Naval flight officer
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A naval flight officer (NFO) is a
In 1966, enlisted personnel were removed from naval aviation observer duties but continued to serve in enlisted aircrew roles, while NAO officers received the newly established NFO designation, and the
A small number of US Navy NFOs have later opted for a lateral transfer to the
Similarly, Marine Corps NFOs are also considered eligible for command at sea and ashore within Marine aviation, and are also eligible to hold senior general officer positions, such as command of Marine aircraft wings, Marine air-ground task forces (MAGTFs), joint task forces, Marine expeditionary forces, Marine Corps component commands and unified combatant commands.
The counterpart to the NFO in the
The United States Coast Guard had a short-lived NFO community in the 1980s and 1990s when it operated E-2C Hawkeye aircraft on loan from the Navy. Following a fatal mishap with one of these aircraft at the former Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard returned the remaining E-2Cs to the Navy and disestablished its NFO program.[3]
Training
Overview
Training for student NFOs (SNFOs) starts out the same as for student
The SNFO program has continued to evolve since the 1960s. Today, SNFOs train under the Undergraduate Military Flight Officer (UMFO) program at Training Air Wing 6 at NAS Pensacola, alongside foreign students from various
NFO training squadrons
Squadron Name | Insignia | Nickname | Aircraft | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
VT-4 | Warbucks | MC2 (Simulator) |
NFO Advanced NAS Pensacola
| |
VT-10
|
Wildcats | T-6A
|
NFO Primary/Intermediate NAS Pensacola
| |
VT-86 | Sabrehawks | T-45C
|
NFO Advanced Strike NAS Pensacola
|
All SNFOs and SNAs start their aviation training with naval introductory flight evaluation (NIFE). NIFE consists of several phases: academics, ground school, flight training, and physiology. The academics portion spans three weeks and covers aerodynamics, engines, FAA rules and regulations, navigation, and weather. Academics phase is followed by one week of ground school. Every student then enrolls in one of two civilian flight schools located near
Primary
After completing NIFE, all SNFOs report to VT-10 under Training Air Wing 6 to begin primary training. All training in VT-10 is done in the Beechcraft T-6A Texan II and consists of four phases (all phases consist of ground school, simulator events, and flight events):
- Familiarization phase (aircraft systems, emergency procedures, basic communication, take-off/landing, ELPs, spins, precision aerobatics, course rules)
- Instrument phase (instrument flight procedures, flight planning, voice communication)
- Operational navigation phase (visual flight procedures, tactical route construction, precision aerobatics)
- Formation phase (ground school and flights used to introduce formation flying, tactical maneuvers, parade sequence, etc.)
After graduating from Primary, SNFOs will select between multi crew aviation or strike aviation.
Primary 2
Primary 2 training is also done through VT-10. It is a much shorter syllabus and consists of two phases:
- Instrument phase (simulators and flights flown at a faster airspeed and used to bolster instrument procedures)
- Formation
After graduating from Intermediate, SNFOs will select:
- E-2C/D Hawkeye
- Strike jet aircraft[Note 2]
E-2C/D Hawkeye selectees will continue on to the advanced maritime command and control curriculum at VT-4, while jet selectees will continue to intermediate training and remain at VT-10.
Intermediate
SNFOs destined for carrier-based strike fighter and electronic attack aircraft remain in VT-10 and continue to fly in the T-6A Texan II. Training consists of four phases:
- Single ship instrument phase (building upon instrument procedures in primary 1 and 2, VFR pattern, GPS navigation)
- Section instrument phase (instrument flying in formation)
- Tactical formation phase (rendezvous, tactical formation, tail-chase)
- Section visual navigation phase (visual navigation flying in formation)
Advanced maritime command and control
After primary, students who have selected E-2s or land-based maritime aviation (P-3, P-8, EP-3, E-6) check into VT-4 for advanced maritime command and control (MC2) training. The MC2 program was developed to allow SNFOs to receive advanced platform-specific training while still at NAS Pensacola, and to receive their wings before progressing to their respective fleet replacement squadron (FRS) for training in their ultimate operational combat aircraft. All MC2 training is conducted in the Multi-Crew Simulator (MCS), a new simulator system that allows students to train independently, as a single-ship crew, or as a multi-ship mission. MC2 training has two phases: Core and Strand.
