesson objective.

Find the manual control

1. Left-click your active fighter’s position symbol or identity letter and check its callsign. This control belongs to your fighter, not to the aircraft it is investigating.
2. Open AC Control. JUDY is in the row with RTB and CANCEL.
3. To request the exchange manually, choose JUDY once. The game checks whether it has already completed. It uses the flight’s current intercept; there is no new target-selection step.
4. Follow the flight’s reports and identification exchange. Do not wait for a separate “copy JUDY” recording as proof: the follow-on identification exchange can provide the response.

Why does pressing it again do nothing?

The game avoids repeating a JUDY exchange already completed for that target or already played during the flight. It also uses the pair leader for this request when you selected the other fighter. The button is not a general replay control.

What if I hear nothing?

First check the active channel and radio volume. An exchange can progress without audible playback when its channel is not being heard. A flight returning to base does not start this JUDY exchange, and a training sequence can wait for its required earlier report. Compare the actual task, recent messages and objective before trying again.

The request can advance the current exchange

JUDY does not give the fighter a fresh IDENT or ENGAGE target. It can continue the current identification exchange, including the follow-on response to a civilian intercept. Use it for the current flight and task, rather than as an audio replay button. To assign another task, use the tasking controls. If an intercept still seems stuck, use the checks and record the current task and messages.