Callsigns – when somebody has two names

Low-level flights, combat aircraft from different nations, and helicopters during take-off mark the beginning of the Pacific Skies 24 deployment. Spanish, French, and German soldiers practice on a large scale. Not only the extent of the exercise reminds of a movie. Also, what is known as callsigns inspired, for example, the creators of the successful movie “Top Gun”.

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These nicknames of the pilots are more than just fiction. Callsigns are personalized to the pilots and are a tradition in military aviation. They also found their way into the German Air Force. It is not quite clear where callsigns have their origin. One explanation is that during World War II, the USUnited States Navy began to issue aliases to protect their pilots and pass on encrypted information. However, this is only one of many assumptions.

Assigning the names

But how are these callsigns actually assigned? Each wing celebrates this differently. For example, the pilots in an operational squadron assign the callsigns in a meeting – behind closed doors, only among the pilots. Here, everyone may submit their suggestions. However, only those persons already known under their alias will decide among the suggestions and solemnly declare the callsign. Therefore, the “real” callsigns, which are thus awarded, will only be assigned in the squadron, usually after completing initial tactical training. This leaves enough time to collect funny stories about a person.

However, not everyone will receive such a short name, because the newly assigned title usually emerges from a specific situation and depends on the person. The callsign must match the person. Be it an abbreviation of one’s own name, an allusion to personality traits or an alias that describes a decision or a situation the person has experienced.  It is a nickname. There are hardly any limits to creativity, but it must not discredit the person! It is also not permitted to choose a name for oneself, because it exclusively originates from the fellow soldiers.

Lieutenant Colonel Gerald has already made this experience: He is Titan. He explained how he got his callsign: “Titan has several origins. The name is mainly based on the fact that I lost my fitness for flying duty after a seriously herniated disc in the cervical spine. In order to regain that fitness, I underwent surgery in which the affected segment was replaced by a titanium cage with ventral carbon plating. Like all good callsigns, however, it also has a gleeful aspect to it and ironically refers to my rather compact body size.”

It is very rare, but the callsign of pilots may change during their career. However, the names usually remain. The bearers identify themselves with their callsigns and the callsigns go along with them through their entire career, possibly from lieutenant to general. Even the Chief of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, still has his callsign “Vega” today.

However, not all air forces stick to that concept:
The tradition serves to develop a sense of belonging. The Royal Air Force, for example, does not use callsigns for the pilots, because only the squadrons as a whole receive such callsigns. Nevertheless, there are clearly more callsigns than just “Maverick” as in “Top Gun”, since numerous names are circulating all over the world.