Core
SNFOs begin MC2 training in the "core" syllabus. These classes include a combination of SNFOs who are E-2C/D selectees and land-based maritime selectees. Training in this phase builds upon the instrument training from Primary and includes:
- Operational flight planning, instruments, and navigation (international flight rules and TACAN navigation)
- Communications and navigation systems (comm systems and INS, GPS, and RADAR theory and navigation)
- Sensor and link operations (RADAR, IFF, and IR theory and data link employment)
- Fleet operations
Upon completion of core training, SNFOs who progressed to MC2 training from Primary 1 (land-based maritime selectees) will select their fleet platform. Their choices are:
Advanced MC2
Advanced MC2 training is platform-specific training in VT-4 via the MCS, allowing SNFOs destined for the carrier-based E-2 community or the land-based P-8 or E-6 communities to begin learning their responsibilities on their fleet aircraft. The development of this program relieves the associated fleet replacement squadrons from teaching SNFOs the basics of naval aviation and to focus more on advanced fleet tactics, thus providing the fleet with mission-capable NFOs. Upon completion of advanced stage training, students receive their "wings of gold" and are designated as naval flight officers.
SNFOs progress through one or two of four strands, depending on what platform they select.
The E-2 strand consists of:
- Airborne early warning (E-2 capabilities and mission overview)
- Air intercept control (airborne battlefield command and control, tactics, and strike techniques)
The common navigation strand consists of:
- Publications and charts
- Overwater navigation and communication procedures
- Navigation logs
The MPR strand consists of:
- Surface search and littoral surveillance (community overview, target identification, sensor employment)
- Electronic warfare and acoustic operations (EW introduction, sonar theory)
- Maritime patrol and reconnaissance (coordinated operations)
The E-6 strand consists of:
- Communications and operations (community overview, operations, strategic command structure)
Advanced strike
SNFOs report to VT-86 and fly the T-45C Goshawk. Training consists of five phases:
- Contact phase (T-45 systems, emergency procedures, carrier operations, night operations, communications)
- Strike phase (air-to-ground radar, low level flying, mission planning, fuel awareness)
- Close air support phase (CAS procedures and communications)
- Basic fighter maneuver phase (BFM practice)
- All weather intercepts phase (air-to-air radar, air intercepts, GPS)
After graduating from advanced strike training, Navy SNFOs will select:
- EA-18G Growler
- F/A-18F Super Hornet
Marine SNFOs will select:
- F/A-18D Hornet
Naval flight officers operate some of the advanced systems on board most multi-crew naval aircraft, and some may also act as the overall tactical mission commanders of single or multiple aircraft assets during a given mission. NFOs are not trained to pilot the aircraft, although they do train in some dual-control aircraft and are given the opportunity to practice "hands on controls" basic airmanship techniques. Some current and recently retired naval aircraft with side-by-side seating are also authorized to operate under dual-piloted weather minimums with one pilot and one NFO. However, in the unlikely event that the pilot of a single piloted naval aircraft becomes incapacitated, the crew would likely eject or bail out, if possible, as NFOs are not qualified to land the aircraft, especially in the carrier-based shipboard environment.
NFOs serve as weapon systems officers (WSOs), electronic warfare officers (EWO), electronic countermeasures officers (ECMO), tactical coordinators (TACCO), bombardiers, and navigators. They can serve as aircraft mission commanders, although in accordance with the OPNAVINST 3710 series of instructions, the pilot in command, regardless of rank, is always responsible for the safe piloting of the aircraft.
Many NFOs achieve flight/section lead, division lead, package lead, mission lead and mission commander qualification, even when the pilot of the aircraft does not have that designation. Often, a senior NFO is paired with a junior pilot (and vice versa). NFO astronauts have also flown aboard the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station as mission specialists and wear NFO-astronaut wings.
Like their naval aviator counterparts, NFOs in both the Navy and Marine Corps have commanded aviation squadrons, carrier air wings, shore-based functional air wings and air groups, Marine aircraft groups, air facilities, air stations, aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, carrier strike groups, expeditionary strike groups, Marine aircraft wings, Marine expeditionary forces, numbered fleets, and component commands of unified combatant commands. Three NFOs have reached four-star rank, one as a Marine Corps general having served as the
In some quarters, NFO careers may be viewed more restrictive than their Naval Aviator (e.g., pilot) counterparts. For example, NFOs only serve aboard multi-crew naval aircraft and as certain multi-crew aircraft are retired from the active inventory, NFOs can become displaced, as happened with the withdrawal of the A-3 and EA-3, A-5 and RA-5, A-6, EA-6A, EA-6B, F-4 and RF-4, F-14 and S-3 and ES-3 from active service. In addition, as avionics have become more advanced, the need for some multi-crew aircraft using one or more NFOs has been reduced.
