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Unfamiliar word? Select a dotted-underlined term for its meaning.
One base can use several names
| Example launch | Allocated names | What to read |
|---|---|---|
| One pair from Leuchars | GAMECOCK11 · GAMECOCK12 | Two aircraft share the name GAMECOCK, with different number endings. |
| A later pair from the same base | SCORPION11 · SCORPION12 | A new launch can take the next name from the base’s pool and start the numbers at 11 again. |
A pool is a list of names the game can choose from. These are fresh-allocation examples, not a promise about your next launch: earlier allocations and names already in use affect the result. Use the group controls to see which aircraft belong together.
Read each label separately
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| LUQ1 GAMECOCK11 | LU is the Leuchars base prefix. Q1 is a separately allocated Q label. GAMECOCK is the callsign name and 11 is its aircraft suffix. |
| Track No / track serial | The scope’s reference number for that track. Compare it when locating and selecting a live aircraft. |
| Mode 3/A / squawk | A separate four-digit transponder code. It is not the number after GAMECOCK. |
Q1 does not mean there is one aircraft in the group, and 11 does not mean eleven aircraft. A Q label can be added for paired aircraft away from base on a non-CAP task. Keep it as part of the complete displayed callsign; the name can be retained and does not confirm the flight’s present task. Read the current task in ACTIVE OPS. CAP is a patrol. Use the full callsign key and the trackblock guide to read the other labels.
Support aircraft have their own naming rules
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| SAINTEX 01, MADRAS or another tanker name | Tankers use a separate list. First-use names can include a number or just a word; later allocations can add a number. A tanker name alone does not confirm its aircraft model. |
| OVERLORD, MOONRAKER, SAURON or MAGIC | These belong to the game’s AWACS allocation family. MAGIC 11 is one aircraft callsign, not eleven AWACS. |
| ALPHA and a height block beside a tanker pattern | A name for the tanker’s working pattern, not its aircraft callsign. Read the aircraft and pattern labels separately. |
Moving an existing tanker’s pattern is different from allocating a new aircraft name. When you move an existing tanker’s pattern, the game keeps its callsign if it has a usable name. If its name is missing, the game may assign one. Follow TRACK and ANCHOR and the return guide.
Find the exact aircraft before giving an order
- Open TRACK LIST. In Filter Callsign, enter the complete displayed name or a distinctive part of it.
- Compare Track No and Callsign on each matching row. Use > to move the view to the intended aircraft. Moving the view does not select it for an order.
- When no order is waiting for a target click, left-click that contact on the radar scope. If AC Control opens, choose Flight Info. Compare the full callsign in Flight Info and the track serial on the scope data block, then read TYPE.
- Check the current task in ACTIVE OPS or the selected aircraft’s controls. Use Aircraft Data for model information. A familiar callsign is not proof of friendly identity.
When names seem confusing
| Question | Check |
|---|---|
| Why did 11 appear again? | A new launch can restart numbering at 11 under another name. Compare the complete name and track serial, not only the last digits. |
| Does the callsign prove its current base? | No. A base prefix or pool tells you the naming context. Read the selected flight’s actual position and task; it may be away from that base. |
| Will I see all the support names? | No. Available aircraft and earlier allocations vary by session. Use the live aircraft details, not the example list, to choose a task. |
| The label still seems wrong after I selected it | Keep the complete name, track serial, game version and a screenshot. Follow the reporting steps; do not change identity just to make a name fit. |
Try one name without issuing an order
- Choose one live military aircraft. Note its complete callsign and track serial.
- Find it through TRACK LIST, move the view with > and select it on the scope. Check that Flight Info still names the same contact.
- Explain the name, its number ending and any base/Q prefix separately. Check TYPE and the current task. You do not need to launch, reclassify or redirect anything.