The main idea being tested is what humanity means in the Law of Armed Conflict. Humanity requires sparing people from unnecessary suffering and treating those who are not or no longer taking part in hostilities with humanity. Saying that it forbids inflicting suffering unnecessary to achieve a legitimate objective captures that restraint and protection of noncombatants, which is exactly what humanity emphasizes. Military necessity is about using force that is necessary to achieve a legitimate military objective, but it isn’t a blanket license to do anything regardless of consequences; it still has to be consistent with humanity and other rules. Proportionality is about ensuring the force used in relation to the objective is not excessive, not about requiring the maximum force. Distinction requires targeting only military objectives and combatants, not civilians, so it wouldn’t permit harming civilians.

Dynamic targeting relies on a rapid, coordinated set of actions to keep a time-sensitive target under control from detection to engagement. The six Ts capture the essential maneuvers and communications needed for speed and precision: Twist refers to adjusting the engagement geometry or approach vector to optimize the shot and reduce risk; Talk emphasizes timely communication with partners and command to confirm intent, authorization, and share situational awareness; Throttle means moderating speed to maintain the right intercept profile and allow for responsive adjustments; Turn is the deliberate change in heading to keep the target within sensor and weapons envelopes during the pursuit; Track involves maintaining continuous, accurate monitoring of the target as conditions evolve; Time is about synchronizing actions so the engagement occurs within the correct window. Together, these actions form a concise framework for making fast, integrated targeting decisions.

Unscheduled targets are targets that are known but were not planned to be engaged in the current targeting cycle. They come into view after the plan is set, so they require a quick assessment to decide if they should be added to the queue or deferred. The team weighs urgency, feasibility, timing, and potential collateral effects, and if they meet engagement criteria, they can be prioritized for the current or a future cycle. This term captures the idea of targets that weren’t in the original plan but are available and worth considering.

Fighter KB holding requires a defined airspace block that provides both lateral and vertical separation for the aircraft. A single quad is 15 by 15 nautical miles, and for two ships you need that block plus a minimum 2000-foot altitude separation. This combination ensures safe spacing and reliable radar/communication coverage while the two fighters hold. Smaller area options don’t give enough lateral room, larger or different shapes aren’t the standard block, and some choices omit the altitude requirement, which is essential for two-ship holds.