However, the majority of NFOs (as well as Naval Aviators) from aircraft being retired have historically been afforded the opportunity to transition to another aircraft platform, such as F-4 and F-14 transitions to the F/A-18D and F/A-18F, A-6 transitions to the F-14, EA-6B, S-3 and F/A-18C, S-3 transitions to the P-3/P-8, E-2 and F/A-18F, EA-6B transitions to the EA-18G, and P-3 transitions to the P-8. Although it is true that Naval Aviators can also transition their piloting expertise into civilian careers as commercial airline pilots and that NFOs are not able to similarly translate their skills into this career field unless augmented by associated FAA pilot certificates, the military aviation career opportunities of NFOs remain on par with their Naval Aviator counterparts, as do their post-military career prospects in the civilian sector in defense, aviation & aerospace, as well as other career pursuits beyond that of commercial airline pilot.
Notable NFOs
Vice Admiral
As a
Rear Admiral Stanley W. Bryant was the first NFO selected for the Navy's Nuclear Power Program as a Commander in 1986. As a Captain, he became the first NFO to command a nuclear aircraft carrier when he took command of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in July 1992. In his first posting following promotion to Flag rank, he became the first NFO and first carrier aviator to command the Iceland Defense Force in Keflavik, Iceland in 1994. He was the first NFO appointed to the position of Deputy Commander (then DCINC), U.S. Naval Forces Europe and retired from that position in 2001.
Colonel John C. Church Sr., USMC was the first NFO to command a Marine F-4 squadron. He commanded VMFA-115, the Silver Eagles, from 1983 to 1984. As a Captain, Colonel Church, "the Silver Fox", had previously served with VMFA-115 during the Vietnam War, during which time he and his pilot, Captain James "Rebel" Denton, were shot down and subsequently rescued. Colonel Church amassed more than 500 missions in the F-4.[10] He retired in 1990.
Fleet
Eligible fleet platforms for NFOs are as of August 2022 are as follows:
- E-2C/D Hawkeye
- F/A-18F Super Hornet
- EA-18G Growler
- EP-3E Aries II
- P-8A Poseidon
- E-6B Mercury
- MQ-4C Triton (unmanned aircraft, remotely piloted)
In the EA-18G Growler, NFOs are designated as electronic warfare officers (EWOs) and may also be mission commanders.
In the E-2C Hawkeye and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, NFOs are initially as designated radar officers (RO), then upgrade to air control officers (ACO) and finally to combat information center officers (CICO) and CICO/mission commanders (CICO/MC).
In the E-6B Mercury, NFOs are initially designated as airborne communications officers (ACOs), then upgrade to combat systems officers (CSOs), and finally to mission commanders (CSO/MC).
In the EP-3E Aries, NFOs are initially designated as navigators (NAV) and eventually upgrade to electronic warfare officer/signals evaluator (EWO SEVAL) and EWO/SEVAL/mission commander (SEVAL/MC).
In the F/A-18D Hornet, the NFO position is known as the weapon systems officer (WSO) and may also be mission commander qualified. Flown only within the U.S. Marine Corps, the last Marine Corps officers to be assigned to the F/A-18D as WSOs received their NFO wings in 2022. The F/A-18D will be eventually replaced in Marine Corps service with the single-seat,
In the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the NFO position is known as the weapon systems officer (WSO) and may also be mission commander qualified.
In the P-8A Poseidon, the NFO is initially designated as a co-tactical coordinator (COTAC) and upgrades to tactical coordinator (
A single USN or USMC NFO is assigned to the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, as "Blue Angel #8", the Events Coordinator. This is an operational flying billet for this officer and he or she previously flew the twin-seat F/A-18D "Blue Angel 7" aircraft (which had replaced the F/A-18B previously used), and now flies the twin-seat F/A-18F "Blue Angel 7" aircraft with the team's advance pilot/narrator. They function as the advance liaison (ADVON) at all air show sites and the events coordinator provides backup support to the narrator during all aerial demonstrations.
NFOs have also served as instructors in the twin-seat
In all, the specific roles filled by an NFO can vary greatly depending on the type of aircraft and squadron to which an NFO is assigned.
Past aircraft
NFOs also flew in these retired aircraft, including as mission commander:
- EA-1F (formerly AD-5Q) Skyraiderserving as electronic warfare officer/electronic countermeasures operator.
- A-3 (formerly A3D-1, A3D-2, A3D-2P, A3D-2Q and A3D-2T) Skywarrior(e.g., A-3B, EA-3B, ERA-3B, EKA-3B, TA-3B and VA-3B) serving as bombardier/navigator, navigator, electronic countermeasures/electronic warfare officer, and EWO signals evaluator.
