Narrative:

I was working the radar position on R3 (hro lo) on the morning of jun/xa/05. There was a special military operation involving 2 F16's working a 30 mi radius at block altitude FL180-FL200. The aircraft were to be maneuvering within the airspace in and out of formation. Due to the nature of these conditions; I was told to treat the airspace as 'sterilized.' subsequently; I noticed the wing aircraft approximately 5 mi northwest of the area; nwbound. I questioned the pilot of his altitude and intentions and told him of his observed position. The pilot responded that he was within the confines of the sua. I verified the focal point for the mission; latitude and longitude; and he responded negative. I coordination with the adjacent sector; whose airspace the aircraft had entered; and we began to protect for a 30 mi radius around both points. I told the area supervisor what had happened and asked him to find out which were the correct coordinates for the mission. When he returned; he told me the flight crew was correct and that we had been given the wrong coordinates. This type of mission is performed in the same general area often; and it seems like there is always some type of mix-up or miscoord. Today; this F16 maneuvering in a high volume traffic area could have had a disastrous outcome.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZME CTLR CHRONICLES OPDEV BECAUSE OF INCORRECT LOCATION COORDINATES PROVIDED BY MILFAC.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RADAR POS ON R3 (HRO LO) ON THE MORNING OF JUN/XA/05. THERE WAS A SPECIAL MIL OP INVOLVING 2 F16'S WORKING A 30 MI RADIUS AT BLOCK ALT FL180-FL200. THE ACFT WERE TO BE MANEUVERING WITHIN THE AIRSPACE IN AND OUT OF FORMATION. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THESE CONDITIONS; I WAS TOLD TO TREAT THE AIRSPACE AS 'STERILIZED.' SUBSEQUENTLY; I NOTICED THE WING ACFT APPROX 5 MI NW OF THE AREA; NWBOUND. I QUESTIONED THE PLT OF HIS ALT AND INTENTIONS AND TOLD HIM OF HIS OBSERVED POS. THE PLT RESPONDED THAT HE WAS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE SUA. I VERIFIED THE FOCAL POINT FOR THE MISSION; LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE; AND HE RESPONDED NEGATIVE. I COORD WITH THE ADJACENT SECTOR; WHOSE AIRSPACE THE ACFT HAD ENTERED; AND WE BEGAN TO PROTECT FOR A 30 MI RADIUS AROUND BOTH POINTS. I TOLD THE AREA SUPVR WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND ASKED HIM TO FIND OUT WHICH WERE THE CORRECT COORDINATES FOR THE MISSION. WHEN HE RETURNED; HE TOLD ME THE FLT CREW WAS CORRECT AND THAT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE WRONG COORDINATES. THIS TYPE OF MISSION IS PERFORMED IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA OFTEN; AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS ALWAYS SOME TYPE OF MIX-UP OR MISCOORD. TODAY; THIS F16 MANEUVERING IN A HIGH VOLUME TFC AREA COULD HAVE HAD A DISASTROUS OUTCOME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.