2-77 MQF Fire Support Team (FIST) Certification Practice Test 2026 - Free FIST Certification Practice Questions and Study Guide

In polar plot missions, you describe the target’s position in three dimensions: horizontal location (range and bearing) and vertical position relative to the observer. The vertical position is how far the target sits above or below the observer, measured in meters—that is the vertical shift. Elevation is typically the angle above the horizon, not a distance, so it doesn’t convey height in meters. Altitude usually refers to a height above a reference level (like sea level) rather than the relative vertical offset between observer and target. Angle T is an angular parameter, not a vertical distance. So the vertical shift best captures the relative vertical distance in meters.