Pilots, navigators, EWOs continue to train hard

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Andrea F. Liechti
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  One by one they duck underneath the B-52H Stratofortress, climb up the narrow stairs, and position themselves in their spots. They've all trained for extensive hours and are prepared to take on the challenges of Barksdale's bomber missions.

These Airmen are members of a B-52 flight crew and have spent several months in training.

"Their training is extensive," said Capt. Jason Doleman, 11th Bomb Squadron flight commander for the initial qualification students. "They come to us with basic job knowledge. It's our job to teach them what they need to know about the B-52."

Aircrew Airmen begin their flying careers by attending the Air Force Academy, ROTC, cross-training or attending Officer Training School. Once they've graduated from one of those, they head to their technical training. Pilots attend training at various bases while electronic warfare officers and navigators attend a combat systems operator school in Pensacola, Fla.

Following completion of their technical training, pilots are assigned an aircraft and the CSO school attendees get assigned to either a navigator or EWO position.

"That's when they come to us," Doleman said. "They all start out in the 11th Bomb Squadron. That's where they complete their academic portion of the Formal Training Unit program."

Depending on their job, the academics portion lasts anywhere from five to six months.

The pilots spend this time learning about the B-52, the instruments it has, aircraft limitations and other information pertinent to their flying missions and future flying expectations, Dolman said.

The EWOs learn what is needed to defend the aircraft, he added. They learn how to jam radars and how to drop bundles of aluminum strips known as chaff and expendables. The chaff and expendables are used to protect the aircraft from enemy fire. They have a strong enough pull that enemy radar bounces off them and gives the enemy false readings on their location.

The navigators learn about the B-52 instruments, radar weapons systems and other weapons. They provide the offensive stance when it comes to mission completion.

"Once they've completed their academics, they move over to the 93rd Bomb Squadron where they start flying," Doleman said. "The navs and pilots begin flying a month before the EWOs do. This allows them time to learn how to fly and navigate the aircraft."

The training changes a bit when the EWOs join the crew, he said.

"That's when all of the players start focusing on crew integration," Doleman said. "They start practicing employing weapons, defensive maneuvers and jamming. They fly to different air space, set aside for the military, to practice mission completion."

After about five months of practicing their jobs in the air, they are basic mission capable, he said. This means they can go to any operational squadron and can become combat mission ready. Several members of the aircrew can deploy at this time.

Although the majority of the 11 BS and 93 BS total force enterprise training is for aircrew just arriving, they also train others. Aircrew members who haven't been flying can come back for retraining, upgrades from co-pilots to pilots receive additional training, and crewmembers interested in becoming instructors for the training program can also complete their education requirements in the training program.

"What we bring to the table is experience, consistency and continuity," said Lt. Col. Dave Leedom, 93 BS commander. "They bring the youth and enthusiasm to building the war fighters."

The active duty and reserve units are working together to accomplish their ultimate mission, to train the best bomber crews in the world, he said.