text: Air and Missile Defense Operations Process
  detected contact (JP 3-01). Identify attains an accurate characterization of detected objects with
  high confidence so that timely application of weapons can occur. Embedded within the overall
  process of identification are distinct tasks dealing with classification and discrimination.
   Classification is the process of characterizing a detected object by its type, model,
  variant, nationality, and any other distinguishing feature or attribute. Classification, for
  instance, would establish a track as a cruise missile.
   Discrimination is the process to distinguish real objects of interest from other objects or
  phenomenon and military objects from those that are not. For example, discrimination
  would differentiate between an enemy air platform and a decoy.
  * Threat evaluation and weapons assignment. Threat evaluation is the process of determining the
  intended target of the threat, the threat’s predicted impact point upon the defended asset,
  and the timing of the threat’s arrival. Weapons assignment provides the right unit, launcher, or
  missile to engage the threat paired to an appropriate sensor, if needed, to support the engagement.
  Weapons assignment can be based on the location of the unit or ADA system, preferred area where
  an engagement should be conducted, or ADA system’s capability. Sensors may be able to support
  multiple types of weapons (for example, Sentinel can support Avenger and C-RAM detection and
  acquisition) or may be designed to specifically support engagements of one weapon system, such
  as the Patriot. Weapons may need in-air engagement support from a sensor, such as the Patriot
  radar or may be “fire and forget”, such as the Stinger missile, meaning that once the missile is
  launched it uses on-board guidance and homing capabilities to close with and intercept the air and
  missile threat.
  * Engage. Engage is defined as “In air and missile defense, a fire control order used to direct or
  authorize units and/or weapon systems to attack a designated target (JP 3-01)”. Engage
  commences with the initiation of missile launch or trigger pull of a gun and concludes with the
  impact of a missile or bullets (hit-to-kill) or impact of fragments from a detonating warhead
  (arming and fusing of the kill mechanism, explosion of the warhead, dispersal and travel of
  warhead fragments, and impact of fragments). It can also encompass the use of non-dedicated
  AMD assets to commit resources to disrupt or destroy air and missile threats.
  * Assess. Assess in the air and missile defense engagement sequence, the analysis of the
  effectiveness of the engagement and of the potential for reengagements.
  METHODS OF FIRE
  2-32. The operational environment, level of protection required, and time considerations determine the
  method of fire used by ADA units during engagements. Methods of fire are the firing options for air
  defense artillery interceptors employed against aerial threats. There are four methods of fire: shoot-new
  target-shoot, shoot-look-shoot, ripple, and salvo. The method of fire selected provides the statistical
  probability of achieving the defense design goals, such as achieving less than 10-percent leakage.
  * Shoot-new target-shoot. A shot (missile launched or volley of gun rounds fired) is taken against
  one threat, and the shooter immediately is assigned to a different target without consideration of
  the effect of the preceding shot. This method of fire primarily applies to fire-and-forget weapons
  (such as Stinger) in heavy saturating attacks or when the engagement timeline does not permit a
  re-engagement of the threat just engaged.
  * Shoot-look-shoot. After the first shot has been fired, the operator/gunner/system evaluates the
  engagement. If the target is not destroyed and the operational environment and time permits,
  another shot is fired.
  * Ripple. Two or more missiles or volleys of gun rounds are fired in predetermined intervals from
  the same or multiple launchers or guns based upon the threat. This method of fire is used to achieve
  a desired probability of engagement effectiveness or to negate threat tactics (for example, one shot
  fired against a ballistic missile at relatively high altitudes before aerodynamic maneuvers are likely
  and one fired at medium altitudes after aerodynamic maneuvers have likely been completed).
  * Salvo. Two missiles or volleys of gun rounds are fired near-simultaneously from different
  launchers or guns. This method is used if there is insufficient time for a shoot-look-shoot or ripple