Narrative:

While cruising at FL350 on an assigned heading of 305 degrees, we received a TCASII RA with a climbing command. Before we had a chance to respond, we sighted an F15 on our l-hand side, approximately 1/2 mi away. Based on the TCASII display, the aircraft reached FL340, then rapidly descended. The controller explained that the aircraft was a 'pop up' target for him and that it had penetrated the perimeter of an MOA. We never did get a TCASII TA prior to the RA. After contacting ZKC on the telephone, I found out the following: the other aircraft were a flight of 2 F F15's (we only sighted 1). They were from stl (ANG) operating in the lindberg MOA. Only the lead aircraft had a transponder turned on, and it may have been off prior to departing the MOA. This may have been the reason for lack of a TCASII TA (climb rate may have also been a factor). They had completed their training mission and were requesting a clearance out of the MOA. When they were idented by the controller, they had already penetrated the boundary of the MOA. By the time controller contacted the controller for our sector, the event was over. I believe that the same controller should be working the MOA and the civilian traffic. All military aircraft in a formation should be using their xponders. Also our navigation display will only display information on TCASII threats when on a range of 40 NM or less. At the time of the RA, I had selected 160 NM, so I had to change the range to 40 NM before the threat was displayed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT HAD A TCASII RA GENERATED BY A MIL FLT OF TWO.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING AT FL350 ON AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 305 DEGS, WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA WITH A CLBING COMMAND. BEFORE WE HAD A CHANCE TO RESPOND, WE SIGHTED AN F15 ON OUR L-HAND SIDE, APPROX 1/2 MI AWAY. BASED ON THE TCASII DISPLAY, THE ACFT REACHED FL340, THEN RAPIDLY DSNDED. THE CTLR EXPLAINED THAT THE ACFT WAS A 'POP UP' TARGET FOR HIM AND THAT IT HAD PENETRATED THE PERIMETER OF AN MOA. WE NEVER DID GET A TCASII TA PRIOR TO THE RA. AFTER CONTACTING ZKC ON THE TELEPHONE, I FOUND OUT THE FOLLOWING: THE OTHER ACFT WERE A FLT OF 2 F F15'S (WE ONLY SIGHTED 1). THEY WERE FROM STL (ANG) OPERATING IN THE LINDBERG MOA. ONLY THE LEAD ACFT HAD A XPONDER TURNED ON, AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE MOA. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON FOR LACK OF A TCASII TA (CLB RATE MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN A FACTOR). THEY HAD COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING MISSION AND WERE REQUESTING A CLRNC OUT OF THE MOA. WHEN THEY WERE IDENTED BY THE CTLR, THEY HAD ALREADY PENETRATED THE BOUNDARY OF THE MOA. BY THE TIME CTLR CONTACTED THE CTLR FOR OUR SECTOR, THE EVENT WAS OVER. I BELIEVE THAT THE SAME CTLR SHOULD BE WORKING THE MOA AND THE CIVILIAN TFC. ALL MIL ACFT IN A FORMATION SHOULD BE USING THEIR XPONDERS. ALSO OUR NAV DISPLAY WILL ONLY DISPLAY INFO ON TCASII THREATS WHEN ON A RANGE OF 40 NM OR LESS. AT THE TIME OF THE RA, I HAD SELECTED 160 NM, SO I HAD TO CHANGE THE RANGE TO 40 NM BEFORE THE THREAT WAS DISPLAYED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.