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2012-08-13 Home Front: WoT

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Posted by tu3031 2012-08-13 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11126 views ] Top

#1 "Those who are not pilots are not considered the equal of pilots" > Reminds me of the USAAC/USAF's "PILOTS-VS-BOMBARDIERS" controversy during WW2.

High Prestige, plus entitlement to higher Rank + Pay Scale.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2012-08-13 00:13|| 2012-08-13 00:13|| Front Page Top

#2 Pilot on a bomber with multiple crew is different from bombardiers. Pilot is the command authority over all the crew. Bombardier might fly the plane briefly, but he isn't in command of crew.

The mission would depend on the mission. A recon drone could be an NCO. A recon drone with a weapon should have an officer in charge but could be a warrant officer. When we evolve to the point where we have unmanned aircraft of the size a capability of an F-15, it should be a commissioned officer.

Posted by crosspatch 2012-08-13 02:32|| 2012-08-13 02:32|| Front Page Top

#3 "The mission would depend on the mission. " I meant the grade would depend on the mission.

Posted by crosspatch 2012-08-13 02:33|| 2012-08-13 02:33|| Front Page Top

#4 As usual, MOS BS. DA Branch lack of anything. Mindless

Posted by newc 2012-08-13 02:47|| 2012-08-13 02:47|| Front Page Top

#5 We've seen this sort of prestige-chasing before. Until manned fighters are completely replaced, which I don't think will happen, we'll need both. But both sides nee some sense of reward.

I remember that A-10 Warthog pilots felt as though they were falling behind in the promotion race. The troops on the ground appreciated them though. The Navy needs minesweepers, but no one wants to captain them.

Posted by Eric Jablow 2012-08-13 06:21|| 2012-08-13 06:21|| Front Page Top

#6 Nothing is more rewarding than sitting in front of a big screen and watching a UAV such as a Warrior Alpha, Tiger Shark, or other platform (flown by crusty old contractors or tech-savy young 25 year old geeks), conduct an ISR (Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnisance) mission, spot and confirm an enemy force, and gain approval for a pair of A-10's to come it and take care of business. Keeping the UAV aloft and orbiting during and after the strike permits great BDA (bomb damage assessment) and lots of 'HIGH-FIVES' in the TOC (tactical operations center) as well.

My personal A=10 preference? The 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron (EFS) the famed Flying Tigers of course. Hat tip and a crisp salute to those lads.

When it comes to ISR and kinetics, it's an all of the above approach.

Posted by Besoeker 2012-08-13 06:25|| 2012-08-13 06:25|| Front Page Top

#7 So, who said that only a certified pilot can fly a UAV?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2012-08-13 07:35|| 2012-08-13 07:35|| Front Page Top

#8 Flying UAVs may suck, but getting shot down and captured by mujahadeen would suck a lot worse.

Posted by Glenmore 2012-08-13 07:59|| 2012-08-13 07:59|| Front Page Top

#9 So, who said that only a certified pilot can fly a UAV?

The Air Force senior command (which IIRC was relieved in part because of foot dragging in getting the program running, replaced by a Transport Driver rather than another Fighter Jock.)

Posted by Procopius2k 2012-08-13 08:31|| 2012-08-13 08:31|| Front Page Top

#10 While UAV operators undergo a lot more stress than pilots (because the operators "fly" a lot more each month) the operators are still working from the ground, not an airborne cockpit and so are not given awards and bonuses due real pilots.

Certainly there must be a significant amount of workload stress due to extended vigilance and monitoring for UAV operators but it just doesn't seem like the pucker factor is there for UAV operators as compared to fast movers or helicopters pilots in combat.

Posted by JohnQC 2012-08-13 12:14|| 2012-08-13 12:14|| Front Page Top

#11 The Navy needs minesweepers, but no one wants to captain them

I liked it, but it's not a viable career path; the surface ASW community is like the fighter-jock union in that regard.

Posted by Pappy 2012-08-13 13:38|| 2012-08-13 13:38|| Front Page Top

#12 I imagine they will rethink some things and end up with specialists (non-pilots) flying UAV. We might get some kind of UAV useful in aerial combat, those would still need pilots but the normal drones we have now? Sort of overkill having a pilot.

Posted by rjschwarz 2012-08-13 14:55|| 2012-08-13 14:55|| Front Page Top

#13 The sensor operators are enlisted. Officer pilots is a cultural thing in the USAF, not unlike the preference given to academy grads.

Posted by rwv 2012-08-13 21:51|| 2012-08-13 21:51|| Front Page Top

#14 Personally I would like to see "non pilots" flying UAVs. A UAV pilot doesn't need the top notch physical conditioning that a fighter jock does. Nor does he/she need 20/20 vision, for example. I realize that UAV pilots need pilot training for things like being aware of the airspace around the vehicle, etc. But slugs like me could pilot a UAV, with training.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia 2012-08-13 23:07|| 2012-08-13 23:07|| Front Page Top

#15 real reason: cockpits are kinda cramped.

Posted by USN, ret. 2012-08-13 23:36|| 2012-08-13 23:36|| Front Page Top

23:52 trailing wife
23:36 USN, ret.
23:34 USN, ret.
23:23 USN, ret.
23:17 JosephMendiola
23:11 JosephMendiola
23:07 Rambler in Virginia
23:01 JosephMendiola
22:54 JosephMendiola
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22:15 Enver and Company9608
22:10 Redneck Jim
22:03 Barbara
21:57 Redneck Jim
21:51 rwv
21:43 European Conservative
21:25 Broadhead6
21:15 Iblis
21:07 European Conservative
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20:24 trailing wife
20:19 Barbara
20:15 Barbara