text: Chapter 4
  RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
  4-65. Rules of engagement are directives issued by competent military authority that delineate the
  circumstances and limitations under which United States forces will initiate and/or continue combat
  engagement with other forces encountered (JP 3-84). The JFC approves the theater rules. These established
  rules enable the AADC to retain control of the air battle by prescribing the exact conditions under which
  engagements may take place. ROE apply to all warfare participants in the theater and are disseminated to all
  echelons of air, land, and sea forces. There are six AMD ROE categories: right of self-defense, identification
  criteria, fire control orders, weapons control status, levels of control, and modes of control.
  4-66. Right of self-defense. Commanders at all echelons must take whatever action is necessary to protect
  their forces and equipment against air or missile attack. When under attack, the right of self-defense is
  inherent to all ROE and weapons control procedures (JP 3-01).
  4-67. Identification criteria. The employment of ADA weapon systems requires early identification of
  friendly, neutral, or hostile aircraft and missiles to maximize extended-range engagement and avoid
  fratricide. The problem of distinguishing friendly, neutral, and hostile air objects, while employing various
  weapon systems against the enemy, is a highly complex task; the same type of aircraft may be flown by
  friendly and enemy countries. However, since ballistic missiles have a distinct flight profile, ROE for this
  threat should be based on the trajectory profile. The AADC and the airspace control authority establish
  measures and procedures within the airspace control system to positively identify all airborne assets and
  permit the execution of AMD operations. These measures and procedures reduce delays in operations and
  prevent fratricide. Positive identification of tracks is normally the preferred method of operation. Positive
  identification is an identification derived from observation and an analysis of target characteristics including
  visual recognition, electronic support systems, non-cooperative target recognition techniques, identification
  friend or foe systems, or other physics-based identification techniques (JP 3-01). In the absence of positive
  identification, procedural identification is used; procedural identification employs previously established and
  promulgated airspace coordinating measures and rules. Procedural identification separates airspace users by
  geography, altitude, heading, time, and/or maneuver. Generally, some combination of positive and procedural
  identification is used.
  * Hostile criteria are a description of conditions under which aerial platforms or missiles may be
  identified as hostile for engagement purposes. For AMD units, they are basic rules that assist in
  distinguishing between friendly and enemy aerial objects. For example, air platforms such as
  fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft may be declared hostile if they begin to attack an asset, appear
  to be in an attack posture, or are not providing an appropriate friendly identification code; UASs
  may be declared hostile if they are surveilling a friendly asset or force; and ballistic missiles and
  large-caliber rockets are generally considered hostile, allowing for engagement based on the
  current ROE.
  * Commanders having identification authority use hostile criteria to determine the identification of
  detected air targets. Identification authority is the authority to assign an identity classification to
  an unknown contact, if possible (JP 3-01). The highest echelon capable of managing engagement
  operations normally retains identification authority. Upon target detection, fire units with near-
  real-time data transmission capability assist the engagement authority by forwarding target
  information. The engagement authority makes final targeting decisions based on identification (for
  example, classification and kinematic evaluation) and may delegate the authority to engage.
  Delegation of engagement and identification authorization to lower echelons is normal for
  SHORAD units.
  4-68. Fire control orders. Fire control orders are commands that are used to exercise positive control over
  engagements on a case-by-case basis and can be transmitted electronically or verbally. They are given to
  direct or inhibit firing by surface-to-air weapons units based on the ROE and rapidly changing tactical
  situation (JP 3-01). However, not all of the fire control orders, presented below, can or will be used by every
  type of ADA unit.
  * Engage is a fire control order used to direct or authorize units and/or weapon systems to attack a
  designated target (JP 3-01).