General
tumbleweed
What does tumbleweed mean?
A brevity code indicating limited or complete loss of situational awareness and a request for information to rebuild the picture.
""Tumbleweed — I've lost the group, say picture.""
Origin
Multiservice tactical brevity code used in air operations.
Frequently asked questions
What does "tumbleweed" mean on the radio?
It's a brevity code signaling limited or complete loss of situational awareness, along with a request for information to rebuild the picture.
When would a pilot call "tumbleweed"?
When they've lost track of the tactical picture — say they've lost a group of contacts — and need controllers or wingmen to fill them back in.
Where does the term come from?
The imagery is of drifting aimlessly like a tumbleweed with no bearings; it's a standardized multiservice tactical brevity code.
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