What spotting would you make if you receive a Splash call and after 5 seconds the round impact is neither seen nor heard?

The correct choice in this scenario is "Lost." A Splash call indicates that a round has impacted, but if neither the impact is seen nor heard after a five-second interval, it suggests that the observer is unable to confirm the round's location. The term "Lost" specifically denotes that the observer has completely lost contact with the round, meaning there is no visual or auditory confirmation available.

This is different from other terms that may be used in such situations. For example, "Unobserved" typically would indicate that while the impact is not seen, the observer believes they could potentially still hear or gain additional information about the impact. Similarly, "Doubtful" implies uncertainty but does not carry the same definitive loss of contact that "Lost" does. The term "Cannot Observe" suggests that there are conditions preventing observation, which may not apply if the observers have the necessary equipment but simply cannot confirm the round’s impact after the designated time.

By clearly identifying the situation with the term "Lost," communication remains precise, and it drives the response to require a further assessment or adjustment of fire to gain clarity on the impact location.