text: Chapter 3
  nullify or reduce the effectiveness of such attacks. These measures include air defense use of
  aircraft, missiles, air defense artillery, non-air defense weapons in an active air defense role,
  electronic attack, and electronic protection.
  VARIABLE MESSAGE FORMAT DEVELOPMENT
  3-4. Observe the following practices when developing VMF messages:
  (cid:122) Develop VMF messages to satisfy a single purpose, thereby ensuring ease of use, simplified
  processing, and reduced implementation issues.
  (cid:122) Use a consistent, practical, simplistic, and logical approach.
  (cid:122) Ensure VMF messages are specific in content and structure.
  (cid:122) Design VMF messages simply to satisfy a specific information exchange requirement, task, or
  purpose. (See MIL-STD-6017 for more information on VMF formats.)