AIR ARM
Fly hard, fly fast, they'll never know what hit them until it's too late.
Fixed wing aircraft keep the skies clear and drop ordnance on enemy positions to assist ground troops.
Rotary wing aircraft are ideal for troop insertions and additional firepower on the battlefield.
Phase 2
Before you even get off the ground you will need to learn how either fixed wing (planes) or rotary wing (helicopters) aircraft work, the various types of aircraft you will be using, and some basic physics.
With those lessons out of the way, you learn how to take off, fly, and land an aircraft.
We won't throw you straight into the cockpit of a fast jet or attack helicopter; Your first flying lesson will be in a light aircraft so that you can learn the basic controls at a lower speed with better visibility and less systems to be concerned with. As your skills increase, you will progress up to more versatile and powerful aircraft.
Roles and Specialisations
Initial Phase 2 training within the Air Arm will teach you the basics of flying fixed and/or rotary wing aircraft.
Further roles that you can persue at this stage include Fighter Pilot and Close Air Support (CAS) Pilot. These are combat aircraft that are designed to provide air superiority and hit designated enemy ground targets.
To assist the aircraft and ensure their attack runs are effective, Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC) are a specialised role within the Air Force.
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Air Force Pilot
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Fighter Pilot
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Close Air Support (CAS) Pilot
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Helicopter Pilot/Copilot
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Gunship Pilot/Copilot
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Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC)
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Wing Commander
Air Force Pilot
Once you are able to successfully take off, fly a designated route, and land successfully, you will be most of the way to earning your role as an Air Force Pilot and you will be able to fly light aircraft and transport planes.
There will also be some basic maneuvering, offensive and defensive flying, and a lot of theory lessons to take on board. All of this will pave the way for the rest of your Air Force career.
Fighter Pilot
Enemy aircraft will attempt to target our ground troops and air assets.
Fighters are typically used to maintain air superiority. This means keeping our aircraft in the skies while preventing enemy aircraft from being flying within our area of operations. However, you may also be expected to conduct air-to-ground strikes using missiles or bombs.
Close Air Support (CAS) Pilot
Aircraft that fulfil the CAS role are usually slower than their fighter jet counterparts, although in theory any fixed wing able to fit air-to-ground weapons can conduct a CAS run on enemy ground troops.
You will need to be able to listen to the instructions being sent from our own troops, translate them into map data that you can follow, fly to that location and conduct attack runs on the enemy.
Helicopter Pilot
Helicopters are relatively easy to grasp, but difficult to master. Spend as many hours as you can in the cockpit and practice taking off, maneuvering at low altitude, picking up troops or supplies, and landing.
The more efficient you can be at performing these actions, the less bullet holes your Chinook will have after a visit to a frontline HLS.
Gunship Pilot
Gunships are a different breed of helicopter entirely. Not so much due to their flying characteristics, but their capabilities and the situations they find themselves in.
Most of these platforms will be equipped with a chain gun and various rockets and missiles. You need to learn how and when to use these weapons, but more importantly you also need to know how to ensure you don't make yourself a target for the enemy.
You will need to be attached to friendly ground troops in order to identify when and where air support is required.
Your navigation and communication skills will need to exceed those of most other troops due to the nature of the role, and the fact that most aircraft will generally come into your area of operations at high speeds.
Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC)
Wing Commander
Multiple aircraft (2 or more) can form a wing. The Wing Commander controls where those aircraft go and what they do.
To be able to take on the role of Wing Commander, you will need several hours of flying and JTAC experience so that you have a full understanding of the characteristics of various aircraft as well as the challenges associated with flying them.