Weapon systems officer

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A Weapon Systems Officer (WSO), nicknamed "Wizzo", is an air flight officer directly involved in all air operations and weapon systems of a military aircraft.

Historically, aircrew duties in military aircraft were highly specialised and rigid, because the relevant controls, instruments/displays, and/or weapons were concentrated in front of particular seats, panels or positions. That included two-seat variants of fighter or attack/strike aircraft (including late 20th century types such as the

Non-commissioned Aircrew can serve as a WSOp (Weapon Systems Operator), an umbrella term for the various specialist aircrew responsible for assisting the pilot in operating the mission systems of the aircraft (e.g. linguists, loadmasters, crewman).[2]

United States

Overview

U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps

In the

Training begins with several weeks of ground school followed by remnants of the "super-fo" program from the U.S. Navy where the SNFO takes front seat of the new T-6 Texan II for six "contact" flights where the student will become familiar with the T-6. The SNFO is treated like a pilot training student for these six flights. After Contacts, the SNFO goes back to academics to learn instrument flying rules. Primary ends with a final instrument checkride. After primary the SNFO is compared to his or her shipmates and selected for either land-based naval aircraft or tailhook aircraft. Those SNFOs destined for the carrier-based E-2C or E-2D Hawkeye will be known as air control officers and combat information center officers, while those destined for the EA-18G Growler (USN only) will be electronic warfare officers (EWO). Those destined for the F/A-18F Super Hornet (USN Only) or the F/A-18D Hornet (USMC only) will become WSOs.

Intermediate

Intermediate picks up where Primary ends for USAF SWSOs. After the instrument phase of training, students move to visual navigation (VNAV) "low levels" at 2000'AGL, and finish in the T-6 with a final training block called "forms" (formation flying). Forms consist of four flights of learning the basics of close in formation flying. After forms, SWSOs head back to ground school to learn an entirely new aircraft, the USN T-39 Sabreliner. The T-39 is used as an intermediate instrument and low-level trainer for SWSOs, where they receive a total of eight flights. Students are required to learn the aircraft in a two-week ground school period before they go flight side. In contrast, T-6 ground school is four weeks. Training ends at either VT-10 or VT-4 with the "i-grad" ceremony and top graduate award.

Advanced

VT-86 is where all the training comes together to culminate in the SWSO receiving his or her wings of gold. In the T-45C, a USN single-engine jet trainer, SWSOs learn advanced instrument flying, radar navigation, and composite visual/radar navigation. SWSOs also receive instruction in Air-to-Ground strike training, Air-to-Air intercept training, Basic Fighter Maneuvering, and Close Air Support. A/G Training takes place on both VR and IR routes that criss-cross the south east United States. After completion of the syllabus, track selection takes place. Navy SWSOs select either the F/A-18F Super Hornet, or the E/A-18 Growler. Marine SWSOs by default select the F/A-18D Hornet. The final three months of some of the hardest training at Pensacola will leave the SWSO F/A-18 selectee with their wings of gold. Air Force WSOs no longer train at VT-86.

Graduate training

Following the winging ceremony, USN and USMC WSOs will proceed to a Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) and USAF WSOs to a Formal Training Unit (FTU) to complete advanced ground school and flight training to prepare them for their "operational" combat aircraft in the deployable operating forces.

Parachuting water survival
All USAF aviators with parachutes on the aircraft attend this three-day course at NAS Pensacola, Florida. During the course, USAF WSOs learn the basics of surviving an aircraft ejection over water, obtaining food and drinkable water when stranded at sea, combat evasion at sea, and how to be successfully rescued by boat or helicopter. For USN and USMC WSOs, this program was previously completed at NAS Pensacola during their Aviation Preflight Indoctrination (API) training.

Centrifuge training
This one-day course located at Brooks City-Base, San Antonio, Texas, tests USAF WSOs selected for the F-15E in their ability to withstand the g-forces routinely experienced by fighter aircrew.

SERE
The

IFF
USAF WSOs selected for the F-15E learn basic fighter maneuvers (BFM) and surface attack in the T-38C at Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (IFF). WSOs complete this training at either the 435th Fighter Training Squadron at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas or the 49th Fighter Training Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. WSOs also learn about the culture of being a young aircrew member in a USAF fighter squadron. The course lasts approximately eight weeks.

EWO
USAF WSOs selected for the B-1B,

Gallery

• 
  B-1B Lancer WSO
• 
  F-4 with tandem pilot & WSO canopies open
• 
  SU-34 pilot & WSO positions in simulator
• 
  F-14 Pilot and RIO

See also

• Aircrew (Flight crew)
• Combat Systems Officer
• Naval Flight Officer

References