Combat Air Patrols

The Combat Air Patrol (CAP) covering Washington D.C. and/or the Thurmont (Camp David) area is known as the Guard Dog CAP. Notices about CAPs can be found here - look at entries marked ZDC in the facility column.

Here are the units with callsigns that participate in CAP duty (with the associated callsigns):

• DC ANG 113th Wing, 121st Fighter Squadron, BRAVE
• NJ ANG 177th Fighter Wing, 119th Fighter Squadron, COSMIC
• ND-ANG Detachment 1, 119th Fighter Wing (Langley AFB VA). SPIDER
• Eglin AFB FL 60th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing, ARROW
• Shaw AFB SC 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Wing, PITTMAN
• USAF 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB 27th Fighter Squadron, HARASS
• As of 1 October, a detachment from the Vermont Air National Guard will be flying CAP duty based from Langley. More information is needed.

Guidance during the Guard Dog CAP is provided by North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) (NEADS) using callsign HUNTRESS The CAP is normally comprised of two F-15 or F-16 fighters and a KC-135 tanker for refueling support. A pair of F-22A Raptor fighters participated one weekend but don't expect this to happen very often.

Frequencies

All frequencies noted here are in AM mode

• Andrews Air Force Base, MD is often used for a refuel stop ,a maintenance problem or if bad weather develops
• HUNTRESS frequencies most often used for primary CAP control are 228.9 and 260.9
• DC-ANG will often use 139.7 as primary CAP freq
• NJ-ANG has been known to use 138.2 as primary CAP freq
• Refueling is sometimes performed on the primary frequency but most often on a separate boom freq. The most popular boom freqs currently are 320.6 and 324.0 but can be on any number of freqs. The boom freq is normally stated at the beginning of the CAP.
• The fighters and the tanker get clearance to enter/exit the CAP area using a Guard Dog (Washington Center) special frequency of 135.525 and 288.350. Most often the fighters will use 288.35 and the tanker 135.525 but can use either.
• ND-ANG (SPIDER) units has been noted on 138.0
• Shaw AFB (PITTMAN) units have been noted on the following freqs:
  • 79th Fighter Squadron (Tigers)
  • 138.025 last noted Jan 2006
    
  • 138.150 possibly V-8
    
  • 141.600 possibly V-9
    
  • 141.775 possibly V-10
    
  • 142.125 possibly V-11 June 2006
    
  • 236.550 brief use June 2006
    
  • 77th Fighter Squadron (Gamblers)
  • 143.800 V-8 used Sept.2006
    
  • 141.750 V-9 used Sept.2006 during NYC CAP, Oct 2006 CAP
    
  • 140.375 V-10 used Sept.2006 during NYC CAP, Oct 2006 CAP
    
  • 141.675 V-11
    
  • 139.925 V-12 used Sept.2006
    
• Eglin AFB (ARROW) units have been noted on 338.750 and 369.150
• As of 1st October, the United States Coast Guard has taken over responsibility for low flying and slower a/c violating the ADIZ in this region
• Flights and Tankers will often use the Nationwide FSS frequency 255.4 to get weather and other information from Leesburg Radio
• Also check the UHF frequencies of the following for flights arriving/leaving the CAP;
  • Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control
  • Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center
  • NY Air Route Traffic Control Center

Other Refueling freqs noted in the past

• 139.875 McGuire tankers interplane
• 143.825 McGuire Tankers Interplane; also VT ANG, Bradley ANGB A10s Ct. heard here
• 228.000
• 236.250 A/A Tanker refueling?
• 238.900
• 252.800 Tanker/refueling
• 266.500 Tanker refueling Mar 2006
• 276.500 AR Tanker Com 1
• 294.800 Boom Freq tanker from McGuire
• 295.800
• 299.900 Refueling discrete noted June 06
• 303.000 108th Refueling Wing @McGuire CP
• 319.700 Tanker secondary/AR-328
• 327.900 Refueling noted during Sept 06 CAP over NYC
• 339.600 ??Navy Refueling???
• 365.700 Refueling Boom freq
• 387.800 Tanker Boom freq
• 387.900 Tanker Boom freq
• 396.200 A/A Refueling for Europe-USA flight June 2006

Thanks to TinEar for the writeup