Combat Air Patrol
The Combat Air Patrol is a set of fighter aircraft designated to patrol the airspace above an aircraft carrier group and protect the group from attack.Combat Air Patrols are usually excempt from Broken Arrow calls, but can also be diverted.
Numerous types of combat air patrols have been employed by US military forces since World War II, including BARCAP, CAP/Strike, FastCAP, FORCAP, HAVCAP, MIGCAP, RESCAP, SARCAP, Slow CAP, Strike/CAP and TARCAP.
BARCAP: "Barrier Combat Air Patrol", in fleet terms, a mission flown between the battle group and the direction from which it is most likely that enemy attack will come. In general terms, fighter cover between a strike force and an area of expected threat, also known as a "MiG screen".
CAP/Strike: Aircraft with a primary CAP role and a secondary strike role; such aircraft are permitted to jettison strike ordnance and actively pursue any enemy aircraft sighted, and are not restricted to defensive encounters.
FastCAP: Combat air patrol for fighter strike aircraft.
FORCAP: "Force Combat Air Patrol", a patrol of fighters maintained over the strike force, essentially an escort.
HAVCAP: "High Asset Value Combat Air Patrol", flown to protect a high-value asset such as an AWACS or a tanker during its specific time on station.
Slow CAP: A combat air patrol for slower aircraft, such as the EB-66, B-52, or EC-121 during the Vietnam War, replaced by HAVCAP.
Strike/CAP: Aircraft with a primary strike role and a secondary air defense role, permitted to jettison strike ordnance and engage enemy aircraft only if directly attacked. Strike/CAP aircraft also have an egress CAP role once strike ordnance has been delivered on target.
TARCAP: "Target Combat Air Patrol" is flown over or near a strike target in order to protect specialised attack aircraft such as the AC-130 from harassment by enemy fighters.