Narrative:

We were at FL320 deviating west around WX; with a clearance to proceed direct to vuz when clear of the WX. ATC called with a rerte which began cleared to atl when able; then standby on the readback. The next transmission to us was to turn right to atl. When we responded that we were deviating for WX; ATC responded that we were to turn right to atl now or we would be dodging artillery. We advised that we were beginning a slow right turn to atl; at which point ATC's response was 'good luck; squawk 7700.' we elected to turn to atl rather than risk being in potential artillery fire. As a result we were unable to maintain the fom required distance from radar returns; but encountered nothing worse than light chop. My concern is that although ZJX was busy with many aircraft diverting around thunderstorms in the florida panhandle; they never mentioned anything about a warning area being hot until we had apparently encroached into or at least near it. Normally ATC will advise as to how far you may safely continue on a deviation heading due to any other factors; such as warning areas or other aircraft. Fortunately; this event passed without incident; but is not a situation I would care to encounter again. Supplemental information from acn 794275: 'you will be deviating around live ordinances as you are entering hot military airspace.' we then decided to turn right towards atl and take our chances with level 3 thunderstorms which was a non event. This controller needed to communicate to us earlier about the path of our aircraft in relation to the military airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW DEVIATING AROUND WX WAS FORCED TO MAKE A DECISION WHETHER TO ENTER A 'HOT' MILITARY AIRSPACE WITH LIVE ARTILLERY OR TO ENCOUNTER LEVEL 3 THUNDERSTORMS.

Narrative: WE WERE AT FL320 DEVIATING W AROUND WX; WITH A CLRNC TO PROCEED DIRECT TO VUZ WHEN CLR OF THE WX. ATC CALLED WITH A RERTE WHICH BEGAN CLRED TO ATL WHEN ABLE; THEN STANDBY ON THE READBACK. THE NEXT XMISSION TO US WAS TO TURN R TO ATL. WHEN WE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE DEVIATING FOR WX; ATC RESPONDED THAT WE WERE TO TURN R TO ATL NOW OR WE WOULD BE DODGING ARTILLERY. WE ADVISED THAT WE WERE BEGINNING A SLOW R TURN TO ATL; AT WHICH POINT ATC'S RESPONSE WAS 'GOOD LUCK; SQUAWK 7700.' WE ELECTED TO TURN TO ATL RATHER THAN RISK BEING IN POTENTIAL ARTILLERY FIRE. AS A RESULT WE WERE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE FOM REQUIRED DISTANCE FROM RADAR RETURNS; BUT ENCOUNTERED NOTHING WORSE THAN LIGHT CHOP. MY CONCERN IS THAT ALTHOUGH ZJX WAS BUSY WITH MANY ACFT DIVERTING AROUND TSTMS IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE; THEY NEVER MENTIONED ANYTHING ABOUT A WARNING AREA BEING HOT UNTIL WE HAD APPARENTLY ENCROACHED INTO OR AT LEAST NEAR IT. NORMALLY ATC WILL ADVISE AS TO HOW FAR YOU MAY SAFELY CONTINUE ON A DEV HDG DUE TO ANY OTHER FACTORS; SUCH AS WARNING AREAS OR OTHER ACFT. FORTUNATELY; THIS EVENT PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENT; BUT IS NOT A SITUATION I WOULD CARE TO ENCOUNTER AGAIN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 794275: 'YOU WILL BE DEVIATING AROUND LIVE ORDINANCES AS YOU ARE ENTERING HOT MIL AIRSPACE.' WE THEN DECIDED TO TURN R TOWARDS ATL AND TAKE OUR CHANCES WITH LEVEL 3 TSTMS WHICH WAS A NON EVENT. THIS CTLR NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE TO US EARLIER ABOUT THE PATH OF OUR ACFT IN RELATION TO THE MIL AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.