ChrisAH64D

Interesting discussion on here. I can tell you that there is no "Black Magic" involved with talking to an AWACS "Magic" aircraft. As long as you've both got the right crypto fill, you just dial up their frequency and off you go! We checked in with them prior to coasting in on every mission, for a mission update, co-ordinate any other call signs assigned to us (CAS / SEAD) on to our dedicated mission freq and they would then confirm they had us on radar and off you go. No different to chatting to a ground unit, or other aircraft in your patrol. We also flew alongside French Gazelles on that Op. Now whether or not they checked with AWACS I'm not sure as they weren't part of the NATO Mission.