What were "cab ranks"?

Short answer

A close air support procedure: fighter-bombers were held available from "cab ranks," orbiting holding points near the forward edge of the battle area. Although already assigned a target, they first waited for a call to attack a more urgent one.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Dassault Dornier Alpha Jet of the Patrouille de France, file image: La Ferté-Alais 2025Kilyann Le Hen (CC BY), vía commons

Aircraft waiting their turn

Fighter-bombers were made available from "cab ranks," orbiting holding points close to the forward edge of the combat zone. Although they had already been assigned a target, they first waited for a call to attack a more pressing one. This made it possible to request air support very quickly against targets of opportunity or threats to troops in the area, while aircraft that were not called attacked their planned target.

Who directed the traffic

The controller rode in "the leading car or armored car" and directed a cab rank of aircraft over the battlefield. Ground FACs operated from White Scout Cars or M3 half-tracks — and later tanks — equipped with a wide range of radios for air-to-ground and ground-to-ground links. At least ten tanks in each armored division carried VHF sets to contact aircraft overhead. Airborne FACs came from the air observation post squadrons.