- A-4 Skyhawkas students in the TA-4J, as TOPGUN adversary instructors in the TA-4F and TA-4J, as forward air controllers in the OA-4M (USMC only), and as electronic warfare officers in the EA-4F.
- A-5A (formerly A3J-1), A-5B (formerly A3J-2) and RA-5C (formerly A3J-3P) Vigilanteserving as bombardier/navigator in the A-5A and A-5B and reconnaissance/attack navigator in the RA-5C.
- A-6 Intruder(e.g., A-6A, A-6B, A-6C, KA-6D, A-6E) serving as bombardier/navigator (USN + USMC).
- EA-6A Prowlerserving as electronic countermeasures officer (USN + USMC).
- EA-6B Prowler serving as electronic countermeasures officer (USN + USMC).[11]
- EA-7L Corsair IIas electronic countermeasures officer.
- C-130F Herculesserving as navigator.
- EC-130Q Hercules"TACAMO" aircraft serving as navigator and airborne communications officer.
- LC-130 Herculesserving as navigator.
- E-1B (formerly WF-2) Tracer serving as radar intercept controllers.
- EC-121 (formerly WV-2 and WV-3) Warning Staras navigator and electronic warfare officer.
- EF-10 (formerly F3D-2Q) Skynightas electronic warfare officer (USMC only).
- F-4 (formerly F4H-1)Phantom II (e.g., F-4B, F-4J, F-4N, F-4S, EF-4B, EF-4J) serving as radar intercept officer (USN + USMC)
- EF-4B and EF-4J Phantom II serving as electronic warfare officer.[12]
- RF-4B (formerly F4H-1P) Phantom IIserving as reconnaissance systems officer (USMC only).
- F-14 Tomcat(e.g., F-14A, F-14B, F-14D) serving as radar intercept officer
- OV-10 Bronco(OV-10A, OV-10D, OV-10D+, OV-10G) serving as aerial observer and forward air controller (USMC only).
- SP-2E/H (formerly P2V-5 and P2V-7) Neptune(e.g., SP-2E, SP-2H, EP-2E, OP-2E, AP-2H, LP-2H) serving as tactical coordinator and navigator.
- SP-5B (formerly P5M) Marlinserving as tactical coordinator and navigator.
- RP-3D Orionserving as ocean project coordinator and navigator.
- S-3 Viking(S-3A and S-3B) serving as tactical coordinator (TACCO) and co-pilot/tactical coordinator (COTAC).
- ES-3A Shadowserving as electronic warfare officer and co-pilot/electronic warfare officer.
- WP-3A Orionserving as navigator.
- RP-3A and RP-3D Orionserving as navigator and ocean projects coordinator.
- EP-3J Orionserving as navigator and electronic warfare officer.
- P-3A, P-3B and P-3B TACNAVMOD Orion, and P-3C Orionserving as navigator/communicator and tactical coordinator.
NFOs have also served as instructors/mission commanders in since retired training aircraft such as the
Popular culture
- One of the key characters in the popular film Clarence Gilyard Jr.) is the RIO of LTJG Charles "Chipper" Piper (played by Adrian Pasdar) and served as Maverick's RIO right after the latter went back to operational flight status following the accident that led to Goose's death.
- In the film Flight of the Intruder, Willem Dafoe played LCDR Virgil "Tiger" Cole, who served as an A-6 B/N (bombardier/navigator) with his pilot, LT Jake "Cool Hand" Grafton, played by Brad Johnson.
- In the film F/A-18F Super Hornet.
- In the film F/A-18E pilot LT Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw as played by Miles Teller.
See also
- Naval aviator insignia
- United States Marine Corps aviation
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- List of United States Marine Corps aircraft squadrons
- NATOPS
Notes
References
- ^ "Naval Flight Officers - YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
- ISBN 0-87021-409-8
- ^ "Historic Coast Guard Air Stations". Archived from the original on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
- ^ "Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA)". Archived from the original on 2017-12-27. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
- ^ "Archived copy". Navy.mil Leadership Biographies. United States Navy. Archived from the original on 6 June 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
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- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-12-01. Retrieved 2018-01-03.
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- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2015-09-16.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "The Navy Has Retired the EA-6B Prowler After 45 Years of Service". 3 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-12-28. Retrieved 2017-12-27.
- ^ http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VAQ/Electronic-Attack-Squadron-33 [dead link]